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At age 15, Fe entered the University of the Because of the frustration created by the demands
Philippines where she studied pediatrics. Fe of the government, Dr. Fe resigned and started a
graduated in 1933 as the valedictorian and private hospital. To obtain necessary funds, she
received an associate in arts. Soon, she obtained a sold her home and almost everything she owned.
medical degree with highest honors, and former The Children's Medical Center (CMC), a 100-bed
president Quezon offered her a full scholarship to hospital located in Quezon City, was inaugurated in
study at any school at the United States. She 1957 as the first pediatric hospital in the
accepted the offer and chose to study at Harvard Philippines.
Medical School. The hospital was expanded in 1966 through the
establishment of an Institute of Maternal and Child
Harvard Medical School:
Health (IMCH), the first institution of its kind in Asia.
Fe’s enrollment at Harvard was only by accident.
On 1997, CMC eventually turned into a general
The school was originally reserved for men, but the
hospital that has various facilities and service units
World War I and the Great Depression brought the
able to respond to various medical cases. The
discussion of allowing women to enroll. During
number of resident doctors and medical personnel
these conflicted times, Fe submitted her
also increases to comply with the growing need for
application. Due to an oversight, officials didn’t
health care.
realize her gender and unknowingly enrolled her. It
was 1936 when the mistake was realized, but Fe’s In honor of Dr. Fe Del Mundo, Children’s Medical
performance is so strong that the head of Center was renamed to Fe Del Mundo Medical
pediatrics claimed that there is no reason to turn Center in 2007. Through the FDMMC, Dr. Fe
her away. As a result, Fe became Harvard’s first continues her dedication and quality care to the
female student, and the only woman enrolled at community.
that time.
Further Education:
Contributions in Research:
While Dr. Fe continued to practice pediatrics, she Credited with studies that lead to the
also continued her research into infectious diseases. invention of the first incubator and
Undaunted by the lack of modern laboratory jaundice-relieving device.
facilities in the Philippines, she often shipped Received the Elizabeth Blackwell Award as a
samples abroad for analysis. “Woman Doctor of World Renown”.
Received the Ramon Magsaysay Award for
Some of her inventions are a jaundice-relieving
“Outstanding Public Service”.
device, as well as a cloth-suspended scale to weigh
infants and a radiant warmer made of bamboo to Received the 15th International Congress of
regulate the body temperature of newborns with Pediatrics Award as the “Most Outstanding
special care needs Pediatrician and Humanitarian” in 1977.
Received the Blessed Teresa of Calcutta
Perhaps her most famous invention is the Award of the AY Foundation in 2008.
improved incubator. This device consisted of two Awarded the Order of Lakandula with the
native laundry baskets of different sizes placed one rank of Bayani at the Malacañan Palace on
inside the other. Hot water bottles surround the April 22, 2010 by Fromer President Gloria
baskets as the heat source. An oxygen tank is Macapagal Arroyo
attached for the baby to breath in. this design was Conferred the Grand Collar of the Order of
specialized for rural areas that doesn’t have access the Golden Heart Award in 2011, by Former
to electricity. President Benigno Aquino III
In addition, her research into dengue fever
References:
contributed knowledge of how it works and affects
children. She also published many journals about Bellis, M. (2018). Filipino Doctor Fe Del Mundo.
polio and measles. Lastly, she wrote the “Textbook Retrieved from:
of Pediatrics”, which was used in medical schools, https://www.thoughtco.com/filipino-
hospitals, and midwiferies in the Philippines for doctor-fe-del-mundo-1991718
many years.
Engel, K. (2013). Fe del Mundo, first female student
Later Years: at Harvard Medical School. Retrieved from:
http://www.amazingwomeninhistory.com/f
Since 1957 when she sold her home to fund the e-del-mundo/
opening of The Children’s Medical Center in, Fe
resided on the second floor of the hospital. She Fe del Mundo Medical Center. (2016).
lived there for the rest of her life. Sometimes, she 220px_Fe_del_Mundo [Image]. Retrieved
would was still making rounds to check on patients from:
when she was wheelchair-bound at the age of 99. https://www.fedelmundo.com.ph/history-
She passed away from a heart attack on August 6, legacy/
2011, just a few months before her 100th birthday Fe del Mundo. (n.d). Wikipedia: The Free
in 2011. She was buried at the Libingan ng mga Encyclopedia. Retrieved from:
Bayani. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fe_del_Mund
Achievements: o