AUP Highlights, Vol 1, No 7, March 22, 2014, p 3
From the President’s Office
22 March 2014
To Our Dear Faculty, Alumni, Students, and Friends:
For the past year, our University has called for prayer and intercession for our Doctor of Medicine program. We know that many of you have joined us in imploring God’s favor so that we could offer the Doctor of Medicine program this school year 2014-2015. Yesterday, as scheduled, the CHED Technical Committee for Medical Education composed of 5 members, a PRC representative included, visited our campus and the Adventist Medical Center-Manila (MAMC) our base hospital to see our preparedness to offer the program. At about 6:00 in the evening, the CHED’s decision was – “AUP is denied to open the Doctor of Medicine Program for this School Year 2014-2015.”
We know that this recent decision of the CHED regarding our application is disheartening to our University and to all of you who expected a positive answer to our prayers. But this result we believe is God’s answer to our prayers and intercessions. God knows the best for us and for His University. In His perfect time, He will guide us to commence our Doctor of Medicine program.
One good news however is that the denial to offer the Doctor of Medicine program this school-year 2014-2015 is not a permanent closure of the door for AUP to offer it. In fact, the technical committee members have encouraged our University to reapply this coming June, so that they could revisit us again in October 2014. They counseled us that the best time to begin the acceptance of student applications should not be later than November 2014, so that we can get the best students for the inaugural class, knowing that selection of students is important in aiming for an excellent passing rate for the first batch of medical graduates in the Physician Licensure Exam.
Based on the decision document that the technical panel has given to our University last night, AUP was evaluated in 8 areas which are curriculum, laboratory facilities, clerkship, base hospital, faculty, admission and retention, library holdings, and physical facilities. Their findings state that we have two major areas of concern to be accomplished to be compliant with the CHED requirements. Firstly, we need more physicians who have medical school teaching experience, especially for the basic sciences subjects. The need is for teacher/physicians who will ideally prepare the medical graduates for primary & community health care, rather than tertiary & hospital-based practice. Secondly, our base hospital, the Adventist Medical Center-Manila (or MAMC), needs more service/charity patients, both for out-patient and in-patient, to provide the needed clinical experience for the 25 students we plan for the inaugural class. The model of medical education in the Philippines will be changed from just requiring clinical clerks certain number of hours of clinical exposure, to that of completing a specific number of medical/surgical cases attended to.
With the result of the visit and evaluation, we now clearly see the things that should be done. Complying with the remaining challenges are indeed great but we shall continue to work hard and pray for the realization of our corporate and individual dream of establishing a Doctor of Medicine program here in our campus.
We thank you all for your prayers and support. Let us continue to trust God and hold on to His promises that He will guide and lead us till He comes.
Respectfully yours,
Dr. Francisco D. Gayoba, DTheol
President,
Adventist University of the Philippines
* * *
https://www.facebook.com/groups/288183427934682/
From the President’s Office
March 19, 2014
To Our Dear Faculty, Students, Alumni, and Friends all over the World:
Warm Christian greetings!
I praise God for what He is doing to our university. Through His blessings and guidance, AUP continues to fulfil its mandate of training young people for service and preparing them for the life to come.
In our desire to make AUP a medical training institution for our young people here in our Division, we asked the CHED to grant us permission to open a doctor of medicine program. The main objective of this program is to produce missionary doctors with an Adventist perspective of healing and restoration over and above the general expectations of the CHED from a medical school. AUP has been doing all the necessary preparations for the program. The last challenge for this long cherished desire of our church to be realized is the approval of the CHED through the recommendation of the Technical Panel for Medical Education.
We have been waiting and praying for the TPME’s visit to our university. Finally, God has granted our prayers because they are coming tomorrow, Thursday, March 20, 2014. In view of this, I would like to ask you to please include our university in your private, or family, or church or small group prayer time. Let us ask the Lord to guide the panel so that they will see the special reason why we are establishing the medical school and its uniqueness compared to other medical institutions in the country. Let us sincerely plead for the approval of our application to open the Doctor of Medicine program this school year 2014-2015. However, above all of these requests, let us implore the grace of God so that His will be done in our University for the glory and honor of His name.
Thank you very much and we glorify God for your support to Adventist University of the Philippines.
God bless you all.
In His Service,
Dr. Francisco Gayoba, DTheol
President
Adventist University of the Philippines
President
Adventist University of the Philippines
* * * * *
Links to previous updates:
http://filadnet.blogspot.com/2014/03/aup-com-update.html
Why the delay of the TPME Visit?
The first two months of year 2014 is almost over but there
is still no visit from the CHED Technical Panel for Medical Education (TPME) to
AUP. This has caused great concern to AUP alumni, faculty and staff who eagerly
anticipated the TPME visit. What transpired during these past few months will
surely give us light on the delay.
In June 2013, AUP submitted its compliance report to the
CHED. Unfortunately, the CHED TPME only met in November 2013 to deliberate on
the documents submitted. During their meeting, they found out that AUP COM
still had some deficiencies. The deciencies included the curriculum and some
minor issues. The curriculum however is complete but AUP did not send it to
CHED because of some concerns. Instead AUP told the CHED that the TPME will see
the documents once they visit AUP. Another deficiency is the building. The TPME
wants that the offices of the dean and staff are
ready, and that all the facilities should be found only in
one building. It was only in the 3rd week of December when AUP received a communication from the CHED
regarding the deficiencies.
On January
6, 2014 , Dr. Francisco Gayoba, Dr. Mirriam Narbarte, and Dr. Doris
Mendoza went to the CHED and submitted the compliance documents. Later, the
administrators were told that the director of the Office of Programs and
Standards (OPS) in-charge of Medicine program has retired in De-cember 2013 and
that the term of the TPME has also ended. Sometime in January, the new OPS
director was appointed. Subse-quently, the Technical Panel for Medical
Education was reorganized. All the members of the previous TPME were
reappointed and some new members were added to the group. Because of the changes
in leadership of the technical panel, Dr. Gayoba, accompanied by Dr. Narbarte
paid a courtesy visit to the new OPS director. During their visit, they
reiterated the application and asked for a visit so that AUP could offer the
Doctor of Medicine program by June 2014. The technical commit-tee has yet to
meet but the new director assured AUP officers that they will soon meet and she
will personally join the panel in their visit to AUP. This month of February,
Dr. Narbarte learned that the TPME will finally meet on March 4, 2014 . The panel will review
our compliance report and if they found adherence, they will schedule for a
visit. If recommendations are not complied with, there will be no panel visit
which means that we have to wait for another year or few years before we could
open the Doctor of Medicine program.
Looking back to these events, we could see God’s hand
leading AUP. If the panel came in November, they could have denied our appeal
because the building and facilities which were identified as deficiencies were
not yet ready. Hopefully, by the time they visit in March, those things they
want to see are all completed. Meanwhile, construction of the building is still
in full swing. AUP is hoping for the best and continues to work and pray that
God will do what is best for the University and for the College
of Medicine May 13, 2014 with no less than the General
Conference president Elder Ted Wilson gracing the event.
* * *
http://filadnet.blogspot.com/2014/01/aup-college-of-medicine-updates-2014.html
http://www.scribd.com/doc/
AUP Receives CHED Official Communication About COM Deficiencies
AUP Receives CHED Official Communication About COM Deficiencies
After a few months of waiting, AUP finally received an official communication from the CHED 2nd week of December 2013 about the COM deficiencies. These deficiencies include among others the curriculum and the building. But according to the University administrators, the “supposed deficiencies”are all complied with except for the [in]completed building. However, due to some valid reasons, AUP chose not to submit some documents and instead notified the CHED that the Technical Committee will see the documents when they visit AUP campus. Seeking further inquiries on the delayed visit, the administrators visited the CHED on December 18, 2013. A follow up visit was made on January 6, 2014 to submit all the documents. With all the documents submitted, the AUP family hopes and prays that the Technical Committee forMedical Education visit will push through this first quarter of the year and that they will give their final approval for the opening of the Doctor of Medicine program in June 2014.
===
AUP COM HOPES FOR CHED VISIT IN JANUARY 2014
Last November, AUP, through the most recent issue of “From the President’s Desk,” informed the public that the CHED Technical Committeefor Medical Education (CTCME) has not visited our campus because of one major deficiency.AUP has yet to receive an official communication from the CHED regarding the delay of the visit. We presume that this major deficiency is the building and laboratory since the other three major requirements which are curriculum,faculty, and base hospital are met. One good thing is, even before the supposed October visit, the CHED conveyed to AUP that
if the panel could not visit our campus in October, the panel could still come in January 2014. To prepare for the January visit, construction of the COM building is in full swing. AUP hopes to finish the College of Medicine building by the end of December 2013.
= = =
AUP COM Update
November 12, 2013
Dear Leaders of Alumni Associations,
After sunset on Monday, November 11, 2013, the workers of AUP held a special prayer meeting. The CHED Technical Panel on Medical Education was expected to meet this week to decide on our reapplication for a permit to open the Doctor of Medicine program June 2014. A call for prayer was sent out a week before. The subject for the call and the prayer meeting of the AUP workers was twofold: 1) That the Technical Committee consider our reapplication and allow us to prove our readiness by a site visit rather than reject outright the reapplication, and 2) give us ample time to complete the finishing works. The preparations for the finishing stage had already started weeks before. The equipment for the laboratories had been purchased. We had started making the furnishings such as laboratory tables and cabinets, anticipating that we could transfer the furniture once the floor, walls, and ceiling of the rooms were completed.
November 12, 2013
Dear Leaders of Alumni Associations,
After sunset on Monday, November 11, 2013, the workers of AUP held a special prayer meeting. The CHED Technical Panel on Medical Education was expected to meet this week to decide on our reapplication for a permit to open the Doctor of Medicine program June 2014. A call for prayer was sent out a week before. The subject for the call and the prayer meeting of the AUP workers was twofold: 1) That the Technical Committee consider our reapplication and allow us to prove our readiness by a site visit rather than reject outright the reapplication, and 2) give us ample time to complete the finishing works. The preparations for the finishing stage had already started weeks before. The equipment for the laboratories had been purchased. We had started making the furnishings such as laboratory tables and cabinets, anticipating that we could transfer the furniture once the floor, walls, and ceiling of the rooms were completed.
In the middle of the prayer meeting, we received word that the Technical Panel met earlier that day. They deliberated on the reapplications to open medical programs and decided not to visit us because of a deficiency. We were told to wait for official communication about the deficiency.
We were shocked but not discouraged. We do not know God’s plan behind such a decision. Maybe the choice not to visit this month will give us ample time to complete our building. If they visit by the end of January, the building will be ready. We are planning to visit the CHED next week and work with the regional Director, who already hinted to us that the Panel could still visit in January, in time for the Commission on Higher Education meeting in February.
While waiting for the official communication on what we need to fulfill in order to be visited, we are going ahead with the full preparations, especially meeting the construction schedules. The target is to finish the Gross Anatomy Laboratory by the end of this month. Finishing work on the rooms needed for the first year of the program had already started two weeks ago, with the end of December as the target date of completion. By then the furnishings and equipment will have been ready to be brought into the rooms and laboratories.
We continue to move forward in faith, anticipating that doors will be opened as the Lord wills. Once we get the official letter informing us of the reason why our reapplication was not considered, we will study and plan what will be the next step to take. Let us pray and work together, especially for wisdom as we discern God’s leading.
Yours in His service,
Francisco D Gayoba, DTheol
President
* * *
"See What God Has Done"
[...] A major obstacle will have to be hurdled in the next few days... We have made preparations to the best of our ability but the building remains unfinished. The construction is now on the last remaining floor.... We can surely finish the building by February but its present degree of [in?]completion is a potential issue.
[snip]
One day we would look back and say, "See what God has done."
Dr. Francisco D. Gayoba
President
* * *
From AUP President's Desk
October 28, 2013
An Urgent Call
for Special Prayer
Dear Brethren, Colleagues, Workers, Alumni, and Friends of AUP,
The work of the Lord continues to move forward. We are again facing challenges in our dream to open the Doctor of Medicine (MD) Program. As we move forward we become more fully aware that this dream will not come to fruition unless we put our full faith and dependence on God’s guidance and providence. Many of us have been praying fervently for this project, but now with greater urgency and united effort there is a need for all of us to join in special prayer for the following concerns:
1. Consideration of our reapplication. The CHED Technical Committee on Medical Education (TCME) will meet on the second week of November to review the documents we have submitted describing our compliance to the requirements in aspects previously noted as deficiencies by the committee. To comply, we have in the past year prepared more detailed curriculum materials, purchased the required laboratory equipment, completed the clerkship manual, trained potential faculty, and resolved the base hospital issue resulting with a CHED resolution. What remains is the finishing of the building that will house the instructional facilities. Let us pray that as the TCME considers our documents, they will allow us to prove our readiness by visiting us rather than reject outright the reapplication. This TCME has turned down all applications the past five years and had recommended a moratorium of new medical schools. Let us pray that they will see our reapplication as in line with their purpose of reforming medical education in the Philippines.
2. TCME gives time to complete COM building. If the TCME looks at our report favorably, they will come to visit and verify our compliance by the latter part of November. We are anticipating only one major issue in the visit: that they will require a completed building. Due to storms and heavy rains in August and September, the building shell, targeted to have been finished this October, will only be completed by the end of November. The final phase of the building will still be from December to February 2014. When the Technical Committee visits by the end of November and find only an unfinished building, there is a possibility that they will turn down our application. Let us pray that they will see that we have ample time to complete the finishing works in readiness for the June 2014 opening. And let's pray for good weather and the best of health for the construction staff as they finish the building.
3. Urgent need of funds. The University's resources for this project are nearly depleted. As of mid-October, the total expenditure for the COM building construction was Php 56.5M. Around Php 40M of this amount came from University funds and less than Php 15M was received from donations. In addition, AUP disbursed another Php 5M for laboratory equipment. Our engineers estimated that we need an additional Php 25M for the building completion. We praise the Lord for the gifts and pledges already received. May we appeal for your continuous financial support. It is only because of committed and generous supporters like you that we are able to continue and realize this noble endeavor. The gift does not have to be very big amount; the most important thing is for us to give as the Lord blesses. We have a deadline and an amount to reach. This is the time when AUP needs our financial help. Together let us finish the COM building.
Let us always remember that prayer is the opening of our lives to God so that He can work for us and through us. Our call therefore is, in our daily personal devotions, family worship, and in our churches, let us include the opening of the MD program in our prayers and encourage our friends to do the same for with God all things are possible.
October 28, 2013
An Urgent Call
for Special Prayer
Dear Brethren, Colleagues, Workers, Alumni, and Friends of AUP,
The work of the Lord continues to move forward. We are again facing challenges in our dream to open the Doctor of Medicine (MD) Program. As we move forward we become more fully aware that this dream will not come to fruition unless we put our full faith and dependence on God’s guidance and providence. Many of us have been praying fervently for this project, but now with greater urgency and united effort there is a need for all of us to join in special prayer for the following concerns:
1. Consideration of our reapplication. The CHED Technical Committee on Medical Education (TCME) will meet on the second week of November to review the documents we have submitted describing our compliance to the requirements in aspects previously noted as deficiencies by the committee. To comply, we have in the past year prepared more detailed curriculum materials, purchased the required laboratory equipment, completed the clerkship manual, trained potential faculty, and resolved the base hospital issue resulting with a CHED resolution. What remains is the finishing of the building that will house the instructional facilities. Let us pray that as the TCME considers our documents, they will allow us to prove our readiness by visiting us rather than reject outright the reapplication. This TCME has turned down all applications the past five years and had recommended a moratorium of new medical schools. Let us pray that they will see our reapplication as in line with their purpose of reforming medical education in the Philippines.
2. TCME gives time to complete COM building. If the TCME looks at our report favorably, they will come to visit and verify our compliance by the latter part of November. We are anticipating only one major issue in the visit: that they will require a completed building. Due to storms and heavy rains in August and September, the building shell, targeted to have been finished this October, will only be completed by the end of November. The final phase of the building will still be from December to February 2014. When the Technical Committee visits by the end of November and find only an unfinished building, there is a possibility that they will turn down our application. Let us pray that they will see that we have ample time to complete the finishing works in readiness for the June 2014 opening. And let's pray for good weather and the best of health for the construction staff as they finish the building.
3. Urgent need of funds. The University's resources for this project are nearly depleted. As of mid-October, the total expenditure for the COM building construction was Php 56.5M. Around Php 40M of this amount came from University funds and less than Php 15M was received from donations. In addition, AUP disbursed another Php 5M for laboratory equipment. Our engineers estimated that we need an additional Php 25M for the building completion. We praise the Lord for the gifts and pledges already received. May we appeal for your continuous financial support. It is only because of committed and generous supporters like you that we are able to continue and realize this noble endeavor. The gift does not have to be very big amount; the most important thing is for us to give as the Lord blesses. We have a deadline and an amount to reach. This is the time when AUP needs our financial help. Together let us finish the COM building.
Let us always remember that prayer is the opening of our lives to God so that He can work for us and through us. Our call therefore is, in our daily personal devotions, family worship, and in our churches, let us include the opening of the MD program in our prayers and encourage our friends to do the same for with God all things are possible.
Sincerely yours,
Francisco D. Gayoba, DTheol
President
* * *
http://filadnet.blogspot.com/2014/04/state-of-university-2013.htmlhttp://souaoutline.blogspot.com/2013/08/outline-of-president-francisco-d.html
State of the University
August 2013
* * * * *
From the AUP President's Desk
July 10, 2013
Dear Friends,
[snip]
Page 4
College of Medicine Update
The prepatation of the College of Medicine (COM) is entering into a crucial stage. With the visit of the CHED Technical Panel of Medical Educations within three months, the basic requirements have to be met in time.
On the area of faculty training and development, eight (8) training sessions were already held in the campus which is being led out by Drs. Romeo and Ma. Theresa Dotollo, curriculum experts and consultants who were hired by the University. The topics they have already presented included, among others, AUP-COM Curriculum Development, Competency-Based Medical Education, Instructional Design, Formulation of Objectives, Selections and Organization of Content, Student Evaluation, Clinical and Oral Tests, Interactive Lecturing Strategies, and Rationale and Processes, Teaching Clinical Skills, Student Motivation and Reflective Practice, attended by more than thirty (30) doctors who are committed to serve as future faculty of the COM. Through the guidance of Drs. Romy and Tess Dotollo, the curriculum has been developed and the syllabi for the first year have been prepared.
This coming July 29-30 2013, I will visit Loma Linda University in California, USA and will sit down with the University leaders to finalize their offer to assist in the faculty training and other forms of support. Through my visit, the appointment schedule of Dr. Tamara Thomas, LLU Vice Dean for Academic Affairs; Dr. Daniel W. Giang, Associate Dean, Graduate Medical Education; and Dr, Barry Taylor, immediate past Vice Chancellor for Research Affairs at LLU, and emeritus professor of microbiology, to visit AUP will be finalized. The coming of these three consultants to the university in the first or second week of August 2013 will be a big help in the preparation of the Com faculty.
Page 5
Our COM building will not be finished in time for the CHED’s visit. However our target is to have the rough building shell (floors, walls, roof) constructed by October. The finishing phase will be in November to December. To meet this target, the University advances another 15 million pesos for the construction of the steel columns, beams, and roof. The construction will start in the second week of July. Another estimated 10 million pesos will be needed by August for the floors and walls of the ground floor, constructions of which will start as the columns and beams for the second floor and roof are put up, thus finishing the shell of the building by the end of September, in time for CHED’s visit. The CHED committee expects that the basic equipment such as those needed in the laboratories, simulation rooms, library books, and others purchased by August so that the items will be delivered by September.
We are still waiting for the finalization of purchase offers for our Malitlit property. We almost closed a deal two months ago but the offer was 14 million pesos less that the amount set by the Board. We do not know why in God’s timetable we have not sold the property yet. Meanwhile, we are starting a massive fund raising campaign that will raise a total of at least 90 million pesos by June 2014, to be raised from the gifts and support of our faculty, students, parents, alumni, and friends. We will explain more about the fund raising campaign in our next news release.
We continue to thank all of you who have already given their share, and for those who are saving and making sacrifices to help out of the abundance of your heart. We also appreciate the contributions of those who assist in the fundraising by helping us contact people and organize events and activities to establish support for the project.
Sincerely yours,
Francisco D. Gayoba, DTheol
President
Dear Friends,
[snip]
Page 4
College of Medicine Update
The prepatation of the College of Medicine (COM) is entering into a crucial stage. With the visit of the CHED Technical Panel of Medical Educations within three months, the basic requirements have to be met in time.
On the area of faculty training and development, eight (8) training sessions were already held in the campus which is being led out by Drs. Romeo and Ma. Theresa Dotollo, curriculum experts and consultants who were hired by the University. The topics they have already presented included, among others, AUP-COM Curriculum Development, Competency-Based Medical Education, Instructional Design, Formulation of Objectives, Selections and Organization of Content, Student Evaluation, Clinical and Oral Tests, Interactive Lecturing Strategies, and Rationale and Processes, Teaching Clinical Skills, Student Motivation and Reflective Practice, attended by more than thirty (30) doctors who are committed to serve as future faculty of the COM. Through the guidance of Drs. Romy and Tess Dotollo, the curriculum has been developed and the syllabi for the first year have been prepared.
This coming July 29-30 2013, I will visit Loma Linda University in California, USA and will sit down with the University leaders to finalize their offer to assist in the faculty training and other forms of support. Through my visit, the appointment schedule of Dr. Tamara Thomas, LLU Vice Dean for Academic Affairs; Dr. Daniel W. Giang, Associate Dean, Graduate Medical Education; and Dr, Barry Taylor, immediate past Vice Chancellor for Research Affairs at LLU, and emeritus professor of microbiology, to visit AUP will be finalized. The coming of these three consultants to the university in the first or second week of August 2013 will be a big help in the preparation of the Com faculty.
Page 5
Our COM building will not be finished in time for the CHED’s visit. However our target is to have the rough building shell (floors, walls, roof) constructed by October. The finishing phase will be in November to December. To meet this target, the University advances another 15 million pesos for the construction of the steel columns, beams, and roof. The construction will start in the second week of July. Another estimated 10 million pesos will be needed by August for the floors and walls of the ground floor, constructions of which will start as the columns and beams for the second floor and roof are put up, thus finishing the shell of the building by the end of September, in time for CHED’s visit. The CHED committee expects that the basic equipment such as those needed in the laboratories, simulation rooms, library books, and others purchased by August so that the items will be delivered by September.
We are still waiting for the finalization of purchase offers for our Malitlit property. We almost closed a deal two months ago but the offer was 14 million pesos less that the amount set by the Board. We do not know why in God’s timetable we have not sold the property yet. Meanwhile, we are starting a massive fund raising campaign that will raise a total of at least 90 million pesos by June 2014, to be raised from the gifts and support of our faculty, students, parents, alumni, and friends. We will explain more about the fund raising campaign in our next news release.
We continue to thank all of you who have already given their share, and for those who are saving and making sacrifices to help out of the abundance of your heart. We also appreciate the contributions of those who assist in the fundraising by helping us contact people and organize events and activities to establish support for the project.
Sincerely yours,
Francisco D. Gayoba, DTheol
President
= = =
May 10, 2013
Adventist University of the Philippines
Puting Kahoy, Silang 4118 Cavite
From the President’s Desk
Dear Friends,
On behalf of the AUP family, I would like to thank all of our Alumni for their support in the recent Convention. I gave updates about the progress of the College of Medicine project during the Convention but it was limited due to time constraint and moreover many were not able to come. In this letter, let me give you some more details.
I had reported last year about the results of the visits of the CHED Technical Committee on Medical Education and the GC International Board of education Survey Team. The Technical Committee denied our application to open in June 2013 but said we can reapply. The Survey Team, while affirming the recommendations of the Technical Committee, encouraged us to fulfill the recommendations so that we can open in June 2014. The Technical Committee’s recommendation that the training hospital be in the same political region as AUP was the main barrier in the COM plans. The visits with leaders of the provincial hospital in Trece Martires and the Governor of Cavite led us to conclude that the hospital’s training program will not be accredited by September 2013 when the Technical Committee returns to visit. The Batangas Regional Hospital has accredited programs but it is located in another province and it is farther than MAMC by distance and travel time. The only way forward is if MAMC be accepted as our training hospital. With much prayers, we submitted to the CHED Central Office an application for exemption from regulation about location, and appealed that since MAMC is our sister institution and within short travel time from the campus, it would be practical to use it as our base hospital.
We learned middle of March that the CHED approved our appeal. Great was the rejoicing for God’s goodness! The approval of MAMC as base hospital was the sign for us to move in full speed and prepare for the September revisit of the Technical Committee. What surprised us was that in the resolution was also the statement that we can open by June 2013.
It took us about two weeks to study the full implications of the permit since there were many factors involved.The first question was, “Are we ready?” We know for sure that we still have to meet the recommendations of the Technical Committee because they are valid standards of quality medical education. Another question was, “Can we make it for the IBE approval?” The Board was scheduled to meet less than three weeks after we received the resolution. For sure, we will not be able to submit the documents in time for the April 8 meeting. Will the IBE allow us to open in June 2013?
We studied carefully the things that needed to be done in a period of 10 weeks before the June 2013 class opening. The main difference between the IBE framework and that of the Technical Committee’s is that the IBE requirement before opening focuses primarily on the basic medical sciences; only on the second year are the preparations for the clinical sciences required in detail. The Technical Committee on the other hand required from us all the details from basic sciences to clinical training. Apart from the curriculum, they required syllabi, instructional design materials and schedules for each block/module, including assessment up to clerkship. Moreover, they required that faculty for the entire medical program be identified, trained, and involved in the preparation of instructional materials before starting the charter class. When we received the resolution, only instructional materials for the first year are ready. The faculty for the basic sciences had yet to meet for the first training session on April 7 because the training timetable had June 2014 in mind. In addition, we had to prepare the temporary facilities.
Another consideration was that, even if we will be ready to open, what about the students? We wanted to have the best students in the inaugural class. With only two months before the June 2013 opening, there would be no time to process application and select the best students. From all these considerations, it became clear to us by end of March that we were not ready to open in June 2013; the preparation time was just too short. I immediately notified the GC Education leaders that we will stick to the original plan of opening in June 2014. They were very happy because they, too, believe that we do not have enough time to avail of the June 2013 opening.
Another issue was, “Can [we] open [on] June 2014 even if the permit expires?” We knew that CHED permit to open is good only for the year stated, - that is school year June 2013-2014. Our concern was again the moratorium. We received communication from the CHED that we are not covered by the moratorium and the previous plan of a revisit in September 2013 still stands.
With MAMC as the training hospital resolved, we are now moving full speed. A group of 20-30 physicians have already met three times with our training consultants to learn innovative teaching methods and write the course materials they will use in teaching. Three leaders of the GC education department met with us last May 6 to assess what we have done to meet the recommendations. They were satisfied that we are on track for the June 2014 opening. The Dean, Dr. Doris Mendoza, will start working full time on June 1, 2013. The GC has begun processing the call of the two missionaries who will assist us in the preparations and later teach when the medical program begins.
The sale of Malitlit property is still in the negotiation stage with the possible buyers. Meanwhile, the University has advanced 10 million pesos so that the foundation phase of the COM building will be completed by the end of May. Our engineers modified the structures of the building from reinforced concrete to steel columns and beams to shortened construction time. The target is to have the shell finished by September or October 2013.
We need your continued support and prayers. We will need your suggestions on how we can intensify our fund raising for the COM building. There is a lot of work to be done but we thank the Lord that we can have a part in fulfilling the dream of starting the medical program.
Sincerely yours,
(Signed)
FranciscoD.Gayoba, DTheol
President
* * *
From: Francisco Gayoba
Sent: Wed, Dec 12, 2012 9:53 pm
Dear Friends,
Following is the draft of the statement we will send in a day or two to our supporters and alumni. I am sending you first the draft in case you have any questions or suggestions that may strengthen the final version. Please keep this version to yourself first.
Thank you so much again for your prayers and support.
FDGayoba
Last November 23, 2012, the Survey Team appointed by the International Board of Education (IBE) of the GC to study our application to open a medical school gave their exit report after three days of work. The visit of the survey team came a month after the visit of the CHED Technical Committee which denied our application to open in June 2013. The Survey Team was composed of directors and several associate directors of the GC Education, Health, Chaplaincy and Treasury departments, as well as experienced educators from Loma Linda and our division. The Team will recommend to the IBE that AUP be allowed to open a medical college if we meet the conditions they set. The team gave specific suggestions on what AUP must do further and conferred with various denominational entities to encourage their gather support in order to open a medical school. I will outline the challenges as we work hard so that we can resubmit our application to the CHED. With the challenges, I will also describe the solutions that are presently opening to us.
The first condition given by the Survey Team is for AUP to deposit 11 million pesos with SSD as a reserve to finance teach-out of the first cohort of medical students expenses in case the medical program will not continue for unforeseen circumstances. The Division administrators, who were present during the exit report, promised that SSD would lend AUP this amount.
The second condition set by the Survey Team is for AUP to comply with the CHED Technical Committee recommendations. The Technical Committee required additional equipment and supplies in preparation for the opening. Most of the recommendations however, are related to curriculum and instruction. Unlike the traditional medical training, the curriculum of the propose medical program will be competency based and problem based, the teaching of theory and practice organized by organ system. Because of this, there needs to be intensive faculty development of the faculty members facilitating the problem-based learning. The Technical Committee also expects that by the time they come for the revisit, the 10 to 20 instructors professors needed for each organ system have already been identified and scheduled. The faculty would have thoroughly reviewed the proposed competencies, ascertained how and when they will be taught within the curriculum, and most importantly, how competencies will be assessed. All these, especially faculty training on teaching method, preparation of course syllabi and materials including assessment, schedule of instruction for each organ system have to be prepared by the time the Technical Committee visits and decide if we are ready to open. At present, there is only Dr Demuel Berto preparing all these, with Dr Doris Mendoza, the dean-elect, coming to the campus once in a while because she is still a professor at West Visayas State University.
The IBE Survey Team therefore recommended that we find two full-time personnel who will prepare for the targeted June 2014 opening, one to work in the Basic Sciences and the other a Vice Dean for Clinical Sciences. At present we cannot find qualified people who can work full time to do the work in our area or within SSD. The Survey Team mentioned that they have several persons in mind who experienced in medical education who may be available to help us in the founding stage of the medical school. The good news is, the SSD leaders immediately committed two inter-division employee budgets for the preparation of the AUP COM. These missionaries will stay for two to three years to help us begin the medical college and train faculty. All that AUP needs to provide will be their housing.
The greater challenge is the issue of the base hospital. The good news is that the IBE Team did not absolutely require that the base hospital be MAMC as long as a large amount of clinical training be done there. The Team visited two government hospitals in Region IV which can possibly be our base hospital. These are Batangas Regional Hospital in Batangas City and Emilio Aguinaldo Memorial Hospital in Trece Martires. The week after the Team left, Dr Miriam Narbarte went to the CHED central office to officially request clarification on what “same geographic area” written in the CHED regulations means. Meanwhile we have visited the governor of Cavite province to get support for our affiliation with the provincial hospital in Trece Martires in case we will be required a base hospital within Cavite. The challenge however is that the Aguinaldo Memorial Hospital is not yet accredited in all the required departments. The first choice therefore as base hospital is the Batangas Regional Hospital because it has already all its departments accredited for medical training. We are waiting for the CHED reply, hoping that a base hospital within the same region would be acceptable.
The IBE Survey Team gave us a challenge during the exit report. Knowing that AUP has to resubmit its application to CHED by June 2013 in order, if allowed, to open June 2014, the challenge was to act in faith and timeliness. This was a sobering challenge because we have to continue working even as we wait for more definite indications. We were already counseled by a CHED director to complete the requirements as soon as possible because in view of the moratorium, our reapplication may not even be entertained after 2014. Thus we cannot wait until we get word from CHED if the Batangas Regional Hospital will be acceptable because the faculty selection, training and curriculum materials preparations have to start immediately. We will have to expend time and effort and spend money even if we are not sure yet approval. The University had already spent almost two million pesos to date in the preparation. We estimate that we will have to spend another two million more just to prepare for the re-application. This dream of starting a medical school will indeed need faith. What if, having spent so much time and effort, we will still not be approved? The counsel of our church leaders in the Survey Team was to work hard and try, praying that we can open June 2014. The challenge given was to move with timeliness and courage and not doubt. This is a challenge the University accepts. If having worked hard, the CHED will not grant permission open a medical school in 2014, let it be so. The SSD already gave 4 million pesos for the building and committed, in faith, an additional 12 million pesos for salaries of the two curriculum specialist. The University can do no less. Our constituencies, alumni, and friends can expect the best effort from us. We ask the prayers and support for those moved by the Spirit to make the dream of a College of Medicine come true.
Francisco D Gayoba, DTheol
President
Adventist University of the Philippines
http://filadnet.blogspot.com/2013/12/aup-com-progress-report.html
http://filadnet.blogspot.com/2013_10_01_archive.html
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http://docs.adventistarchives.org/docs/RH/RH19480226-V125-09__B.pdf#view=fit
The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, VOL. 125, NO. 9 FEBRUARY 26, 1948
pp 8-11
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