THE PATH to becoming a doctor requires more than determination, but also a steadfast and unwavering passion.
Miss Universe Philippines 2020 Rabiya Mateo holds on to this ideal as she returns as a student to pursue her dream of becoming a medical doctor.
From evening gowns, she will now don scrubs and a white uniform as she begins her studies at the UST Faculty of Medicine and Surgery.
“It’s a calling. It’s really a sacrifice. It’s more than that, you know. Looking back, I think I really needed to take those gap years for me to establish my life because being a doctor, especially here in the Philippines, it’s never easy,” Mateo told the Varsitarian.
While many celebrities leave their previous endeavors for a high-paying career in showbiz, Mateo chose the reverse.
Pursuing medicine has been Mateo’s dream since she graduated with a physical therapy degree at Iloilo Doctors’ College eight years ago.
As the breadwinner of her family, she chose to set her dreams aside, working as a lecturer at a review center to support her family before entering the world of pageantry.
“I’ve always wanted to be a doctor like my dad, but reality hit,” Mateo added. “I really needed to provide for my mom [and] for my brothers, so I took the responsibility to find work first, to do show business on the side, and save up.”
Of the medical schools in the country, Mateo chose UST owing to the 155-year-old institution’s stature in the field of medicine.
“Our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, [studied] medicine in UST, and I want to be part of that family, of that legacy,” Mateo said.
As a physical therapist, Mateo worked first-hand with people with disabilities across all ages.
What struck her the most was treating young patients which, to her, is a source of hope in trying times.
“I know it’s not going to be easy, but every time I get to work with kids, I feel like I’m working with innocent and pure souls. It gives me the energy that [makes me feel] it’s still a wonderful world. Despite its chaos and its issues, this world is still worth believing in because of our children.”
Mateo is an advocate of mental health wellness. As an aspiring doctor, she intends to use her platform to impart awareness regarding depression.
She also strives to inspire women to break social stigma, working to be an example of a “girl who made everything possible,” regardless of age.
“I hope that I can inspire more women to continue their dreams, to go back to school, and continue their calling. At my age, society expects me to get married, to have kids. That is the usual track, but I really want to break that stigma, and I really want to live a good life for myself.”
Through hard work and perseverance, she was able to win beauty titles, going as far as landing as a top 21 semifinalist of Miss Universe 2020, held in Florida in May 2021.
She hopes to bring the same attitude as a medical student.
“Now that I’m going to be entering med school, I still wish to be as hopeful and as delusional as I was before, because I don’t want to just stop thinking that I’m going to be a doctor and that’s it,” she said.
With classmates from a younger generation, the former beauty queen wants to keep up and excel with them.
Having topped her undergraduate studies and the Miss Universe Philippines 2020 tilt, Mateo is setting her sights on topping the physician licensure exams.
Given the strenuous demands of medical school, Mateo said she won’t serve two masters at the same time.
“I’m setting aside show business. If it’s for me, who knows, after med school, it’s still there. But my sole focus is now with my studies. I’m not going to do things at the same time,” she said.
Mateo urged Thomasians to not let adversity rob them of opportunities, reminding them that even though she initially didn’t have the means to pursue her medical dreams, she still made it possible even if it took her eight years later.
“Education is really a powerful tool. I always believe that knowledge is and always will be power. Because regardless of where you are right now, if you are knowledgeable, you will excel,” she said.
“Don’t listen to this world because this world is cruel. Listen to that voice inside your head telling you that you can do it. Regardless of how big or how small that dream is, if it’s gonna make you a better person and it’s gonna help you serve your community, do it,” she said.
Mateo is among the 602 freshmen of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery. Over 10,000 freshmen enrolled in the first term of AY 2026-2027. With reports from Elihoenai Hazael B. Cortez , Billy Andrei P. Ramos, and Frenchshield Shayne G. Delovieres.
