Page 15 - May June 2022 Newsletter FINAL_Neat

Adventures with Adversity
By: Victoria Cabanela, MD

Even at a young age in the Philippines, I was fascinated by the intricacies
of the human being and determined that I would pursue a career in Medi-
cine despite the cultural obstacles to women’s entry into the profession
during my time! Fortunately, I was born to a family which prized intellec-

tual achievement and provided me with the encouragement and support
to complete my medical degree. Furthermore, our family values that in-
clude: faith in God, humility, perseverance, resilience and respect, help me
to face the obstacles and challenges in my lifetime.

After completion of my M.D. and government required experience in the field, I accepted a residency po-
sition in Pediatrics. After working with children and their common complaints for two years, I found that

I was being stifled by the routine nature of the practice and joined the Armed Forces of the Philippines in
search of diversity and challenge within the practice of Medicine. This turned out to be a turning point in
my career. Having rotated in the different sub-specialties of Internal Medicine, I found my rotation in Psy-
chiatry to be the most challenging and the most rewarding.

Noticing my interest in Psychiatry, the Chief of the Neuro-psychiatric Service of the Armed Forces of the

Philippines Medical Center recommended me for a fellowship in Psychiatry at the University of the Phil-
ippines-Philippine General Hospital. I completed a three-year clinical training program in Psychiatry and
returned to the Armed Forces in the capacity as a Psychiatrist.

Eventually, I made a difficult decision to emigrate to the United States to rejoin my family and began the
long and difficult task of re-accreditation in my profession. Since neither I nor my family was in a finan-
cial position to allow me to devote my full energies to preparing for U.S. accreditation, I worked full time

(and frequently with a second job) in non-medical jobs in order to be fully self-supporting.
After passing the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination in the Medical Sciences, I got accepted into a

residency program in Psychiatry at Sinai Samaritan Medical Center (University of Wisconsin affiliation in
Milwaukee, Wisconsin). Followed by fellowship in Gero-psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin, Madi-
son.

During the first few months of my training, I had to deal with and overcome problems including racial
discrimination. It’s hard to ignore racism such as: being ignored, stared at, and hearing negative com-

ments about me based on my race. I was even asked maliciously if I speak English. Some showed their
displeasures when I was newly assigned as their treating Resident Physician. Gradually, I gained their

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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA PSYCHIATRIC SOCIETY Page 15 May/June 2022