In preparation for the setting up of its own school of medicine, a team of officials from UP Mindanao visited the UP Manila College of Medicine (UPCM) on April 20, 2023 to know more about its medical programs’ curricula, faculty structure, and student recruitment processes. 

The event, held at the Vincent Tiu Lim Hall of the Henry Sy Sr. Hall, was attended by members of the UP Mindanao’s technical working group for the establishment of said school, namely Dr. Ronneil Bilbao, Dr. Franklin B. Guillano, Dr. Al Radjid Jamiri, Prof. Aleyla E. De Cadiz, and Ms. Marieviette V. Gatela. UP Manila Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Nymia P. Simbulan, UPCM Dean Charlotte Chiong, and other CM officials led the benchmarking presentations.

“I hope you [will] find what you are looking for in the resources that we have prepared so that UP Mindanao will be able to establish its own medical program in the immediate future,” said UP Vice Chancellor Simbulan. Dean Chiong, on the other hand, shared UPCM’s plans to create more experimental models for its medical program. 

The benchmarking activity focused on UPCM’s presentation of its faculty appointment and development program; scholarship, grants, financial assistance, mentoring programs for medical students; its traditional and residential medical curricula; and admissions process. 

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Other programs presented were the community-oriented ladderized medical program offered by the School of Health Sciences (SHS) Palo, Leyte and the Integrated Arts and Medicine (INTARMED) program, the shortened seven-year medical program offered to the top 50 UPCAT passers every year. 

In response to Dr. Sablan’s presentation, Dr. Bilbao shared that UP Mindanao is aiming to build the first public school of medicine in Davao City and second in Davao Region. 

The benchmarking activity was also marked by a tour of the Henry Sy Sr. Hall which houses the college’s facilities and equipment for teaching, research, and other academic activities. 

UP Manila is at the forefront of medical education in the country—giving its students world-class

training and excellent teaching quality, so that its graduates can provide quality healthcare all over the Philippines.

UP Mindanao is the sixth university to visit UP Manila this year for a benchmarking activity with the UPCM.  

(Francis Nicole G. Maga)