Failed the First Attempt, Topped the Third: Igorot Doctor shares 10 years journey to becoming Top 1 of the 2026 Physician Licensure Exam

FEATURE

When he did not see his name on the list of passers for the second time on April 8, Dr. Erwin Ken Parchaso broke down outside their house and blamed the “Name Withheld” Top 1 of the March 2026 Physician Licensure Examination (PLE), thinking that if not for the unnamed examinee, he might have made it into the curve.

Speaking before members of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), the Philippine Medical Association, the Board of Medicine, and newly licensed physicians on April 21, Parchaso admitted that he even resented the unidentified topnotcher, recalling how he thought, “Buti nga sa kanya! Under investigation siya!”

Parchaso, whose roots trace back to Sablan, Benguet and Sagada, Mountain Province, was aware of the public speculation surrounding the initial non-disclosure of the Top 1. But in an unexpected twist, the examinee he had begrudged turned out to be himself.

His name was not immediately released due to the significant gap between his rating and that of the second placer, who earned 90.58%, according to national media reports. His exact average was not publicly disclosed when the PRC officially released his name on April 19.

Ten years to become a full-fledged doctor

Parchaso shared that it took him ten years—and three attempts—to finally become a licensed physician.

“Ten years. That's how long it took me to become a licensed doctor,” he said during his speech on April 21.

He admitted that he failed his first attempt “because life happened,” but said he would not trade that experience for anything, as it gave him something more valuable than a license—his family of three.

For his supposed second attempt, Parchaso chose not to appear at the testing center, acknowledging that he was not ready and was afraid of failing again. Instead, he stayed home to support his pregnant wife as she navigated early motherhood.

On his third attempt in March 2026, he carried a stronger sense of readiness, saying, “I wasn't perfect. But I was ready.”

“You don’t have to be strong to be unbreakable… you just have to show up”

Drawing from his decade-long journey, Parchaso addressed those who have yet to make it and those who have watched their peers achieve their dreams while still waiting for their own moment.

“I know what it's like to smile at family gatherings and pretend everything is fine. To carry the weight of ‘not yet’ while everyone around you seems to have already arrived,” he said.

From the struggles he endured over the past ten years, the Igorot topnotcher shared a powerful lesson:

“You don't have to be unbreakable to be strong. You just have to keep showing up. Even when it hurts. Even when you're embarrassed. Even when you want to disappear.”

After acknowledging his family and the people who supported and shaped him, Parchaso dedicated his achievement to those who have endured hardships and to future PLE takers.

He also urged his fellow newly licensed physicians to serve with purpose and never forget where they came from.

“So as we take our oath today, with tears or with smiles, let us remember—we are not just passing an exam. We are answering a calling,” said the topnotcher, who is “not withheld, not hidden—just here.”