19 years since its conceptualization, the ADZU-School of Medicine had gone a long way. It had laid its foundations well, pioneered an innovative curriculum in the country, produced good doctors and catered to the health needs of the community.
One can only imagine the problems that can arise in doing something never done before and going to places never been before. But I guess the success of SOM comes from the fact that it was a group struggle. It was not the individual efforts that made SOM come this far, but the fact that everybody is taking part. Yes – one can be great, but as a group – you could only get further.
It is sometimes hard to translate your words into actions and a lot of things do get lost in the translation; good to know that SOM is still there for the community – its original intention still in place.
The ADZU-SOM embraces a good set of philosophy. Public health is a great concern for the progress of the community. Of course there are economic issues, but if you do not feel well – you do not think and act well. We are considered self-directed learners to become selfless for others – funny, but noble.
Emphasis is made on the school’s existence for the society and calls for maturity – both that I really like. It is great to know that the focus of the institution is on the societal level and not merely on producing doctors whose interests may only be personal. I am from Western Mindanao and I know a lot of people here; I like the idea that I can serve in my home and my people through the SOM. People more often than not, react differently towards you if you are one of them.
We also believe that learning is a lifetime process – something that should be realized early on. Knowledge is not stored for a period of time that stretches up until the exams that becomes irrelevant immediately after. We continue to learn and understand. That is the only way to go – the only SOM way.
“The ADZU-SOM envisions a medical school whose curriculum combines competency and problem-based instruction…responsive to the changing patterns of health care development and the needs of the community…” - Nothing is too ambitious for someone who is willing to do the necessary. This is what they envisioned and it is what is drawn now – I guess what is important is that we do not lose sight of the goal.
The institution aims to produce good and competent doctors who can really help those who need it the most. I think it is not how great the cases would be but how many you had actually gave medical assistance to. I like the idea of not going after the rare but working with the common, because then more people can relate to you and you deal not only with the privileged few.
By keeping people healthy – you keep them out of the hospitals. The attention is given not when things are going wrong but in preventing the wrong things to happen. It is community versus individual wherein taking care of the whole ensures the health of its parts..
“Medical education is both a maturation process and a metamorphosis with UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION as the first step in the continuum that includes POSTGRADUATE and CONTINUING EDUCATION.” It is going to be a totally different approach to learning that demands maturity in knowing what you can do and on how you go about things. I do expect transformation because it is at this point, inevitable. Going from the theories to where the action is would be tough – but hopefully also fun.
In ADZU-SOM’s Philosophy of Education – education is always regarded as a process. You can never force or hurry a process. I believe that it is gradual – from regarding the med students as adult learners to expecting them to solve health problems of Western Mindanao. It may be tough, but no one – so far – thought it be impossible.