On March 21, 2024, the USeP School of Medicine (SoM) held its first quarter faculty meeting this year, which was attended by the SoM management team, course coordinators, faculty, and staff.
Dr. Melinda C. Tagle, SoMโs inaugural dean, started the meeting in high spirits with her welcoming and inspiring message. In her customary motivating tone, Dr. Tagle emphasized her thanks to every one of the professors and staff, as well as her excitement for the growing SoM family and everyone’s ongoing support and collaboration to guarantee that quality medical education is delivered. To strengthen each faculty member’s resolve, she additionally spoke about the unique privilege of being an educator and how the faculty’s influence extends beyond the classroom, quoting Carl W. Buechner: “The students may forget what the teacher said, but they will not forget the way you made them feel.”
Immediately after, Dr. Victoria P. Guillano, the SoM Dean, called the meeting to order and presented the meeting agenda to be discussed by the various course coordinators and unit heads. She then proceeded to share the updated SoM organizational team, and information on the 2nd semester, AY 2023-2024 and off-semester 2024 schedules of the different year levels for the facultyโs guidance. Further, she invited everyone to participate in the plan of SoM to conduct a 2-day faculty development session before the end of the 2nd quarter to improve the quality of academic programs and to respond to emerging faculty, student, program, and industry needs.
Dr. Jingle Mae Panimdim-Villarin, the community medicine course coordinator, also presented updates on the course and shared with the faculty the plan of SoM to increase the community exposure of students in line with the thrust of the university to produce health-oriented professionals who are equipped with broad skills and able to work for health promotion, disease prevention, and cure, wherein the curriculum is appropriate to learners’ future practice in the community.
In the same way, Dr. Pat Rowena Namnama Tejero-Gahol, the clerkship coordinator, presented the clinical clerkship program of SoM in partnership with Davao Regional Medical Center (DRMC). She emphasized the schedule, rotation hours, and the different specialized departments where students will be exposed, including the pre-clerkship requirements and orientation that the students need to undergo.
Moving forward, Dr. John Elmer C. Quilisadio, head of the research unit and Dr. Maryrose B. Rendon, head of the Student Support Services Committee (SSSC), both presented updates and plans. The research unit will work closely with the DRMC Research Ethics Committee to assess and approve studentsโ research protocols, ensuring the rights, safety, and well-being of human participants while also promoting the integrity of research data. Furthermore, the SSS committee suggests an early review program for incoming 4th year students which will be administered every Saturday during their clerkship. This undertaking will help prepare them for the Physician Licensure Examination (PLE).
To further round up the discussions, Dr. Vicky Guillano closed the meeting with words of kindness and appreciation to the faculty and staff, pointing out that their utmost dedication will result in the achievement of the schoolโs mission and objectives.
Truly, the meeting was filled with fruitful discussions, camaraderie, and appreciation for the various roles we get to play in the world of innovative education.
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