PLM professors and University executives led by President Emmanuel Leyco initiated online consultations with students, parents, faculty, and practicing doctors at the Ospital ng Maynila to gauge the reception and readiness of stakeholders to the idea of returning to hands-on learning.
Last month, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases gave the authority to local government officials to approve any requests for the resumption of face-to-face classes for medicine and health-related courses in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Mahalagang magpatuloy ang pag-aaral at pag-graduate ng ating mga estudyante na nasa medisina para rin patuloy ang daloy ng ating mga manggagamot,” President Leyco said during the Monday flag-raising ceremony done via Zoom.
Doctors, nurses, and medical staff have been bravely manning the front lines of the country’s battle against the coronavirus. The local outbreak continues as Filipinos await the delivery and administration of the vaccines.
PLM College of Medicine Assistant Dean Marita Fuentes repeatedly assured that students will not be assigned to the emergency room, outpatient department, or COVID-19 wards of the Ospital ng Maynila, where students will render their on-site training. She added that medicine students could be prioritized for COVID-19 vaccines once these are available locally.
Students need to complete their clerkship and fulfill the rotation duty in hospitals to graduate in June 2021.
After the consultations, PLM will decide whether it will push through with the plan and set the guidelines for returning medicine students. The tentative target date is March 1. All students who will pursue clerkship at the Ospital ng Maynila will be subjected to RT-PCR tests before they report to duty, and will be constantly monitored for symptoms.