A HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

Southwestern University PHINMA’s School of Medicine began operations in 1946 with the distinction of being the first institution for higher learning in Medicine education outside Manila. The beginnings of the School of Medicine were modest, but it strived to greater acclaim nonetheless. It sought to provide quality and accessible medical education for aspiring physicians who could not brave the travel to the capital. The first class comprised 14 students who were expertly mentored by 16 faculty members. A training facility, Sacred Heart Hospital (now Southwestern University Medical Center) was also instituted to equip students with requisite clinical skills for the profession.

In 1951, government granted full recognition to the University for its Medicine program and its expansion began in earnest. New facilities were built and more students from Cebu and adjacent provinces experienced extensive training by one of the best medical schools in Southern Philippines.  As the School of Medicine began her long awaited debut, her graduates began making waves in the Philippine Medical Licensure Examination. The first to reach the top was Dioscoro Mancao, 7th Place in 1953, establishing an elite club with newest member Brian Gonzaga reaching the 9th Place in 2022. Over the years, 53 graduates have become licensure examination placers creating a legacy of excellence that many current students aim to emulate and follow.

In 2015, PHINMA Education obtained a controlling stake in Southwestern University. With the mission of making lives better through education, PHINMA Education Holdings Inc. (PEHI), under the conglomerate PHINMA Corporation, started investing in the education sector in 2004. Today, its network spans the entire Philippines with schools from Luzon to Mindanao. Recently, it started its expansion across Southeast Asia beginning with Horizon Education in Indonesia. The arrival of PHINMA Education became a catalyst for change in the School of Medicine. The SPIRAL curriculum was implemented, admission and retention standards were strengthened, facilities were modernized and the offering of the Medicine program was expanded to prospective students from outside the country. Excellence in clinical skills was also strongly emphasized to ensure that graduates become industry – relevant clinicians. An critical strategy to achieve this was to establish a seamless integration with its own training hospital – Southwestern University Medical Center.

Today, 76 years since its founding, the School of Medicine has become renowned for the high degree of medical training for its students and the adept expertise of its many graduates. Throughout its evolution, it has stayed true to its mission of providing transformative medical education that makes a significant impact to the health of the Filipino and many others around the world.