University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Medicine and Surgery
Encyclopedia
The University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Medicine and Surgery (simply "UST-Medicine" or "UST-Med") is the medical school
of the University of Santo Tomas
, the oldest and largest Catholic
university in Manila
, Philippines
.
Established in 1871, the faculty is the first medical school
in the Philippines
. It is proclaimed to be a Center of Excellence by the Commission on Higher Education
and a consistent Top Performing Medical School in the Philippine Physician Licensure Examination.
Jose Rizal
, the national hero of the Philippines, enrolled in the Faculty to pursue foundational courses in medicine. He pursued further studies in Ophthalmology
at Madrid Central University (now Complutense University of Madrid
), the University of Paris
, and the University of Heidelberg in Germany
.
The Faculty has consistently ranked among the top performing medical schools in the country. Widely considered as the preeminent medical school in the country, the UST Faculty of Medicine and Surgery has also produced the largest number of medical doctors in Philippine history.
(M.D.) degree, a comprehensive professional academic program
which combines lectures, case analyses, and practical simulation exercises. The entire curriculum focuses on the basic, clinical, and emergency medical sciences. Teaching methods make use of both classic and modern medical practices and technologies.The Faculty is also proud of its extensive learning facilities like the LRU T3Net connection opened in 2004, Electron microscopy unit, multimedia lecture halls, extensive journal collection, wireless-mesh and the Center for Health Science Research.
In 2001, the Faculty adopted the problem-based learning
method for use in the curriculum. The move was highly controversial. Several professors complained that the medical students were not learning the basic sciences adequately. In 2003, the curriculum format combined elements of both traditional (lecture-based) and problem-based methods.Contrary to what was expected as a decline in the quality of the learning of students by some faculty members the first and second batches of PBL trained physicians garnered a 92 & 96% passing percentages, respectively. This data complemented the 10 year study on outcome improvements using PBL conducted at Harvard School of Medicine from 1994 to 2004.
The Faculty is distinct from other medical schools in its policy of requiring graduating students to undergo a series of written and oral exams known as the revalida, a qualifying examination prior to graduation practiced since 1871. In the oral exams, groups of three students each are questioned by panels composed of three professors on basic, clinical, and emergency medical sciences. Passing the revalida is a prerequisite to graduation. Medical school graduates qualify to take the licensure exams for physicians conducted by the Board of Medicine, and under the control and supervision of the Professional Regulation Commission
of the Philippines.
The Faculty regularly conducts postgraduate courses covering specialties and subspecialties in Medicine and Surgery (i.e. Sports Medicine, Family Medicine, Geriatrics and Gerontology, Alternative Medicine, etc.).
.
It has been producing several topnotchers in the national licensure exams for Filipino doctors and enjoyed its LEVEL 4 accreditation for many years. It is also the alma mater of several Secretaries of Health of the Philippines and several Presidents of the Philippine Medical Association, the largest organization of medical doctors in the country. The Faculty has also produced numerous hospital administrators, medical directors, clinical specialists & scientists, and medical professors in the Philippines and abroad. The Faculty garnered a passing rate of 99% in the Physician's Licensure Exam held last August 2009 and August 2010. The Faculty was also ranked as the only Asian medical school to be in the top 10 list of foreign medical institutions by the U.S. Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates in 2007.
, popularly known as the UST Hospital. The hospital is one of the largest fully equipped medical facilities in the country.
Several autonomous units of the University of Santo Tomas
provide allied faculty and research support, such as:
Medical school
A medical school is a tertiary educational institution—or part of such an institution—that teaches medicine. Degree programs offered at medical schools often include Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Bachelor/Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Philosophy, master's degree, or other post-secondary...
of the University of Santo Tomas
University of Santo Tomas
The Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas, The Catholic University of the Philippines , is a private Roman Catholic university run by the Order of Preachers in Manila. Founded on April 28, 1611 by archbishop of Manila Miguel de Benavides, it has the oldest extant university charter in the...
, the oldest and largest Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
university in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
.
Established in 1871, the faculty is the first medical school
Medical school
A medical school is a tertiary educational institution—or part of such an institution—that teaches medicine. Degree programs offered at medical schools often include Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Bachelor/Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Philosophy, master's degree, or other post-secondary...
in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. It is proclaimed to be a Center of Excellence by the Commission on Higher Education
Commission on Higher Education (Philippines)
The Commission on Higher Education of the Philippines, , abbreviated as CHED. The CHED is attached to the Office of the President for administrative purposes...
and a consistent Top Performing Medical School in the Philippine Physician Licensure Examination.
History
The Faculty of Medicine and Surgery was founded in 1871.Jose Rizal
José Rizal
José Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda , was a Filipino polymath, patriot and the most prominent advocate for reform in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial era. He is regarded as the foremost Filipino patriot and is listed as one of the national heroes of the Philippines by...
, the national hero of the Philippines, enrolled in the Faculty to pursue foundational courses in medicine. He pursued further studies in Ophthalmology
Ophthalmology
Ophthalmology is the branch of medicine that deals with the anatomy, physiology and diseases of the eye. An ophthalmologist is a specialist in medical and surgical eye problems...
at Madrid Central University (now Complutense University of Madrid
Complutense University of Madrid
The Complutense University of Madrid is a university in Madrid, and one of the oldest universities in the world. It is located on a sprawling campus that occupies the entirety of the Ciudad Universitaria district of Madrid, with annexes in the district of Somosaguas in the neighboring city of...
), the University of Paris
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
, and the University of Heidelberg in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
The Faculty has consistently ranked among the top performing medical schools in the country. Widely considered as the preeminent medical school in the country, the UST Faculty of Medicine and Surgery has also produced the largest number of medical doctors in Philippine history.
Program design and delivery
The Faculty offers the four-year Doctor of MedicineDoctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
(M.D.) degree, a comprehensive professional academic program
First professional degree
A professional degree prepares the holder for a particular profession by emphasizing competency skills along with theory and analysis. These professions are typically licensed or otherwise regulated by a governmental or government-approved body...
which combines lectures, case analyses, and practical simulation exercises. The entire curriculum focuses on the basic, clinical, and emergency medical sciences. Teaching methods make use of both classic and modern medical practices and technologies.The Faculty is also proud of its extensive learning facilities like the LRU T3Net connection opened in 2004, Electron microscopy unit, multimedia lecture halls, extensive journal collection, wireless-mesh and the Center for Health Science Research.
In 2001, the Faculty adopted the problem-based learning
Problem-based learning
Problem-based learning is a student-centered pedagogy in which students learn about a subject in the context of complex, multifaceted, and realistic problems...
method for use in the curriculum. The move was highly controversial. Several professors complained that the medical students were not learning the basic sciences adequately. In 2003, the curriculum format combined elements of both traditional (lecture-based) and problem-based methods.Contrary to what was expected as a decline in the quality of the learning of students by some faculty members the first and second batches of PBL trained physicians garnered a 92 & 96% passing percentages, respectively. This data complemented the 10 year study on outcome improvements using PBL conducted at Harvard School of Medicine from 1994 to 2004.
The Faculty is distinct from other medical schools in its policy of requiring graduating students to undergo a series of written and oral exams known as the revalida, a qualifying examination prior to graduation practiced since 1871. In the oral exams, groups of three students each are questioned by panels composed of three professors on basic, clinical, and emergency medical sciences. Passing the revalida is a prerequisite to graduation. Medical school graduates qualify to take the licensure exams for physicians conducted by the Board of Medicine, and under the control and supervision of the Professional Regulation Commission
Professional Regulation Commission
The Professional Regulation Commission , otherwise known as the PRC, is a three-man commission attached to the office of the President of the Republic of the Philippines. Its mandate is to regulate and supervise the practice of the professionals who constitute the highly skilled manpower of the...
of the Philippines.
Academic programs
The Faculty offers the following professional academic programs:- Doctor of MedicineDoctor of MedicineDoctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
- Master in Clinical Audiology
- Master of Science in Pain Management
- Master of Arts major in Hospital Administration (offered in the UST Graduate School)
- Master of Science major in Medical Physics (offered in the UST Graduate School)
- Master of Science in Medical Technology (offered in the UST Graduate School)
- Master in Health Professions Education (non-thesis; offered in the UST Graduate School)
The Faculty regularly conducts postgraduate courses covering specialties and subspecialties in Medicine and Surgery (i.e. Sports Medicine, Family Medicine, Geriatrics and Gerontology, Alternative Medicine, etc.).
Performance
The Faculty is proclaimed Center of Excellence in the field of medical sciences by the Commission on Higher EducationCommission on Higher Education (Philippines)
The Commission on Higher Education of the Philippines, , abbreviated as CHED. The CHED is attached to the Office of the President for administrative purposes...
.
It has been producing several topnotchers in the national licensure exams for Filipino doctors and enjoyed its LEVEL 4 accreditation for many years. It is also the alma mater of several Secretaries of Health of the Philippines and several Presidents of the Philippine Medical Association, the largest organization of medical doctors in the country. The Faculty has also produced numerous hospital administrators, medical directors, clinical specialists & scientists, and medical professors in the Philippines and abroad. The Faculty garnered a passing rate of 99% in the Physician's Licensure Exam held last August 2009 and August 2010. The Faculty was also ranked as the only Asian medical school to be in the top 10 list of foreign medical institutions by the U.S. Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates in 2007.
Reputation
The Faculty is widely regarded in medical, educational, and social circles as the premier medical school in the country.Facilities
The Faculty draws physical and manpower resources from its training institution, the University of Santo Tomas HospitalUniversity of Santo Tomas Hospital
The University of Santo Tomas Hospital is located inside the España, Manila campus of University of Santo Tomas...
, popularly known as the UST Hospital. The hospital is one of the largest fully equipped medical facilities in the country.
Several autonomous units of the University of Santo Tomas
University of Santo Tomas
The Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas, The Catholic University of the Philippines , is a private Roman Catholic university run by the Order of Preachers in Manila. Founded on April 28, 1611 by archbishop of Manila Miguel de Benavides, it has the oldest extant university charter in the...
provide allied faculty and research support, such as:
- The UST Graduate SchoolUniversity of Santo Tomas Graduate SchoolThe University of Santo Tomas Graduate School is the graduate school of the University of Santo Tomas, the oldest and largest Catholic university in Manila, Philippines....
- Center of Excellence in Chemistry - The UST Faculty of PharmacyUniversity of Santo Tomas Faculty of PharmacyThe University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Pharmacy is the pharmaceutical school of the University of Santo Tomas, the oldest and the largest Catholic university in Manila, Philippines....
- Top Performing Pharmacy and Medical Technology School in the licensure examinations - The UST College of NursingUniversity of Santo Tomas College of NursingThe University of Santo Tomas College of Nursing, popularly known as "UST Nursing", is the nursing school of the University of Santo Tomas, the oldest and the largest Catholic university in Manila, Philippines....
- Top Performing Nursing School in the licensure examinations and Center of Excellence in Nursing - The UST College of Rehabilitation SciencesUniversity of Santo Tomas College of Rehabilitation SciencesThe University of Santo Tomas College of Rehabilitation Sciences, popularly known as "UST-CRS", is the rehabilitation sciences school of the University of Santo Tomas, the oldest and the largest Catholic university in Manila, Philippines....
- Top Performing Physical and Occupational Therapy School in the licensure examinations and Center of Development in Physical Therapy - The UST College of ScienceUniversity of Santo Tomas College of ScienceThe University of Santo Tomas College of Science, popularly known as "UST Science", is the Pure Sciences school of the University of Santo Tomas, the oldest and the largest Catholic university in Manila, Philippines....
- Center of Excellence in Chemistry, Center of Excellence in Biology - The UST College of EducationUniversity of Santo Tomas College of EducationThe University of Santo Tomas College of Education, popularly known as "UST-Educ", is the teacher education/nutrition and dietetics/library and information science school of the University of Santo Tomas, the oldest and the largest Catholic university in Manila, Philippines...