5/25/2020 Programs Offered

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UP College of Medicine Degree Programs

Doctor of Medicine
Bachelor of Science Basic Medical Sciences
MD-PhD (Molecular Medicine)
PhD in Biochemistry
Master of Science in Biochemistry
Master of Science in Bioethics
Master of Science in Clinical Epidemiqology
Master of Science in Clinical Medicine
Child Health
Family Medicine
Medical Oncology
Obstetrics-Gynecology
Surgery
Master of Science in Genetic Counseling
Master of Science in Health Informatics
(Medical Informatics)
Master of Science in Medical Anthropology
Master of Science in Pharmacology

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Master of Science in Physiology

Master of Basic Medical Sciences
Master in Clinical Audiology
Master in Clinical Medicine
(Medical Oncology)
Master of Medical Anthropology
Master in Orthopedics
Diploma in Bioethics
Diploma in Clinical Epidemiology
Diploma in Clinical Medicine
(Child Health, Family Medicine,Obstetrics-Gynecology)
Diploma in Physiology
Certificate Program in Biochemistry

THE INTARMED PROGRAM

THE MD-PHD (MOLECULAR MEDICINE) PROGRAM

The dual MD- PhD (Molecular Medicine) program of the UPCM aims to train aspiring
physician- scientists for careers dedicated to the pursuit of basic and applied biomedical
research towards the advancement of health from individual to global levels. The prescribed
program of study comprises eight years: one year of graduate level coursework and research,
five years of medical education (LU III – VII of the INTARMED program) and two years for
completion and defense of a PhD dissertation. Applicants are expected to clearly demonstrate
their aptitude and motivation for advanced study in molecular medicine and related areas.

Synopsis/Summary

The MD-PhD (Molecular Medicine) Program aims to train aspiring physician-scientists for
careers dedicated to the advancement of health through biomedical research. The prescribed
period of study is eight years, during which time the MD-PhD student is expected to satisfy all
the course requirements of the UPCM Organ System Integrated (OSI) curriculum (i.e., the MD
component of the Program) and also earn at least 44 credit units of graduate courses,
including 16 credit units of core courses, 12 units of major courses, 4 units of
cognates/electives and 12 credit units towards the PhD dissertation. A student is qualified to
take the comprehensive examination upon completion of 32 units of graduate courses,
inclusive of 16 units of core courses, subject to the required minimum general weighted
average (GWA) as determined by the National Graduate Office for the Health Sciences
(NGOHS). A student must satisfactorily pass the comprehensive examination before

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proceeding with the proposal, approval and conduct of dissertation research. He/She must
satisfactorily defend his dissertation to an expert panel before submitting the final dissertation
manuscript in accordance with NGOHS regulations. The graduate courses are typically
completed during the first year of enrollment in the Program. Dissertation work may formally
commence after completing the required basic science courses of the MD Program, such that
the clinical courses may be completed after the dissertation requirements are fulfilled.

Rationale

The conduct of biomedical research increasingly demands PhD-level training. Yet, pursuing a
PhD separately from an MD entails many more years of training via two distinct programs
completed in succession, and achieving coherent synergy between the two programs is
challenging given their traditional differences in perspective. The MD-PhD (Molecular
Medicine) Program thus aims to train aspiring physician-scientists for careers dedicated to the
pursuit of basic and applied biomedical research with a strong translational character, towards
the advancement of health from individual to global levels. Emphasis is placed on preparation
to assume key leadership roles within the academic community as principal investigators and
mentors to physician-scientists in training, so as to promote a self-sustaining process whereby
new knowledge is continuously generated, applied and transmitted to meet emerging and
anticipated health needs.

Administration

The MD-PhD Program is administered by the office of the UPCM Associate Dean for
Academic Development (ADAD) in collaboration with the MD-PhD Program Committee, which
comprises core faculty members based in the UPCM, the UP College of Public Health (CPH)
and the UP Manila National Institutes of Health (NIH), particularly in the UPCM Departments
of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and of Pharmacology and Toxicology, the CPH
Departments of Medical Microbiology and of Parasitology, and the NIH Institute of Human
Genetics.

Admission

The most basic admission requirement is an outstanding scholastic record with a

baccalaureate or higher (e.g., master’s, doctoral or other graduate) degree in a field relevant
to health and biomedicine, preferably molecular biology and biotechnology or biochemistry.
Applicants initially apply for admission into the Doctor of Medicine (MD) Program, with the
option of explicitly indicating on their application forms their intent to apply for admission into
the MD-PhD Program. From among the MD-PhD Program applicants who successfully qualify
for admission into the MD Program, the MD- PhD Program Committee selects prospective

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candidates for admission to be interviewed for further screening on the basis of their submitted
application documents, after which the final list of accepted MD-PhD Program applicants is
determined in view of their aptitude and motivation for advanced study in molecular medicine
and related areas in the health sciences.

Prospective applicants are encouraged to explore the possibility of admission into the MD-
PhD Program as early as their interest warrants, even prior to filing an application for the MD
Program, by contacting the faculty coordinator of the MD-PhD Program Committee through
the office fo the UPCM ADAD. However, such preliminary communication should be
understood as serving the purpose of clarification for the applicants rather than providing any
guarantee of admission into the Program.

The core courses & their respective credit units are as follows:

Course Title Units

Biostat 201: Fundamentals of Biostatistics 3
Epi 201: Principles of Epidemiology 3
Biochem 205: Special Laboratory Techniques 3
Biochem 221: Nucleotides and Nucleic Acids 3
Biochem 222: Proteins, Lipids and Carbohydrates 3
Biochem 297: Seminar in Biochemistry 1

Biochemistry 205 (Special Laboratory Techniques) is typically taken over a period of two
consecutive semesters, for one credit unit in the first semester and two more credit units in the
second semester, whereas all the other core courses each run for one semester.The list of
approved additional graduate courses, which is expected to diversify as relevant new graduate
courses are developed and offered, includes the following:

Course Title Units

Biochem 224: Physical Biochemistry 3
Biochem 240: Advances in Biochemistry 3
Biochem 310: Biochemical Genetics 3
Biochem 310: Public Health Immunology 3
Biochem 311: Public Health Bacteriology 3
Biochem 397.1: Seminar in Public / Health Microbiology I 1
Immunologic, Biochemical and Molecular
Para 307: 3
Parasitology

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Para 397.1: Seminar in Parasitology I 1

Biochemistry 240 (Advances in Biochemistry) is typically taken over a period of two

consecutive semesters, for one credit unit in the first semester and two more credit units in the
second semester, whereas all the other additional graduate courses each run for one
semester.

Successful completion of 32 units of graduate courses including all core courses is a

prerequisite to take the comprehensive examination, which in turn must be passed as a
prerequisite for the formal proposal of the dissertation research.

PhD Dissertation

All MD-PhD students are strongly encouraged to actively engage in biomedical research at the
earliest possible time in order to explore various possibilities for prospective PhD dissertation
projects, either to accomplish work that could be further developed as dissertation research or
to at least inform subsequent decisions on the selection of dissertation topics. However,
proposed dissertation research must be formally presented and approved, by way of preparing
a written dissertation proposal that is successfully defended in an oral presentation. Such
approval is necessary for authorization to conduct dissertation research and to qualify for
funding in support thereof. Dissertation research activities may be conducted at host
institutions abroad in cases where the requisite infrastructure and expertise have yet to be
established in the local setting, provided that the necessary arrangements (e.g., for inter-
institutional agreements and funding support) are finalized in a timely manner.

Scheduling of Courses and Dissertation Activities

All the graduate courses are typically completed during the first year of enrollment in the MD-
PhD Program, with the OSI-curriculum course IDC 211 (Research Methods 1) completed
during the first semester of the said year. IDC 211, which is a course under Learning Unit III
(LU III) of the OSI curriculum, entails the preparation and defense of a research project
proposal, which is to be implemented and successfully completed in fulfillment of course
requirements for IDC 211.1 (Research Methods 1 Project Implementation, also part of LU III).
Apart from IDC 211, all other LU III courses (including IDC 211.1) are thus completed during
the second year of enrollment in the MD- PhD Program, thereby providing an extended period
for the conduct of research activities between IDC 211 and IDC 211.1. (IDC 211 is counted
among the OSI courses rather than the graduate courses and hence is excluded from the
computation of graduate-course credit units, although it entails two lecture -class hours per
week and is therefore comparable to a course worth two credit units as regards time
requirements.)

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Accordingly, the following graduate course credit units (with those for core courses marked by
asterisks) are expected to be earned during the first semester of the first year:

Course Title Units

Biostat 201*: Fundamentals of Biostatistics 3
Epi 201*: Principles of Epidemiology 3
Biochem 205*: Special Laboratory Techniques 1
Biochem 221*: Nucleotides and Nucleic Acids 3
Biochem 222*: Proteins, Lipids and Carbohydrates 3
Biochem 224: Physical Biochemistry 3
Biochem 240: Advances in Biochemistry 1

In addition, the following graduate-course credit units (with those for core courses marked by
asterisks) are expected to be earned during the second semester of the first year:

Course Title Units

Biochem 205*: Special Laboratory Techniques 2
Biochem 297*: Seminar in Biochemistry 1
Biochem 310: Biochemical Genetics 3
Microbio 310: Public Health Immunology 3
Microbio 311: Public Health Bacteriology 3
Microbio 397.1: Seminar in Public / Health Microbiology I 1
Immunologic, Biochemical and Molecular
Para 307: 3
Parasitology
Para 397.1: Seminar in Parasitology I 1

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College of Medicine

The UPCM is the rst medical college in the country to o er a shortened medical curriculum from a two-
degree, nine-year standard medical program into the seven-year medical curriculum or the Integrated Arts
Medicine Program (INTARMED). This program admits high school graduates directly into the College and
includes one year of internship.
 

UPCM has been designated as a Center of Excellence in Medical Education by the Commission on Higher
Education (CHED).

LINKS:
University of the Philippines Manila
O ce of the University Registrar (OUR)
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Other UP Manila O ces
Human Resources and Financial Management Information System (UIS)
Acta Medica Philippina
Philippine General Hospital

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