DISCLAIMER: This story makes mention of suicide. If you are having suicidal thoughts, please  all a local help hotline. 

When Cris Vinz Tomboc, a nursing student from the West Visayas State University, found that he was one of the two topnotchers of the November 2023 Nursing Licensure Exam, he found himself taken over by a mix of emotion, followed by a flashback of how we burned the midnight oil during the review season.

In a Facebook post, Tomboc recalled dedicating eight to 12 hours daily in his studies as he was “firmly focused” on topping the boards.

“I adhered to a strict daily study schedule, mindful of every hour. I often reminded my friends that if I’m working hard, there’s someone out there working even harder, so I must strive to work the hardest,” Tomboc said.

He shared how we memorized over 8,000 nursing flashcards during the review –  around 500 to 1,000 flashcards daily, repeatedly, until he has placed them well in  long term memory. 

Technology has also proven useful in his journey, particularly an app called Anki, a flashcard system that uses spaced repetition to help increase user’s retention. 

 “I have also answered 20,000-30,000 questions to gear myself up for what was to come.”

Looking back on his hard work, Tomboc felt the honor was well-desrved and not just mere luck. 

“I’ve realized that this achievement is not merely the fulfillment of a dream, but a powerful affirmation of my potential. It marks the commencement of my journey in nursing,” he added.

‘Destigmatizing mental health’

Ironically, for Aristotle Calayan Castronuevo, a known high-achiever and grade conscious among his circle, topping the board was not part of his goals when he took the nursing licensure exam. 

In his Facebook post, the topnotcher shared the pressure he has gone through as a “golden child,” ranking first in one class after another in his younger years while still managing to soar high in different extracurricular activities. 

“I could say, I did not feel like a “golden child,” it felt more like I was a trophy child.],” said Castronuevo who hails from the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila. 

Castronuevo had found himself in his darkest hour when failed to make it to the list of passers in the University of the Philippines College Admission Test. 

“I was suicidal, I just wanted to lock inside of my room forever; the silence from people whom I disappointed (from having topped my SHS batch to not passing UPCAT) was loudly deafening…” Castronuevo said. 

Another distress came to the topnotcher days before graduating from college as he missed the requirement to bag the Magna Cum Laude honor by a hair – short of 0.00915 points on his overall general weighted average to be exact.

“To say that topping the November 2023 Nursing Licensure Exam is a redemption arc (for the UPCAT that I failed and the 0.00915 grade that I lacked for the Magna Cum Laude honor) would not just feel genuine because honestly, I just aimed to pass the exam… and I took the exam not for those two circumstances, but as a gift to those who believed in me,” Castronuevo said, underscoring his Yaya as one of the most important his pillars in his journey.

 As his yaya was diagnosed with major depressive disorder has also turned into a major motivation for Castronuevo to pursue nursing as a selfless passion and eventually be an advocate for mental health wellness. 

 “I hope that along with de-stigmatizing all mental health ‘disabilities,’ the country and the government units … would put equal importance in their healthcare; mental health is health, indeed,” Castronuevo said. 

Both topnotchers thanked their family, friends, mentors and schools for their support. 

 The West Visayas State University – La Paz, along with 16 others, ranked first with a 100% passing rate. The Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila came in second with 99.49% of examinees passed. 

According to the Professional Regulation Commission, 25,761 out of 32,203 takers passed the licensure exam.