Karl Emmanuel Mercader of University of Perpetual Help System Dalta-Jonelta School of Medicine has topped the 2017 Physicians’ Board Examinations held on March 5, 6, 12, and 13 in the cities of Manila, Baguio, Cebu, and Zamboanga.
Mercader, 30, scored 88.58 percent to grab the top post for Perpetual out of 1,317 board examinees, with 813 passers as announced by the Professional Regulatory Commission last March 16.
The third of five siblings, Mercader graduated in 2015 and took his internship at the University of Perpetual Help Medical Center in Las Piñas City, where the family lives. His father Perfecto is a tricycle driver at BF Resort Village despite being 71 years old, in part to sustain his son’s studies.
Mercader is Perpetual Help’s first Top 10 physician’s board passer. He had worked as a call center agent in the last two years after he nearly quit medical school, admitting he collapsed under the stress of his previous internship at another hospital.
Alvin Villas of Fatima University placed second with an 87.17 rating, and Nigel Cunanan of University of the East-Ramon Magsaysay was third at 87.08.
University of the Philippines-Manila got a 100-percent passing rate, while University of Perpetual Help System Dalta posted an 88.89-percent passing rate, ahead of Far Eastern University-Nicanor Reyes Medical Foundation, which got 88.20 percent.