The Evolution of JFSM
Students entering the JONELTA Foundation School of Medicine today will have a very different educational experience from that of students who entered two decades ago. In response to globalization moves, calls for change from numerous accreditation and national organizations, societal needs and an internal recognition of growth opportunities, JFSM has made many important and far-reaching changes in governance, organization, curriculum and strategies.
Implementing innovations in teaching format and programs, it aims to develop, recognize and reward its faculty. These changes have produced an increase in Licensure passing rates and a more active, meaningful and responsive learning environment.
A New Vision in Medical Education
JFSM faculty and students today have a greater awareness of the health needs of the population we serve – the Southern Metro Manila area. This awareness, coupled with our desire to serve, have compelled the faculty and administrators to strive to design an Outcomes Based Curriculum producing a Disaster Prepared Medical graduate since its teaching hospital, the University of Perpetual Help DALTA Medical Center is the first Armed Force of the Philippines (AFP) Reserve Hospital, south of Metro Manila. Clinical and community experiences now occur early in the curriculum in order to correlate the Basic Science in relation to disease processes.
To support active, lifelong learning, we have woven small group problem-solving, case-based learning, disaster-preparedness workshops, vignettes and journal reports into the curriculum. Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and Empathy, Ethics and Professionalism, and Service and Altruism are emphasized in the values aspect of the curriculum.
Curriculum reform also resulted in strengthening the medical education unit, The Academy. It spearheaded all efforts to design the curriculum in a new way and has spurred the faculty to a new level of excitement about education. Its programs are geared towards enhancing medical student learning, improving faculty teaching skills and demonstrating that we value the teaching-learning process.
Innovating Medical Education
JFSM faculty and students today have a greater awareness of the health needs of the population we serve – the Southern Metro Manila area. This awareness, coupled with our desire to ser JFSM’s educational goal is to develop the complete physician, who is disaster-prepared, a professionally competent and holistic healer, socially responsive to the needs of humanity, and imbued with moral, ethical and spiritual values.
The innovations are designed and incorporated in the curriculum enabling our students to grasp the concept of Disaster Preparedness, acquire new scientific knowledge in the context of patient’s health needs, allowing them to communicate with their patients about health issues concerning them, and to respond to societal need. It is hoped that these innovations will encourage our students to be active lifelong learners incorporating new knowledge into their medical practice as well as offer pedagogical training to the faculty, while emphasizing values education.
We, have compelled the faculty and administrators to strive to design an Outcomes Based Curriculum producing a Disaster Prepared Medical graduate since its teaching hospital, the University of Perpetual Help DALTA Medical Center is the first Armed Force of the Philippines (AFP) Reserve Hospital, south of Metro Manila.
Clinical and community experiences now occur early in the curriculum in order to correlate the Basic Science in relation to disease processes. To support active, lifelong learning, we have woven small group problem-solving, case-based learning, disaster-preparedness workshops, vignettes and journal reports into the curriculum.
Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and Empathy, Ethics and Professionalism, and Service and Altruism are emphasized in the values aspect of the curriculum. Curriculum reform also resulted in strengthening the medical education unit, The Academy. It spearheaded all efforts to design the curriculum in a new way and has spurred the faculty to a new level of excitement about education. Its programs are geared towards enhancing medical student learning, improving faculty teaching skills and demonstrating that we value the teaching-learning process.
Empowering Medical Graduates
The JFSM medical graduate will be prepared for disasters that may strike our country, community or area, more knowledgeable about the services available to patients in the community as a result of their exposure to these services, more involved in reaching out to the community through various activities especially during disasters, more attuned to contemporary medical issues incorporated in the OBE curriculum and more adept at passing the Physicians’ Licensure Examination. In addition, faculty will have a sustained and renewed interest in medical education through the Academy.
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
The need for a medical school to serve students south of Metro Manila, coupled by the imposing presence of the University of Perpetual Help DALTA Medical Center as a premiere tertiary center, gave birth to the medical institution which we now call JONELTA Foundation School of Medicine. In June 1996, it was initially an extension of the Perpetual Help Foundation of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, and was then known as the Perpetual Help College of Medicine Rizal (Extension School), with Dr. Aretas S. Alday as its founding dean. On April 20, 1997, the Perpetual Help System Campuses in Binan, Calamba, Las Pinas, Malasigui, Manila and Molino became the University of Perpetual Help System.
Hence, the medical institution was granted permission to operate by the Commission on Higher Education on November 7, 1997. On July 8, 1999, the University of Perpetual Help Rizal Las Pinas was granted government recognition to offer the course leading to the degree international recognition by virtue of its inclusion in the WHO Directory of Medical Schools and the AVICENNA Directory of Medical Schools. In November 2009, it was granted affiliation by the Affiliated Institute of Medical Education (AIME) of Chicago, Illinois for its students to rotate during their Clinical Clerkship in any of its affiliated hospitals.
On July 5, 2013, Dr. Harivelle Charmaine T. Hernando, Chir of the Academy, succeeded Dean Alday. The vision of JFSM is: The Jonelta Foundation School of Medicine, believing that Christian character building through quality education is nation building, aspires to be an outstanding center of excellence in medical education, training, and research and community service committed to the achievement of the highest quality of life.
The goals of JFSM are:
1.) To develop the complete physician, instilled with values geared towards health promotion and disaster preparedness;
2.) To enhance faculty development through sustained and relevant learning programs cascaded to the studentry;
3.) To contribute to the upliftment of the community through relevant and viable health service, with significant impact to society. Spearheaded by its medical education unit known as The Academy, JFSM boasts of highly qualified, competent and experience faculty which continuously adapts its curriculum to the changing times.
The Academy, through its on-going programs-Pedagogy, Mentoring, Outcomes-Based Education, Mock Board Examinations, Seminars I & II, Refresher Modules, prepares the road map and propels faculty and students to achieve the institutional objectives. Over the years JFSM has produced graduates who have made significant contributions to the health care delivery system in the Philippines and abroad. This commitment continues up to the present.