november 14, 2016
The Medical Field 3.0
The Alliance for Improving Health Outcomes (AIHO), Inc., in partnership with Samahan ng mga Mag-aaral ng Medisina Para sa Komunidad (UERM MedKom), launched its third PH Advocacy Forum at the University of the East – Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center (UERMMMC). This year, the forum bore the title “The Medical Field 3.0: The Five Star Physician as Prime Mover for Change: Empowering Communities, Bridging Cultures, and Innovating Solutions”.
The Medical Field 3.0 was a one-day conference that aimed to shed light on the nature and magnitude of health care needs of Filipino communities. In addition, the conference intended to expand holistic awareness and understanding of public health inside and outside the academe. As the future healthcare professionals and stakeholders of health development, the Medical Field 3.0 encouraged medical students to be advocates of service for the underserved by discussing the current challenges that haunt the health system, such as poor management, lack of research and development, and the inadequate number and distribution of health professionals.
On November 12, medical students flocked UERMMMC’s auditorium to listen to the special plenary topics of empowering communities, bridging cultures, and innovating solutions. Dr. Michael Caampued, a former DTTB doctor and Technical Assistant for Health Systems Training for WHO, started the forum by discussing the different disadvantages a doctor faces when working at an underserved community. He then shared the corresponding empowerment strategies that helped him strengthen his team and community. He was followed by Dr. KM Magtubo, the Project Manager of the National TeleHealth Program, UP-Manila. She talked about the current health innovations in the Philippines, as well as the ‘non-traditional’ opportunities students can take after medical school. The plenary sessions ended with Dr. Julie Caguiat-Nisperos, the Executive Director of Community Medicine Development Foundation and Council for Health and Development. She discussed the cultural gaps, health inequalities and socioeconomic determinants that often debilitate disadvantaged communities.
The enlightening plenary topics where then followed by breakout sessions in the afternoon. The breakout sessions covered the tenets of a Five Star Physician: Clinician, Researcher, Educator, Social Mobilizer, and Manager.
Dr. Joanne Gallardo, a practicing pediatrician in both urban and rural facilities, discussed the various roles one takes as a clinician. Dr. Paul Zambrano, who studied at the London School of Hygiene and Topical Medicine, talked about the indispensability of research in the field of community health. Dr. Quennie Raagas, a Supervising Fellow of the Development Academy of the Philippines, emphasized the importance of educating as a doctor. Dr. Jana Deborah Mier, the current Municipal Health Officer and DTTB doctor of Quezon, Quezon, shared techniques about mobilizing stakeholders and social capital. Dr. Alberto Ong, the Area Facilitator for IMPACT-USAID-PBSP TB Project, shared key management skills to the medical students.
The Medical Field 3.0 ended with an integration and synthesis of the breakout sessions, as well as the unduction of the new members of UERM MedKom.
With the inspirational messages of all the speakers in the conference, UERMMMC’s medical students gained better understanding of community medicine, public health, and the state of the Philippine health system.
