04/06/2026
The Prequel: The 2-Year Battle Before the UK Even Said "Yes" 🇬🇧✈️
Before I ever failed the NMC OSCE twice in 2017, I had to survive a brutal two-year obstacle course just to get my visa.
It all started in 2015. An NHS Trust flew to the Philippines, interviewed me, and I was selected! I was on cloud nine. But that joy was short-lived. To actually move forward, I needed to pass the IELTS.
It took me 4 attempts and an entire year just to get the scores I needed. Here is what that year actually looked like:
The Brutal Commute: I took a new hospital job for better pay and leadership hopes, but it meant traveling 2–3 hours from San Jose del Monte, Bulacan to my review center in Makati after every shift. I’d travel another 1–2 hours back, getting home at 1:00 AM dead tired. I did this for 6 months until I couldn't take it anymore.
The Sacrifice: After failing twice, I resigned from my job to focus entirely on studying. To survive, I worked as a part-time private duty nurse just to afford my food and travel costs, and switched to a review center closer to home.
The Breakthrough: Failed attempt #3 crushed me because I knew I had improved. But on the 4th try, I finally conquered it.
After that, came the CBT exam. Thankfully, I passed that theory test in one sitting!
The Reality Check: From being selected in that interview to finally getting my visa, it took two long years of pure grit, sweat, and tears. And little did I know, an even bigger storm was waiting for me in the UK (which you read about in my last post!)
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(📸 Pictured: Me at my 4th IELTS exam venue in Tagaytay, plus the actual score report that changed everything!)
