SUMMER NEWSLETTER SCOPE EDITORIAL BOARD FOR SCHOOL YEAR 2015-2016 Denise Nicole Villanueva Editor-in-Chief Mica Araya Managing Editor Lordieliza Melendrez Associate Editor Katrina Caballas Secretary General Nicole Bernadette Terre Finance Officer Leanne Cassandra Chua Daniel Manuel Macrohon Article Editors ASMPH delegates participate in the first Global Health Fellowship Program [Photo By: Justin Ong].
ASMPH Students Participate in First Manila-based Global Health Fellowship in Geneva, Switzerland words by Ia Marie Cruz
A delegation of twenty-five students from the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health (ASMPH) joined the first Global Health Fellowship Program by #Reimagine Global Health in May.
at the international level. The World Health Organization (WHO) hosted a number of sessions including global health governance, maternal and child health and universal health coverage.
#Reimagine Global Health is a “think-and-do tank for the world’s health” based in Metro Manila. Co-founded by Dr. Renzo Guinto and John Aaron Mendoza of Batch 2017, it celebrated the launch of its new fellowship program with a study trip to Geneva, Switzerland. This venue is home to major United Nations (UN) agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and think tanks that are impacting public health initiatives worldwide.
The inaugural fellows also visited several UN agencies that broadened their framework of global health: Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/ AIDS (UNAIDS), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), International Labour Organization, and International Organization for Migration.
“The fellowship aims to develop a new cadre of Filipino health professionals who have a global perspective but make local impact,” said Dr. Guinto. “We also want to put the Philippines in the global health map, bringing the world to the Philippines and the Philippines to the world.” For ten days, ASMPH students interacted with renowned global health professionals and discussed about key issues in health and medicine
Other Geneva-based NGOs such as the World Heart Federation, World Medical Association, Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) and Council on Health Research for Development exposed the fellows to other global health issues. Such issues include the future of the medical profession, access to medicine and global health research and innovation. The students also had the opportunity to attend an introductory workshop on global health diplomacy at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, Switzerland.
Kathrinna Feliz Alerta John Kevin Paolo Biadomang Web Editors John Gabriel Hernandez Photography Head Katrina Marie Hernandez Creatives Director Ms. Maria Lourdes Almeda-Benito Adviser As part of their cultural immersion, the fellows enjoyed day trips to the nearby French town of Annecy and the city of Lyon. The week-long study tour also included a special visit to the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) and a lecture from one of the discoverers of the Higgs boson. The fellowship rounded off with a culminating session with South Centre, an inter-governmental organization for developing nations. This emboldened ASMPH students to discern the Philippines’ role in contributing to a healthier world. Renowned climate change negotiator, Bernarditas Muller, and former UN official, Manuel Montes, led the conversation on how a developing country like the Philippines can assert its national interests in the international arena. As is its intention, the Geneva and Reimagine Global Health experience served to challenge these medical students to think about what they can do to help the Philippines as future health professionals, and the world as a whole.
SCOPE NEWSLETTER
EDITORIAL
A few months before school year 2014-2015 came to a close, a lot of us already had plans for the summer. Sure, at first, our number one priority seemed to be to head out of town or country and enjoy the break. However, after a few weeks of gallivanting, the rush of lessons, SGDs and patient encounters from months past still felt so familiar to us. And it’s in this light that just a few weeks off from school, many already felt restless, wanting for something meaningful to do. Many saw the concepts we learned in school as a jumping-off point that was meant to be put into practice and the four-month summer was the medium to do just that. This newsletter is a proud testament to the many school and student-related accomplishments which transpired over the summer. It is in the hope that by bringing you this review, the school community may be ever more excited and energized for the year ahead of us. It is also in this light of energy and inspiration that I am proud to present to you SCOPE’s Editorial Board for the school year 2015-2016. Our team
The SCOPE Editorial Board for S.Y. 2015-2016 (L-R, T-B): John Kevin Biadomang, Daniel Manuel Macrohon, John Gabriel Hernandez, Nicole Bernadette Terre, Kathrinna Feliz Alerta, Katrina Marie Hernandez, Lordieliza Melendrez, Katrina Caballas, Denise Nicole Villanueva. Not in picture: Mica Araya, Leanne Cassandra Chua [Photo By: John Gabriel Hernandez]
of 11 (and growing) have worked extensively throughout the summer so as to give you a Bigger, Better and Bolder student publication. This year, we step ever more out of our comfort zones. From informing you of relevant events, we trudge deeper into these occurrences so as to give you something of more impact. We seek to give you our thoughts, our voices and our actions. And in this manner, we hope to support you in uncovering your thoughts, voices and actions as
well. We see this newsletter as a jumping-off point to many more publications, activities and outputs. In the end, we hope to inspire an interchange of viewpoints and engagements within and beyond the ASMPH community. Here’s to the many wonderful things which are about to come! Denise Nicole Villanueva SCOPE Editor-in-Chief 2015-2016
groups were mobilized to different stations, each sponsored by a student group. In the stations, the freshmen were asked to perform specific tasks and challenges. They were also introduced to the different student groups in ASMPH. The tours culminated with a focus group discussion with volunteers from Batch 2019 and 2018. Here, the freshmen were given an opportunity to ask questions to their upperclassmen.
Orsem 2015 showed Batch 2020 the ASMPH sense of community [Photo by: Maan Bermudez]
ORSEM TANGLAW LIGHTS THE PATH FOR BATCH 2020 words by Antoni Andreu Martija
On July 17, year level 5 (YL5) students attended the ASMPH OrSem 2015. Entitled “Tanglaw,” the space-themed orientation seminar organized by Batch 2019 showcased activities aimed at enlightening the freshmen about their YL5 journey.
BLAST OFF (1230 HRS, GMT+8) As Batch 2020 entered the fifth floor lecture hall, Talk and Tours (TNT) volunteers enthusiastically ushered them in with their creative signs and cheers. The atmosphere was euphoric, and everyone was dancing to feel-good songs until the
beginning of the program. The event eventually commenced with the National Anthem and prayer led by VOX. Afterwards, the freshmen were welcomed with a short message from Dr. Jojo Jocson, one of the Year Level 5 coordinators. Bea Demigillo, TNT head, then proceeded to teach Batch 2020 the cheers and dance to this year’s OrSem song, “Shut Up and Dance.”
JOURNEY INTO THE ASMPH GALAXY (1340 HRS, GMT+8) The program continued on into the tours segment spearheaded by Cham Cabaña. The 16 trans
The TNTs then guided the freshmen into Chung Te auditorium, where they watched the highly anticipated OrSem film. Entitled “Fragments,” the film was directed by Kang Medina, Ivy Uy and LA Rellora. It featured the heartwarming story of two ASMPH students, Iggy and Tala, who found love and the gift of second chances while pursuing their dreams of becoming doctors of the future. It also provided tips to Batch 2020, as it presented the circumstances that they have to go through in their ASMPH journey. The film ended on a happy note, with a well-deserved round of applause from a packed auditorium.
THE EAGLE’S LANDING (1830 HRS, GMT+8) After a message from Dean Dayrit, the freshmen were guided back to the 5th floor where they witnessed an intermission number by AMDG. Laughter also filled the hall as Batch 2018’s Flying High Men and Batch 2019’s Juan D’erection danced with their hilarious antics. Batch 2020 did not allow themselves to be left behind as they danced to the OrSem song for the last time. The program ended with a surprise video from the OrSem team and the passing of transcriptions led by YL6 Executive Officer Dustin Cruz. Everyone in the hall then stood up, raised their fists and sang the Song for Mary, culminating a very eventful and fulfilling day for ASMPH.
SCOPE NEWSLETTER Several groups of ASMPH students attended immersion trips in Northern Samar, La Union and Nueva Ecija in April and May. Dr. Ginger Ramirez, A-HEALS Leadership Fellow, initiated the organization of these trips in coordination with colleagues and several ASMPH alumni. The summer immersion trips served as one way for students to use their long vacations productively. These further allowed the students to experience public health in action.
On June 2, around 25 students with several faculty and alumni gathered in Room 401A to share experiences and insights from the various immersion trips. Asked about their motivation to go on immersion, some answered that they wanted “to deepen and broaden the concepts learned from school – for practical application and learning.”
At the end of the discussion, Dean Manuel Dayrit summed up the experiences of students A small conference was held after the Public Health immersions. Participants and organizers alike shared their insights as special moments. He said, Dr. Ramirez led five students about the trips [Photo by: Amihan Perez]. “We don’t have to worry to a trip to the towns of San about institutionalizing this Antonio and Mondragon in because it is the job of people Northern Samar. She was also who prepare the curriculum. able to coordinate with AIHO If you do want to expand or (Alliance for Improving Health replicate this, you have to find Outcomes), a local NGO run the components to create the by public health professionals magic. How do we bring this who are graduates of the UP to the other students of the words by Amihan Perez College of Medicine. Dr. Paulo school? This is a breakthrough Medina of AIHO coordinated the immersion trips students experienced giving vitamins, facilitating and we will discuss it as a faculty. The bigger to Gen. Mamerto Natividad in Nueva Ecija and reproductive health education sessions and doing question is, how do we translate this into bigger Dingalan in Aurora. Ms. Amihan Perez, A-HEALS pre-natal check-ups while participating in the things? Career decisions? However, there’s no Administrative Officer, organized a trip to San towns’ service delivery systems. The students also need to decide now. Just enjoy and savor the … Gabriel and the City of San Fernando in La Union. met dedicated and inspiring health professionals, magic in the experience and you will eventually such as the MHOs of Dingalan, San Gabriel and get to that point at the right time.” In these immersion activities, the students Gen. Mamerto Natividad, as well as the nurses were given the chance to see and experience and midwives of San Fernando and San Antonio. ----the realities faced by poor members of the In addition to these health professionals, the Please visit the SCOPE Facebook page (SCOPE. communities. At the same time, they were students also interacted with various members ASMPH) for more detailed feature articles by Ms. also given the opportunity to witness and of the community, thus giving them a practical Perez on the Public Health immersions. participate in the beneficial practices initiated understanding of the social determinants of and employed by various local government health. units outside of Metro Manila. Specifically, the
ASMPH Students experience Public Health Immersions
On June 6 and 7, more than 200 medical students from all over the country gathered at the summer capital of the Philippines, Baguio City, for the 7th National Medical Students Conference (NMSC). An annual event of the Asian Medical Students Association-Philippines (AMSA-Phil), the NMSC was hosted this year by St. Louis University (SLU) School of Medicine of Baguio City. ASMPH delegation to this year’s event was composed of 13 students coming from Batches 2017, 2018 and 2019. With the theme of Engaging Medicine as an Advocate for Human Rights and Equity, the activities of the conference detailed the various health problems and inequities present in the country and the possible roles that medical students may play in these scenarios. The opening ceremonies were held at the Crown Legacy Hotel on first day of the conference. The Dean of SLU-School of Medicine, Dr. John Anthony Domantay, gave the opening message, which was then followed by a welcoming address from the outgoing AMSA-Philippines President, Jim Paulo Sarsagat. This was then followed by a series of plenary discussions on different health topics, which included HIV/AIDS, Leadership, Empowerment and Development and Emergency Operations and Rehabilitation in Times of Calamities. Dr. Anthony Geronimo Cordero, the keynote speaker of the day, then talked about the guiding principles of human rights, the role of medical students as advocates for human rights, and the importance of community immersions in their medical education. The day was capped off by oral and poster presentations from contestants of the 4th AMSA-Philippines Research Competition.
ASMPH DELEGATES ATTEND THE 7TH NMSC IN BAGUIO CITY words by Lorenz Fort Revillas
ASMPH is one of the participating schools in the 7th National Medical Students Conference (NMSC) [Photo By: NMSC Core Team].
For the second and last day of the conference, the participants were given the opportunity to tour and see the Center for Culture and Arts of the SLU Campus. Dr. Darby Santiago, one of the keynote speakers, started off their day by highlighting the extreme poverty situation in the Philippines. He then enjoined the delegates, as medical students, to be one with the poor, in the streets and in the fields, in their fight against inequity. Aside from this, the conference also included various parallel sessions and workshops, presentations of the different LMOs (Local Member Organisation) for the Third Gawad AMSA Best Project of the Year and plenary lectures from different organizations. Dr. Gene Nisperos
then ended the conference by encouraging the delegates to set the discourse and to speak up about social inequities. He challenged them not only to understand the current situation but to act and fight for societal change. Other notable events during the NMSC conference were the presentation of the incoming AMSAPhilippines Executive Board, wherein five of these new EB members are ASMPH students, as well as the second win of Advocates for Consciousness and Social Involvement Society (ACSIS) of the ASMPH in the Gawad AMSA competition for the success of their ACSIS Community Health Fair Project.
SCOPE NEWSLETTER
The Asia-Pacific Regional Meeting 2015 words by Jerson Taguibao and Liza Melendrez
THE PRE-CONFERENCE OF THE APRM The Pre-conference to the Asia-Pacific Regional Meeting (Pre-APRM) 2015 entitled “Resilience: Building Global Competencies” was held on June 24 to 26 at the Teachers’ Conference Center in the City of Batangas. The three-day event served to strengthen the ties between participating national member organizations (NMOs) of the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA) Asia-Pacific, and once more showcased true Filipino hospitality as the annual Meeting has made its way back to the Philippines after 11 years. Pre-APRM 2015, in light of the ever-increasing number of calamities the Philippines has been through in the past years, centered its objectives on enabling its participants to understand the interplay and vulnerabilities of health systems and their outcomes in the face of natural disasters. It also aims to recognize resilience as an indispensable trait every physician must be equipped with. Select IFMSA trainers and facilitators integrated
the anchoring themes of resilience and global competencies in the parallel workshops, namely the WHO Simulation and Global Health and Exchange. Every lecture, discussion and report was aimed at cultivating knowledge on global issues of public health, education, and international collaboration. These have the ultimate goal of raising awareness to fellow medical students in the Asia-Pacific region. The directors of the Federation of Medical Students (FMS)-Taiwan led the model WHO conference, focusing on the transition from the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Meanwhile, the directors and regional assistant of the IFMSA Standing Committees on Professional and Research Exchange (SCOPE and SCORE) led the second workshop, bringing into light the opportunities of global health education through various case studies and talks. Outside these sessions, the participants were also toured in jeepneys around local church and museums to learn the history and relics unique to Batangas. Lastly, a cultural night was held
wherein participants were asked to be in their national costumes while a local dance troupe performed Filipino folk dances. As is traditional, the three-day Pre-APRM 2015 served as a training ground for prospective trainers and a productive assembly of medical students from across the region, in preparation for both the main and post-conferences of the Asia-Pacific Regional Meeting. THE MAIN CONFERENCE OF THE APRM The main conference of the APRM, with the theme of “Resilience: Empowering the Medical Professionals for the Challenges of the New Generation,” was held on June 26 to 29 at the Crowne Plaza Manila in Ortigas. This fourday conference was attended by more than a hundred delegates from all over the Asia Pacific. It provided international and local delegates with various workshops and sessions. This allowed for a deeper understanding of resilience in the context of the medical field. The first day of the conference mainly focused on the arrival and registration of both the foreign and local delegates. It was capped off by an Opening Ceremony and Gala Night wherein the delegates were officially welcomed to our nation and the meet. The succeeding days of the conference then involved workshops, training sessions, parallel sessions, and talks, among others. Dr. Julie Hall of the World Health Organization (WHO) talked about the Typhoon Yolanda Experience, while Dr. Israel Pargas of PhilHealth discussed the importance of building health system resilience through Universal Health Coverage. An Activities Fair showcasing successful health-related projects of the NMOs was also held during the conference. Outside these sessions, participants were also encouraged to collaborate and form deeper friendships through various methods such as the Organizing Committee’s Socials Night. A Cultural Night was also held on the third night of the conference, wherein participants were given the chance to showcase their respective cultures to fellow delegates. Wearing their national costumes, delegates performed native and/or popular dances, songs and martial arts, as well as gave samples of their respective food and drinks. As it was intended, the APRM 2015 served to ignite its participants’ passion for health advocacies in the Asia Pacific Region.
APRM 2015 was filled with lectures, discussions and workshops aimed at recognizing resilience as an important trait in the medical field [Photo by: Pre-APRM Documentation and Publications Team].
----Visit the IFMSA APRM 2015 Facebook page (aprm2015) for more details and photodocumentation of the pre-, main and post-APRM conference.