Inspired to better serve, Victor Lorenzo Gonzales, a graduate of the University of Baguio, powered through societal pressure, emerged as top 10 in the August 2025 Medical Technologists Licensure Examination (MTLE).
Talking to GURU Press Cordillera, Victor, who finished his degree at UB in January 2025, said topping the the board exam was not in his mind, rather had the mindset to just pass it amid heavy pressure and expectation from people that he had to ace the exam since he had high grades and was an active student in college.
“Although I was under heavy pressure from the expectations other people had of me, and admittedly being scared of facing their disappointments, I still chose what little peace I could give to myself,” he expressed.
Having this in mind, he prepared for the board exam without putting too much pressure on himself, allowing for enough sleep and rest instead of overworking. He said that while he did not put much restrictions on himself, he balanced studying and taking the time to rest to keep normal routines like using his phone and browsing the internet.
Among the challenges Victor faced while preparing for the board exam include the huge amount of study materials that he had to digest and process. He had to condition his mind that a few months could not hurt him, and this, he said, surely worked out well in his favor.
When asked what made him rise beyond the study struggles, he said he always thought of his future patients who he said deserve to have a medtech who is knowledgeable and ready for real-life situations.
“They were what kept me going. I was an intern in Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center, a public tertiary hospital here in Baguio, and the biggest in the north, and the things I experienced in the hospital setting instilled in me the reason what I was studying for. A lot of what I learn from the books I can apply to practical situations, may it be the technical laboratory procedures or as simple as being there for the patients,” he explained.
Advice to next board takers
Victor cited the importance of showing up no matter how difficult the exam is, no matter how unprepared one feels, and no matter how much one wants to quit and leave; showing up, he emphasized, resolves the first and last steps to success.
“And if you can, show up with not only the guts but also the heart to brave the doubts accumulated throughout the review season,” he added.
The MedTech topnotcher shared that the practical advice he can give to the next takers is to know their strengths which they can use to their advantage and to know their weaknesses and how they can compensate for them. He told them to find balance, not just the 50/50 division of time, but rather the “right proportion for effective studying, without sacrificing your health or burning out”.
Victor further stressed nothing is wrong in taking a break when things get overwhelming and too much to bear.
“And please remember, if things get too much to bear; pause, take a step back, and take a deep breath. Everything, including you and I, will be fine. It is a rule of the universe that precedes us. Bear in mind that as for every right step you take forward, one fear fades, and for every left step, one worry wanes. A few of these steps will take you a few feet away and a few more and you're at the finish line!” he reminded.
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