Curriculum

(Government Recognition No. 153 Series of 1961)

Current Curriculum | Historical Background
Historical Background
The pioneering spirit and dynamism of the academic leaders of the College
is reflected in the curriculum which has been continuously reviewed and
upgraded to reflect the changing needs of Philippine society, the advances
in educational strategies and technology, and the internationalization of
medical education.
The original curriculum of the College, although traditional, was described
by the Board of Medical Examiners as “not the usual conventional medical
curriculum since it offers more”. Among the features were the integrated
courses in Psychiatry and Neurology. The school spearheaded the
reformation in the teaching of Preventive and Community Medicine in 1964,
rural internship (apprenticeship) in 1965, the teaching of population and
family planning in 1967, and exposure to rural reconstruction in 1968.
In 1971 the curriculum was restructured, shortened from five to four years
as mandated by the amendment to the Medical Act, graduating its first
batch of the 4-year curriculum in 1973. At the same time the lectures in the
clinical subjects were integrated in the “correlated lecture series.”
To promote independent study, class hours were cut and more study
periods were scheduled. In the third year, lecture hours were likewise cut to
give way to more practicum. Problem-based learning was introduced in
pathology, pharmacology and preventive and community medicine in the
early 1980’s.
The College of Medicine shifted to the so-called innovative integrated
organ systems-based curriculum beginning school year 1998-1999.
The old curriculum (traditional) is organized based on generally accepted
subjects which are grouped into preclinical and clinical, plus preventive and
community medicine. The learning activities are based on the contents of
the subjects, which has been rapidly expanding. Most of them are held in
classrooms, basic laboratories and the teaching hospital; community
exposure come late and short in the fourth year. Lecture is the principal
method of teaching.
Learning in this curriculum is fragmented and in the basic sciences,
unrelated to the clinical implication. Previously learned topics are easily
forgotten. The rapid expansion of biomedical science and technology
overloads the curriculum and overburdens the students.
The pure traditional curriculum is no longer considered appropriate nor
adequate today. The World Federation for Medical Education recommends
a shift to the innovative curriculum which had been pioneered, found
effective and appropriate in several medical schools in western developed
countries. The Commission on Higher Education and the Association of
Philippine Medical Colleges have been promoting its adoption by Philippine
schools.
The innovative curriculum had these characteristics:

 integrated horizontally and vertically with little departmental barrier

using the organ system based approach
 community-oriented with a variety of educational settings
 student-centered with self-directed learning activities

The teaching-learning activities fall under three (3) categories:

 tutorial and correlates which cover the main course content;

 selectives which cover important topics that are not included in the
tutorials and correlates; and
 patient-doctor which deals with development of communication and
clinical skills and humanistic attributes for medical practice.

The principal method of teaching in the innovative curriculum is Problem-

Based Learning (PBL).

Current Curriculum
DOCTOR OF MEDICINE (M.D.) – A FOUR-YEAR CURRICULUM
Effective School Year 2006-2007
In 2006, after much clamor from the clinical science faculty and upon the
recommendation of the Faculty Senate that was organized by the President
of the University, the Board of Trustees has approved the modification of
the innovative curriculum implemented from 1998 to 2006 to a curriculum
that utilizes the best features of the traditional and the problem based
strategy. The first two years are correlated by systems using large
classroom teaching, small group discussions and laboratory exercises,
while clinical skills are acquired increasingly from exposure to clinical
materials using the skills laboratory, as well as the patients in the hospital
wards through preceptorships and bedside teaching activities from the
second and third year, while the fourth year is clinical clerkship (see details
below).
SUBJECT 1st 2nd Total
Sem Sem Hours

YEAR 1
At the end of Year 1, the student must be able to develop
mastery of fundamental concepts in the basic sciences:
Anatomy, Biochemistry, Physiology and Preventive
Medicine
Human Anatomy 216 144 360

Human Physiology 144 144 288

Biochemistry 144 144 288

Patient Doctor 1 36 36 72

Epidemiology & Research 0 54 54

Methods 1

Disease Prevention & Control 36 0 36

Human Life Cycle 18 0 0

History & Perspective in 18 0 18

Medicine

TOTAL 612 540 1152 Hours

YEAR 2
At the end of Year 2, the student must be able to develop
mastery of fundamental concepts in Microbiology and
Parasitology, Pathology, Pharmacology, Medicine and
Surgery in order to be able to explain the etiopathogenesis
and pathophysiology of
the rational approach to the diagnosis and management of
disorders of the different organ systems.
General & Systemic Pathology 180 144 324

Pharmacology 144 144 288

Microbiology 144 0 144

Parasitology 0 72 72

Medicine I(Physical Diagnosis) 108 108 216

Pediatrics I 0 90 90

Surgery(Principles of Surgery) 0 72 72

Psychiatry I 18 18 36

Research Methods II 36 0 36

Research Projects I 0 36 36

Bioethics 0 18 18

Neurology I 18 0 18

TOTAL 648 702 1332 Hours

YEAR 3
At the end of Year 3, the student must be able to utilize
medical evidences and the data base (history, physical
examination and laboratory examinations) in solving a
clinical problem presented by the patient and to arrive at a
diagnosis, differential diagnosis, formulate a plan of
management (pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic)
including rehabilitative and preventive aspects in
disorders of different organ systems.
Medicine II 144 144 288

Surgery II 108 108 216

Pediatrics II 108 108 216

Neurosciences 54 54 108

Psychiatry II 36 36 72

Obstetrics 72 0 72

Gynecology 0 18 18

Clinical Pathology 0 54 54

Otorhinolaryngology 36 0 36

Ophthalmology 0 36 36

Community Medicine 0 36 36

Legal Medicine & Medical 36 0 36

Jurisprudence

Research Projects II 36 0 36

TOTAL 630 594 1224 Hours

YEAR 4 (CLINICAL CLERKSHIP)

At the end of Year 4, the student must be able to correlate
knowledge of basic and clinical sciences in understanding
disease processes, diagnostic regimens and treatment
options in the clinical setting.
Surgery 2 months
Medicine 2 months

Pediatrics 2 months

OB-Gynecology 2 months

Community Medicine 1 month

ENT 1/2 month

Ophtha 1/2 month

Neurology 1 month

Psychiatry 1 month

TOTAL 12 Months 5536 Hours

GRAND TOTAL 9226 Hours