“A bastion of quality education, service and research in the health sciences advancing health empowerment towards nation building”
Established on June 10, 1956, the University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center, Inc. (UERMMMCI or UERM) is located in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines. It is a world-renowned training ground for medical, physical therapy and nursing professions; and is one of the leading health care facilities in the country today.
UERM is the first private medical institution to obtain level IV (the highest) accreditation of the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities, and of the Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines (FAAP). It has been awarded the distinction of Centre of Excellence by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and given the Award of Excellence by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).
The mission of the UERMMMCI education system is to serve society by educating and training a diverse medical and paramedical workforce capable of meeting the country’s need for health workers engaged in the practice of medicine, nursing, physical therapy, public health, biomedical and health services research, as well as developing administrators and educators through its graduate school.
UERMMMCI also has a tertiary hospital as part of the academic institution. Its mission is to provide personalized quality care, based on rational medical economics, to patients from all walks of life. It aims to affirm its distinction as a top hospital in the Philippines.
Inception Story
The University of the East College of Medicine was established on June 10, 1956 by a renowned Filipino educator, Francisco Dalupan, Sr. In 1957, he converted the College of Medicine into a foundation and named it after the popular President of the Republic of the Philippines, Ramon Magsaysay, who died in a plane crash that year. President Carlos P. Garcia, who succeeded President Magsaysay described the founding of UERMMMC as a “great pioneering adventure, marking the advent in the Philippines of educational philanthropy.” Dr. Lucio Tan, a Chinese-Filipino businessman, contributed to the development of UERMMMCI. As a non-stock, non-profit institution, all revenues generated from its operations are infused back into the Center for the improvement of its facilities and support for its programs.
The pioneering faculty of the College was composed of the best educators from the University of the Philippines and the University of Santo Tomas. The combination of the best educators from these two established Universities enabled the UERM to assemble its faculty complement making it earn its position among the leading medical institutions in the country. Today, it takes pride in its consistent excellent performance in the Philippine Licensure Examinations, in having the lowest student to faculty ratio, highly qualified and diverse faculty and academic support staff, expanded support for the continuing graduate education of its faculty, and world class teaching facilities. In collaboration with the Research Institute for Health Sciences (RIHS) of the University, the College of Medicine has also been spearheading breakthroughs in research.
Torchbearers of the Institute
Today, the UERM College of Medicine operates under a University Medical Center set-up which is under a Board of Trustees headed by Chairman Dr. Lucio Tan.
The President of the College, President Ester Garcia, herself a renowned educator, holds a Doctorate degree in Chemistry and is a former chair of the Commission on Higher Education.
The Dean, Dr. Norbert Lingling D. Uy, is an internist-cardiologist, an academician as well as a clinician and holds master’s degrees in Education Management and in Public Health. After his graduation from the UERMMMC College of Medicine, he did his post-graduate internship and later completed his residency in internal medicine at the UERMMH in 1984. He finished his 2-year fellowship in cardiology at the Philippine Heart Center. He did further studies in cardiology at St. Louis University Hospital in Missouri in 1991.
A Hub of Education and Empowerment
The University has been at the forefront of innovations in medical education. Its present outcome-based curriculum is being implemented with lesser didactic classroom lectures and greater utilization of small group interactive discussions, laboratory activities and demonstration and return demonstration sessions in skills laboratories. Independent self-study periods allow students to learn at their pace. The mentoring program ensures a meaningful achievement of the outcomes of the four year course in Medicine.
As early as first year, through the Department of Preventive and Community Medicine, the students are exposed to the community to make them aware of the various community health determinants, make community health assessment and become aware of the roles of healthcare provider as a social mobilizer. A unique subject called “Patient Doctor Relationship” is started in the first year as part of the values formation of its graduates. Professionalism, compassion, altruism, commitment, dedication and holistic approach in patient care are some of the issues tackled in this subject. These are traits and values considered as trademarks of a ‟UERM graduate”.
The clinical exposures of the UERM students start from second year where they are guided by preceptors in their interactions with actual patients as they practice obtaining medical and social databases. The third year interactions with their preceptors allow the students ample exercises on generations of impressions and differential diagnoses and developments of diagnostic and therapeutic plans. Theoretical knowledge from basic as well as clinical subjects are utilized and reinforced in their discussions of the cases. Equity in health care is emphasized.
In the fourth year, the students join the residents and faculty staff in handling patients admitted to the Pay and the Service hospitals. The Service Hospital is the main teaching hospital where resident physicians are the primary attending doctors and the patient care is subsidized by the University. Both hospital systems are maintained by the University in the same campus. This clinical exposure is further enhanced by the rotations of the clinical clerks in high volume government hospitals and a one month elective rotation. The program has a provision for exposure to health care systems outside of the country like the USA.
A four-week immersion in a rural community setting during this year allows the students exposure to the various issues of the Philippine Health Care System and enhances their awareness on societal issues and their roles in health promotion, disease prevention, diagnosis and management of diseases commonly seen in the community. In addition, rotations to the out-patient divisions of the different Departments provide the students opportunities to participate in healthcare delivery to patients with simple acute conditions and patients requiring continuing care. Health promotion is central in their dealings with patients that are seen in the hospital wards or cared for in the outpatient division.
Rainbow of Offerings
UERM students are active in both intra and extra-curricular activities. They have active participation in the Association of Philippine Medical Colleges- Student Network Organization. Their participations in interschool activities and competitions in sports, dance, debate, clinic-pathologic case presentations, research, quiz bees and chorale have yielded several awards. The College supports organizations that cater to the different interests of the medical students including the Association of International Medical Students.
UERM caters to local and foreign students. The University offers several forms of scholarships. Freshmen who are holders of Latin honors in any Baccalaureate course with high NMAT percentile may apply for either a University Entrance Scholarship or the President Dalupan Entrance Scholarship. The educational grant for academic excellence allows one to maintain scholarship up to the fourth year. In addition, the University offers grants-in aid to financially challenged but deserving students. These come in various amounts and are made available from donations of local alumni as well as those in America through the Alumni Foundation in USA. There is also a UERMMMCI-Tan Yan Kee Foundation Inc. scholarship.
Since its inception, UERM College of Medicine has graduated more than 12,000 physicians who have pursued careers in the Philippines and abroad. The career path pursued by its graduates ranges from private practice to government service, research and academe, policy making, local and national political leaderships, medico-legal profession, directorships in pharmaceutical companies, volunteers in organizations such as Doctors without Borders and Doctors to the Barrio program of the Department of Health, rural, provincial and regional health officers, and even religious priests and missionary pastors.
As a center of excellence in medical education, UERM College of Medicine continues to commit to providing quality education through a dynamic, innovative curriculum aligned with international standards. It continues to expand its linkages with international centers of education. It continues to improve its facilities to maintain an environment conducive to the intellectual, emotional and economic growth of the members of the academic community. It continues to contribute relevant and quality medical researches and continues to produce competent, compassionate, ethical, civic-minded and socially responsive physicians with a holistic approach to health care.
Words of Trust
“As a foreign student, the UERM community welcomed me with open arms, which made my transition much smoother than I anticipated. The teaching faculty nurtures their students to become five-star physicians. The student population supports each other wholeheartedly through success and failures in both academic and extra-curricular activities. The UERM community is surely unique and has exceeded my expectations. I’m proud to be part of the UERM family.”
-Alexander Michael A. Maulino
BS Neuobiology, University of California, 2013
UERM Medicine Class 2020
‟UERM provided me avenues for growth. It challenged me to think critically through the lectures and at the same time, taught me compassion for our patients. It provided me the chance to showcase my leadership skills and endless possibilities for my future career as a clinician. I can say that I spent my happiest years here and I will always be a proud graduate of UERMˮ
-Arlyze Gaile D. Arenas
BS Health Sciences, ADMU 2015
UERM Medicine Class 2019
