The National Teacher Training Center for the Health Professions (NTTCHP) kicked off its 49th founding anniversary with a dynamic Day One of their research conference, titled “Health Professions Education in Universal Health Care” at Citystate Tower, Ermita, Manila on January 29, 2024.

In her opening remarks, NTTCHP Dean Melflor A. Atienza shared stories about the Center’s humble beginnings and its close ties to the World Health Organization (WHO) master plan. She expressed her gratitude to the WHO and to UP Manila (UPM), describing them as the NTTCHP’s “Father” and “Mother” respectively. The Dean then highlighted the Center’s commitment to remaining relevant and supporting colleagues in their pursuit of knowledge related to universal health care in health professions education.

UPM Chancellor Dr. Michael L. Tee, who delivered the inspirational message, echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the pivotal role of NTTCHP in shaping health human resources. He urged attendees to leverage the academic freedom they possess to determine what, when, and how to teach, envisioning a future with more graduates ready to contribute to improving standards of healthcare in the country.

Keynote Lecture

In his keynote lecture, Dr. Jose Y. Cueto Jr., Commissioner of the Professional Regulations Commission (PRC), captivated the audience with his insightful talk on “Standards of Practice in Accordance with the Philippine Qualifications Framework (PQF).” During his presentation, he discussed various topics, ranging from the pivotal role of health professions education in effectively implementing the Universal Health Care (UHC) Law, to the meticulous standards of practice adhering to the specifications of the PQF.

He stressed the significance of aligning Philippine qualifications with international benchmarks, showcasing the PQF’s eight levels (Level 6 Baccalaureate, Level 7 Post Baccalaureate, and Level 8 Doctoral and Postdoctoral) defined in three domains: knowledge, skills, and values; application; and degree of independence.

Dr. Cueto also informed the audience of a proposed amendment which aims to eliminate the connection between Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and the renewal of the PRC license. He also outlined the proposal to establish a multidisciplinary CPD Council, emphasizing that the learning outcomes and activities are uniform across professions, leading to a standardized number of CPD credits.

Towards the end of his talk, Dr. Cueto reiterated the concept that primary care, involving medicine, dentistry, and nursing, serves as the initial point of contact, and thus essentially merits the seven competencies of primary care workers. In closing, he underscored the necessity for a curriculum realignment to address these competencies effectively.

Day One’s parallel sessions also featured the following presenters with their respective topics:

• Wilfredo M. Ypil, Jr., MD – “The Cebu Institute of Medicine Corde Mentoring Program – Transforming Medical Students into Community Leaders: Program Conceptualization, Implementation, and Initial Evaluation”;
• Oscar D. Zaldivar, Jr., RN, MBAH, MPMH – “Evaluation of Responsiveness of Training For Combat Medics in the Armed Forces of the Philippines”;
• Wilfredo Jr., M. Ypil, MD – “Post-COVID-19 Pandemic Innovations of the VSMMCRegional Heart Center A.C.T.-B.E.S.T. (A-Adult C-Cardiology Fellowship T-Training Program B-Built on E-Excellence, S-Social Responsibility, T-Transformative Education and T-Trust)”;
• Joseph U. Olivar, MD and Lynnette M. Lasala, MD – “Clinical Competencies of Clinical Clerks during their Rotations in the OPD of OB GYN Departments: An Assessment Tool”;
• Christian Earvin Bondoc, MD, MPM -”Community Orientation Scale for Clinical Clerkship in Family and Community Medicine”;
• Janill Ignacio Magano, MD – “Motivation Scale for Migration to Australia of Filipino Medical Doctors (MSMAuFilMD): Development and Standardization”; and
• Jessamae L. Fadri, RSLP – “An Assessment Tool to Evaluate Professionalism of Speech Language Pathology Interns in the Hospital Setting.”

The first day’s events concluded with the presentation and critique of outputs facilitated by Dr. Nemuel S. Fajutagana and Associate Prof. Emely D. Dicolen.

Charmaine A. Lingdas