What is your Motivation for pursuing post graduate studies and view of self directed learning

During my undergraduate years in the University of the Philippines Manila, I had encountered patients
who seek dental treatments in my college only when their condition becomes worse or somehow seems
to be in the edge of being hopeless. Others would have systemic disease that render them not be treated
immediately with their dental needs (consider revision/paraphrase). Clearance is a prerequisite for these
patients prior to any procedure(?). During that time, I see these patients, only as clinical requirements but
was not able to look into the bigger picture.

It was only after I graduated last April 2013 and had engaged in a private practice in the province that I
realized that these patients only seek dental treatment as their last option and not even considering it as
their priority. I always tell my patients that prevention is better than cure but most of the time it is the
other way around. I was wondering if these patients lack knowledge on how they could have prevented
diseases. A lot of questions popped in my mind such as, What are the preventive measures that can be
given to the patients? How do we reach out to these needs? Do I have the ability to perceive, acquire as
well as apply solutions for these problems?

With these in mind, I entered the Oral Surgery Post Graduate Preceptorship Program of the Philippine
General Hospital Department (PGH) of Dentistry last October 2014. I chose PGH since it caters not only
the rich but the poor as well. It is also one of the best Institutions that provides numerous opportunities
for us dentists, to be able to see cases which can only be seen in books during our undergraduate years.
During the course of the program, I was able to see and experience handling cases with co management
with other medical fields. These include not only patient seeking dental treatment but those with
conditions which is caused by their oral health neglect. It was an overwhelming experience wherein I was
able to share, with my community back in the province as a private practitioner, the knowledge I learned
from the six (6) month program. I came back to the province to endeavour once again and engage in
private practice but the fulfilment of treating patients and educating them in their oral health is lacking.
Contemplating on how I would be able to reach more of the community is one of the reasons why I
decided to enter the academe and started working in the Centro Escolar University School of Dentistry as
a Clinical Instructor and Oral Pathology Instructor. Being in the academe made me realize that teaching
my students would also be teaching them how to care not only their patients but their community as well.
Simple things such as oral health instructions to their family and relatives would be of big help in keeping
their overall health. This led me and gave me a strong motivation to study Public health as a post graduate
degree since it would help me, not only as a dentist but also as an individual, pursue greater knowledge
on how to increase health awareness. Also, being an instructor, this program would also help me translate
to my students the knowledge on how could studying public health would affect their patient’s health
view and eventually will be able to translate it to their community.

The self-directed learning is a good practice for students to not only rely on what they have heard but also
to enhance their ability to study with minor supervision. It is also a good way for students to practice time
management and develop their skills and resourcefulness while studying. Being in the academe, it is a
good way for instructors to show the students that learning is not only done in the four corners of a room
but as well as directing oneself to learn and explore of the new things with their own ability.