Maricar Reyes. Image from Instagram / @maricareyespoon
Maricar Reyes-Poon may be known as an actress, a vlogger, an entrepreneur, and wife of a singer. But not many are aware that she is a licensed doctor of medicine.
Though she is not a practicing doctor after graduating from medical school at the University of Santo Tomas, Reyes-Poon felt that her calling was more on understanding people’s psychology than treating them for illnesses.
Her self-assessment came about when she shared a photo of herself with her then classmates on Instagram, as well as a screenshot of her conversation with another doctor who said Reyes-Poon’s book helped the former’s patient overcome her depression.
“Yes Im a licensed MD, but I was never the best in class. Yung 2 kasama ko dyan sa photo? (Hi Marga & Janice). They always had wayyyy better grades than me. Naka-insecure at inisip ko, ‘HOW AM I GOING TO COMPETE WITH THEM EH ANG GAGALING NILA?’ Pero in time mas nakita ko kung saan ako mas-nageexcel — listening & understanding people (Kaya pala nung college I got an “A” in our Psychology subject with minimal effort),” she said in her IG post.
Reyes-Poon said this understanding allowed her to write a book that would explain her own struggles in the hopes that someone else would get over theirs.
“Ang saya to see that a fellow doctor used my book to help with her patient’s depression. And that it answered another woman’s deep questions about life. Doktor pa rin ako — but only for the basics, mga ubo, sipon, first aid, ganern haha! I excel elsewhere. YOU were created to excel at something too. May we all find AND FUNCTION in our own unique gifts,” she added. EDV