The Ateneo de Zamboanga University School of Medicine once again showed an impressive performance in the recent Physician Licensure Examination given by the Board of Medicine on February 13, 14, 20 and 21, 2011 in Manila and Cebu.The university garnered an 80.77% performance rate (21 out of 26 examinees). This is significantly higher compared to the national passing rate of 53% (655 out of 1230 examinees).
The new physicians are Dr. Muamar A Abduhasan, Dr. Sherwina J Amil, Dr Fatima Nelsa H Apion, Dr Elham A Asid, Dr Lorraine E Baricuatro,
Dr Clarinda Joy V Bidaure, Dr Annaliza C Credo, Dr Carl Stephen B Cuevas, Dr Gerardo Aniano C Dimaguila, Dr Benramina B Ilahan, Dr Cicero Shean N Ipanto, Dr Muhammad Farouk Jajurie, Jr., Dr Shareen K Lakibul, Dr Leigh Arouet S Lluisma, Dr Janice R Macaso, Dr Luzebel P Natividad, Dr Hussein H Sahijuan III, Dr Rhenieleene R Saltoc, Dr Peter Allen Sescon, Dr Andres Kim L Tan III and Dr Eleonor S Yeo.
The Ateneo de Zamboanga University is the first medical school in the country to introduce an innovative medical education. It pioneered Problem Based Learning (PBL), Community Oriented and Based Curriculum and Competency Based Evaluation.
In over 15 years of operation, the school has produced 199 board certified physicians. Ninety-four percent of its graduates are still practicing in the Philippines and approximately 85% of these 94% are practicing in the Zamboanga region, with close to 50% serving in rural and remote communities.
At present, 43% of its alumni are serving as Municipal Health Officers and Medical Officers in once doctorless municipalities throughout Region IX. Nearly 15% are into private practice, 26% are doing Specialty Training in Zamboanga City Medical Center; and 16% are undergoing their Specialty Training outside of Zamboanga.
The ADZU-SOM continues to take an active role in the Training for Health Equity Network or TheNET, an organization of 8 community based medical schools worldwide with strong social accountability mandate. The school was significantly identified because of its unique curriculum and performance track record of having the highest percentage of graduate retention to serve in rural and remote areas.
Theschool’s innovative curriculum has served as global model for other medical schools to learn from, such as the Family Medicine Specialist Program of the National University of Health Sciences in Laos, PDR and the undergraduate medical program of the Patan Academy of Health Sciences in Nepal.
