Noreen Antoinette Garcia Opina, a medical graduate of the Ateneo de Zamboanga University School of Medicine (ADZU-SOM) garnered 9th place in the recent National Physician Licensure Board Exam held February 15, 16, 21, and 22, 2010.
Opina, who was a scholar during her entire medical education got a rating of 83.92%. She is the daughter of a military officer and a program specialist of the Department of Education.
Opina is the second board topnocher of ADZU-SOM. In 2008 Rex V. Samson placed fifth.
Opina is one of the 24 new graduates of the school who took the February exam. Of the 24, 23 passed, for a passing rate of 96%.
To include repeat test takers, ADZU-SOM’s passing rate was 93% or 25 out of 27.
The national passing rate is 46% with 621 passers out of 1,344 takers.
The other new doctors are Ma. Cristina R Alfaro, Anna Eunice N. Aujero, Janina Kristina A. Balbon, Mayleen L. Baul, Jemuel Arnan R. Cristobal, Soledad Pamel R. Daguio, Putri Saphia B. Dirongawan, Jackie Lou A. Eisma, Nurhada A. Israel, Glen R. Item, Almusaidi A. Karay, Ivy M. Kunting, Sitti Shara B. Lajarato, Mardy L. Lee, Mark Ian L. Llagas, Rienne Q. Minsuarez, Abdel-Tazer Y.
Mohammad, Precila Madel D. Morones, Cheryl B. Rebollos, Naezelle M. Rodriguez, Ma. Eileen B. Ruste, Shalhua J. Sahipa, Christian Roy G. Sarmiento and Michael L. Site.
Two graduates of other medical schools who took the review at the Ateneo also passed the certifying exam.
ADZU-SOM has a unique problem-based, community-based and competency-based curriculum which other schools abroad are trying to pursue.
In 2008, ADZU-SOM was selected among medical schools worldwide to become a founding member of the Training for Health Equity Network or TheNet, an organization of medical schools around the globe with a social accountability mandate.
The school was identified because of its unique curriculum and performance track record of having the highest number of graduates continuing to serve in rural and remote areas.
The other members of TheNet schools are Flinders University & James Cook Faculty of Medicine Health and Molecular Sciences in Australia, University of the Philippines School of Health Sciences in Leyte, Water Sisulu University School of Medicine in Africa, Latin American School of Medicine (Cuba), Comprehensive Community Physician Training (Venezuela) and Northern Ontario School of Medicine in Canada.
The School of Medicine is now accepting application for First Year Medicine. Admission examinations are scheduled on March 12 & 19; April 2, 16, 23 & 30; May 7 & 14, 2010.
