TO : All Senior Section Heads/Administrators/Level and Assistant Level Coordinator, Students Faculty and Staff
FROM : Dean
SUBJECT : Suspension of all academic activities and Community Quarantine
In line with the City Mayor’s Memorandum order regarding cancellation of classes and school events, we would like to inform you that effective March 16, 2020, Monday, all classes in the School of Medicine are suspended until further notice. Hospital rotation, community rotation, bedside rounds, case presentation and as well research and community health presentations of the medical students are likewise suspended.
Online alternative classes were discussed and agreed upon since Saturday in lieu of the face to face modular sessions. Dr Pascualito Concepcion has taken the lead to conduct his first online modular session through Zoom application, beginning today March 16, 2020, after a tutorial session with Dr Monserrat Guingona. Likewise, Dr Erwin Barrios shared his first-hand experience in using the handy Facebook messenger app in the past to hold online classes. The google classroom as relayed by Dr Djinaliz Abubakar was also considered for use. The drawback of the virtual applications mentioned is the internet connection, which some students may have no access to. Utilizing connections from the internet café is highly discouraged. It is best for students with no home wifi connection to simply find a classmate who may have a home internet connection and simply share access. It is advised that social distancing be maintained including social etiquette when with cough including the wearing of face mask when in the crowd and frequent use of hand sanitizers.
For the medical clerks and interns, the team of coordinators and their assistants have also come up with weekly learning assignments for the students in the form of a written discussion of Common Cases in the hospital, and an online study of the COVID 19 to include management, hospital protocol to contain the spread and or the creation of an education information tool that can be used in the community HIE. An online summative evaluation on history taking and physical examination will be uploaded for the students to take online. The monthly departmental debriefing for the clerks has also been suspended.
As for the Community Health Presentations of Level 4, these are also temporarily postponed. However, the Individual Health Plan Presentation and Family Health Plan Presentation will still be checked by requiring students to submit their outputs to the Level 4 coordinator through (online) email route. All the other requirements for submission will be done online including consultation of the students with their respective advisers on their thesis, and research projects.
Lastly, classes for the Master in Public Health have also been suspended temporarily until an alternative mode of online learning is in place. The community rotation aspect will be done virtually by requesting the MPH students to take part in the COVID 19 hotline emergency team to answer inquiries and to channel reports of any suspected person/s with symptoms of the virus to proper channeling. Details on this virtual “call center” to involve the COME PGI are still being reviewed by Dr. Afdal Kunting and will be rolled out soon.
Finally, Reviewees to the Physician Licensure Examination are advised to stay at home for their individual review/study.
Thank you for taking the time to read this notice. Let us all continue to pray that this crisis will be resolved the soonest possible time. It will take a Providential intervention to bring this crisis to a closure.
Signed: Dr Fortunato L Cristobal Dean
