Dr. Berdon’s Journey: Shifting Perspectives, Molding Lives

Who would’ve thought that the girl who dreamed to be a lawyer turned to become the woman with expertise in medical physiology?

Life is a rollercoaster filled with surprises, just ask Dr. Julieta Berdon.

Dr. Berdon’s lifelong dream is to become a lawyer, that’s why she took up AB Political Science in UP-Diliman for pre-law. However, her father, a professor in Anatomy and former Dean of CIM, wanted her to take up pre-med, so as an obedient child with the desire to please her father, she then took up pre-med at the University of San Carlos after graduating on her first course. She then studied medicine at Cebu Institute of Medicine (CIM) and soon after, passed the Physician Licensure Examination.

After passing the licensure exam, Dr. Berdon did not want to go into practice - she wanted to teach! However, her father has something else in mind. Not knowing what to do yet, she went on residency training for internal medicine.

In 1976, Dr. Berdon’s father decided to retire, so she tried to apply for a teaching job in CIM. With her expertise, she was hired to teach Laboratory Diagnosis, a semestral subject. When her former professor, Dr. Agaton Panopio, transferred to XU-JPRSM, Dr. Berdon filled in his position in the Physiology Department of CIM.

Few years after that, she was invited by Dr. Panopio to teach in XU-JPRSM. At first, she declined since she couldn’t leave her life and family in Cebu.

But in 1992, a twist of fate happened! Dr. Berdon’s husband had a work assignment to Bacolod and her daughter was about to go to college in UP-Diliman. This left her considering the job in Cagayan de Oro. Dr. Berdon started teaching Physiology at XU-JPRSM in 1992. She transferred to Cagayan de Oro with her daughter; who decided to go with her instead.

Fast forward to the present, Dr. Berdon has been teaching for 44 years already. When asked what made her stay in teaching for that long, she said she enjoys teaching. She is delighted with the students, has a good relationship with other faculty members, and likes the spiritual development programs that Xavier University offers. She used to think that Cebu will be her forever home and will eventually go back. But she grew to love the city because of friends inside and outside the school. Her husband was eventually assigned to Cagayan de Oro which made Dr. Berdon stay for good.

This is Dr. Berdon’s last school year as a full-time professor. But if allowed to teach part-time, Dr. Berdon would gladly accept. She said that as long as the students and the school think she is still effective as a teacher, she would be happy to do the job. She got her retired status back in 2009 but was offered to continue teaching which she cheerfully accepted. Dr. Berdon wants the XU-JPRSM community to remember her by the mentoring program which she started, and hopes that her influence gave a positive impact on everyone.

For everyone like Dr. Berdon who are struggling their way through a dream that isn’t theirs, here’s a piece of advice she would like to leave: “Do your best and try to make it, even if it’s for your parents or someone else. Try to enjoy where you are; maybe try a little change in perspective. Attitude is very important.” She recalls that she did not want to go on duty at the hospital, but she tried to enjoy it and she did. “In difficult times, I trust God. Si Lord ug si Virgin Mary gyud akong gasaligan. He is the one who is keeping me going. He is my source of strength.”

Dr. Berdon took a unique journey to what she has become today. Indeed, when life gives you surprises, enjoy and have fun.