Students from India after class 12 first have to enroll in a class pre-medical course for 18 months before they will get admitted to the 4 year medical course. If the student has done B.Sc course they can be admitted directly to MD course.

The four-year medical course progresses from the study of the normal to the abnormal human being. Most subjects are yearly courses taken up for two semesters.

The first year covers the normal Human Anatomy, Biochemistry, Physiology, Preventive Medicine & Community health, Psychiatry and Medical Practice I. Class lectures are delivered mostly through computers using LCD projectors complemented by slide/ film showing, laboratory work and group discussions. Pedagogy and Bioethics are incorporated in Principles of Medical Practice I. An introduction to Medical Informatics is incorporated in Preventive Medicine and Community Health before the biostatistics session. Problem-based learning is gradually introduces in certain topics in Biochemistry and Physiology.

The second year deals with Pathology, Microbiology, Parasitology, Pharmacology, Preventive Medicine and Community Health, Psychiatry II and Medical Economics plus introductory courses in clinical subjects. In small groups, students begin to meet patients in actual hospital setting where they are introduced to history taking and physical examination.

The third year involves didactic lectures on common diseases encountered in clinical practice as well as interesting or rare conditions. Pathophysiology is reviewed while clinical features, diagnostic approaches and principles of management are emphasized.

The fourth year or clinical clerkship is mainly spent in actual patient care with the Hospital in Las Pinas serving as the clinical laboratory. Hospital rounds and group discussions give the student a good perspective on bedside manners, diagnosis and management. The clerks rotate through the different clinical departments for 48 weeks with periodic evaluation. The University has arrangement with Govt. Hospitals and the Philippine General Hospital for clerkship.

Curriculum leading to the degree of doctor of medicine

(Traditional –Competency-Based)

SUBJECTS PER YEAR LEVEL

FIRST YEAR

Anatomy & Histology
Physiology
Biochemistry
Foundations of Medicine
Preventive Medicine
Behavioral Science

SECOND YEAR

General Pathology
Microbiology/Parasitology
Pharmacology
Basic Science Research
Clinical Evaluation
Medicine
Preventive Medicine
Psychiatry
Surgery
Pediatrics
Neuroscience
Obstetrics
Clinical Pathology
Medical Ethics

THIRD YEAR

Medicine
Pediatrics
Surgery
Obstetrics
Gynecology
Neuroscience
Psychiatry
Clinical Integration
Clinical Research
Radiology
Emergency Medicine
Otorhinolaryngology
Ophthalmology
Legal Medicine
Medical Jurisprudence

CLERKSHIP

Medicine
Pediatrics
Surgery
Obstetrics-Gynecology (SLMC)
Obstetrics-Gynecology (East Avenue Medical Center)
Community Medicine
Neuroscience
Clinical Psychiatry (National Mental Hospital)
Ophthalmology
Otorhinolaryngology

Elective Series I: Medical (any of the ff:)

Radiology
Rehabilitation Medicine
Pathology
Molecular Biology and Research
Pediatrics (National Children's Hospital
Dermatology

Elective Series II: Surgical (any of the ff:)

Urology
Anesthesia

INTERNSHIP

Medicine
Pediatrics
Surgery
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Preventive Medicine
Neuroscience
Clinical Psychiatry

Elective Series I: Medical

Pediatrics (National Children's Hospital)
Dermatology
Nuclear Medicine
Anesthesia
Emergency Medicine

Elective Series II: Surgical

Ophthalmology
Otorinolaryngology
Orthopedic Surgery
Neurosurgery
Plastic Surgery

Elective Series III: Others

Radiology
Pathology
Molecular Biology and Research
Radiologic Oncology

Elective Series IV: any of the electives above

MODALITIES OF LEARNING

The teaching-learning strategies are standardized across the departments and consistent with the evaluation of performance of students.

A. Lectures

During the lectures, important concepts and principles are explained utilizing material in clinical contexts, and providing a sense of direction in which a field is moving. All core lectures are accompanied by reading assignments, which are taken from recommended textbooks, or from other references that may be cited by the lecturer. If new core material is introduced in the lecture that is not covered in the assigned readings, supplemental handouts will be provided.

The lectures do not present all the material covered but instead focus on explaining difficult aspects of the subjects, or demonstrating how the core information is used in scientific inquiry and medical decision making.

B. Laboratory

The laboratory activities are packaged into modules which the students may accomplish at their own pace with faculty supervision. The students may be allowed to go back to the laboratory after class hours for independent study with prior notice to the department concerned.

C. Plenary Discussions

Clinical cases, community experiences or experiments are discussed in a plenary session in an interactive manner to stimulate critical thinking. Recitation in class is encouraged to develop the students' confidence in speaking in a large group as is the case in most medical conferences.

D. Small Group Discussions

These sessions provide an opportunity for students and faculty to interact in small groups at which time critical thinking is stressed and application of the core material to clinical medicine or research is emphasized. These sessions are used to facilitate learning during actual patient encounters, clinical case discussions or journal clubs.