07/11/2025
A TRIBUTE TO A MENTOR
by Dr. Alan S. Tenerife
"Bring home the bacon, guys."
These words were Dr. Arthur Ascalon's final message to his medical residents at The Doctors' Hospital, encouraging them to excel in the EPN Cardiology Quiz Bowl, an annual event hosted by the Philippine Heart Association - Negros Occidental Chapter. This event, participated in by some of the best medical residents from different Internal Medicine training hospitals in Bacolod City, has produced winners who became successful cardiologists. The questions are hard, the competition tough. The inaugural contest was won by Dr. Caryl Labe of The Doctors' Hospital (TDH), and the last winner from TDH was Dr. Tiffany Pearl Guevara in 2022.
Dr. Cyril Franz Magbanua, a first-year medical resident, became keenly aware of the impact of heart disease early in life, as his father struggled with valvular heart disease. Despite his medical condition, his father still managed to support the family and send Cyril and his brother Mark, who is now an internist, to medical school. Following in his brotherās footsteps, Cyril began his internal medicine training at TDH, where it quickly became clear that cardiology was his passion. He enjoyed discussing intriguing cardiac cases and difficult ECGs with his consultants and would often listen to heart sounds and murmurs from patients, even if they werenāt in his assigned area. He reminded me of my own younger self, roaming the charity wards of the Philippine General Hospital, learning the essence of cardiology at the bedside.
Cyril often sought guidance from his cardiology consultants on challenging cases. He developed a strong rapport with Dr. Arthur Ascalon, who, according to Cyril, provided invaluable mentorship. Cyril recalled, "As a mentor, Dr. Arthur would always compliment my auscultation skills and encourage me to refine my examinations. He taught me to listen carefully to every heartbeat, to hear more than just the coaptation of valve cusps, but to imagine every heart as having its own voice that speaks through the stethoscope in a language of its own, and that it was my mission to understand them and hear cries of pain or anguish where others would only hear a 'Lub-dub' and dismiss the heart as okay. He encouraged me to be detailed, thorough, and to be a perpetual learner who sees cardiology not as an occupation but as a higher calling. Because of his passion and love for his work, I grew to love my work as well and the process of growing every day."
As the Cardio Quiz Bowl drew near, Cyril completed a qualifying exam to represent TDH at the event. Dr. Ascalon motivated him to prepare thoroughly, expressing eagerness to see how Cyril would perform. Knowing his consultant was invested in his results was both exciting and humbling for Cyril. He dedicated himself to studying and was determined to excel.
āBring home the bacon, guys,ā was Dr. Ascalonās message in a chat group on October 23. It turned out to be his last, as a sudden illness took the life of one of Bacolod's beloved cardiologists just four days later. Cyril was heartbroken, grieving not only the loss of a "kind mentor but a good friend". Filled with sorrow over Dr. Art's sudden passing, Cyril faced off against the cream of the crop from Riverside Medical Center, Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Hospital, Bacolod Adventist Medical Center, and Teresita L. Jalandoni Provincial Hospital. He was leading overall as he entered the final round, which used a right-minus-wrong scoring system. The competition was fierce and close. He finished in third place behind Drs. Rafael Martin Moreno (First Place) and Jose Ramman Yap (Second Place) from Riverside Medical Center. Cyril's co-resident at TDH, Dr. Micah Ormeo came at 5th place. Though he didnāt take the top spot, it was still a commendable achievement that Cyril could take pride in, especially while feeling the absence of Dr. Ascalon, who would have cherished witnessing his success.
Cyril visited Dr. Ascalon's wake, bringing his trophy as a heartfelt homage to his mentor. His gesture touched many as he carried the trophy to the casket of his late consultant. Although there are still several challenging years ahead for him to realize his dream of becoming a cardiologist, with enough focus, patience, and hard work, he will most likely achieve that goal. Dr. Arthur Ascalon, in spirit, will surely be looking down with pride at what his student has accomplished.
