Meet Concepcion

Pursuing a graduate program in the University of the Philippines has been one of the toughest yet most grateful decisions I made in 2019. After almost one decade since I last attended school and despite practicing nursing profession in varied settings, the need to continually grow professionally in order to better respond to the challenges at the ground level convinced me to enroll in the MSN program. I chose UP Manila because of its inherent prestige of developing competent professionals, and the track of Nursing Administration has a competency-based curriculum that is concrete and comprehensive for the nursing practice in the country. This decision leaves no regrets because the knowledge I continue to acquire has promoted the linkage between nursing practice and theories, which have anchored me in the nursing profession especially during this difficult time of the Covid-19 pandemic. Aside from the program itself, my excitement for learning experiences comes from humble colleagues/classmates and compassionate professors who contribute to the unique learning culture of UP.

I have countless memorable academic and relational experiences while in the university, but what I can vividly remember was in my first semester when after an insightful sharing on nursing management and leadership with our adviser, the small class had a simple birthday celebration for us who share the same birth month. With the changes of teaching modes due to the surface of Covid-19 pandemic, the University was able to adapt with the new situation in a timely and competent manner and so, I can say that even if the lecture classes were mostly conducted online, I was able to grasp the essence of the courses including the research and major subjects. Alongside, the moral support the college provides through online platforms strengthens the students’ interpersonal relationship, despite the given social limitations. As I continue my academic endeavor in UP with this track, it holistically prepares me for the role in nursing administration, and just like my memorable experience where I felt I am a valued student and colleague, the same principle holds true in managing nursing and health resources, especially the human resource.