By Jesus B. Nolasco, M.D.
The medical school was a dream of the founder of Far Eastern University, Dr. Nicanor Reyes, Sr. He was killed in World War II in 1946 in the battle for the liberation of Manila and never saw his dream realized. In 1952, the Board of Trustees under the chairmanship of Don Jose Cojuangco commissioned a Medical School Committee composed of Drs. Lauro H. Panganiban, Treasurer of FEU, Aureo F. Gutierrez, Director of the FEU Medical Clinic and Ricardo L. Alfonso to recruit faculty members and establish an Institute of Medicine. Faculties were contacted and equipment and facilities readied and in June 1952, the Institute of Medicine opened its doors to its first students.
The Dean’s functions initially rested in the hands of a Medical School Committee composed of Drs. Panganiban, Gutierrez and Alfonso. Dr. Jesus B. Nolasco was appointed Secretary of the Institute and Head of the Department of Physiology and Biochemistry and Dr. Domingo G. Ampil was recruited as Head of the Department of Anatomy to organize the courses in Gross Anatomy, Histology, Embryology and Neuroanatomy.
In the succeeding years, luminaries in Philippines medical education were recruited to organize the other courses—Dr. Liborio Gomez in Pathology, Bacteriology, Parasitology and Laboratory Diagnosis; Dr. Daniel de la Paz in Pharmacology; Dr. Perfecto Gutierrez in Medicine; Dr. Gloria T. Aragon in Obstetrics and Gynecology; Dr. Carlos Sevilla in Opthalmology and Otorhinolaryngology; Dr. Fe Del Mundo in Pediatrics; Dr. Tomas M. Gan in Hygiene, Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics; and Dr. Ricardo L. Alfonso in Surgery. Through the years, the departments and the courses of instruction were shaped by the visions of these heads of departments who were given a free hand in selecting their respective staffs.
Among the pioneer staff members (in the 1950s) of the Institute and of the FEU Hospital were: in Anatomy—Drs. Macario Vito, Enrique Araneta, Jr., Oro Zuniga, Francisco Solis, Atilano Batista, Julita U. Denoga, Dolores F. Espino, Estrella de Leon, Pacita Gabriel, Rosario Yaptinchay; in Physiology & Biochemistry—Drs. Alfredo Navato, Deogracias Rodil, Rodolfo Madlangsacay, Baltazar Solis, Gloria Roque, Felicisimo Guevara, Jose Tomas, Lucila Casabar, Romeo Marfa, Tomas Nazario, Benjamin Razon; in Pharmacology—Drs. Lauro Cruz, Hilario Mercado; in Pathology, Parasitology and Laboratory Diagnosis—Drs. Serafin Juliano, Horacio Ylagan, Claro Cabrera, David de Leon, Severino Sarmenta, Angelina Arcilla Latonio, Zenaida Aviado Pilapil, Remedios Magkasi, Leticia Matawaran, Cecilio Putong, Jr., Ambrosio Reyes; in Medicine-Drs. Antonio J.M. Sison, Elpidio Gamboa, Antonio Lozano, Antonio Ordonez, Caridad E. Cruz, Romeo Apostol, Cipriano de los Reyes, Rodolfo Carriedo, Hilario Zialcita, Rosa Santiago Samson, Armando Sta. Ana, Manuel Mapue and Felicitas Amador; in Surgery-Drs. Romeo Zamora, Teodoro Luna, Pedro Ramirez, Julian Mendoza, Leonicio Yatco, Arturo Dimayuga; in Obstetrics-Drs. Leopoldo Entile, Miguel de Leon, Marcelo Cruz, Flordeliza Baltazar, Alicia de la Paz; in Pediatrics-Dr. Leticia Cordero, Luz Juliano, Doris Ocampo, Felino Barnes, Bibiano C. Reyes; in EENT-Drs. Jose Velez, Leonida Monfero, Lourdes Ulgado; in Preventive Medicine-Dr. Jose Cortes; in Legal Medicine-Dr. Pedro P. Solis and in History of Medicine-Dr. Tranquilino Elicano. The heads of the following departments of the North General Hospital and their staffs should be given credit: Drs. Jose R. Cruz (Medicine), Francisco Guzman (Surgery), Noe Espinola (Obstetrics and Gynecology) and Leon Pecache (Pediatrics). A few of these pioneers are still with the Institute of Medicine or the Hospital.
The clinical facilities of the Institute were provided by opening the FEU Hospital in 1954 under the capable hands of Dr. Ricardo L. Alfonso, who was made Director. With the opening of the hospital, the Institute of Nursing was also created. In 1953, and before the formal opening of the FEU Hospital in 1954, instruction in Physical Diagnosis and in the other clinical subjects was handled by the staff of North General Hospital. Clinical training was expanded by affiliations with North General Hospital, San Lazaro Hospital (for infectious diseases), Rizal Provincial Hospital (Clinical Medicine and Surgery), Children's Memorial Hospital (Pediatrics), Malacanan Clinic (Out-patient Medicine), National Mental Hospital (Psychiatry), and the National Orthopedic Hospital (Orthopedics). Training in these institutions continued even after the operation of the FEU Hospital was in full swing. With these men and institutions, the medical school of Far Eastern University, soon after its establishment, easily made a name for itself in Philippine medical education.
After a couple of years under the Medical School Committee, Dr. Lauro H. Panganiban was appointed the first Dean of the Institute by the FEU Board of Trustees. When Dr. Panganiban retired as Dean in 1966, he was succeeded by Dr. Serafin J. Juliano. In 1977, Dr. Juliano became Director of FEU Hospital and Dr. Alfonso became Dean of the Institute of Medicine. In 1987, Dr. Emelie H. Ongcapin (Class of 1964) was persuaded to become Dean, the first and thus far the only alumna of FEU to become Dean of the Institute. Dr. Baltazar Solis was appointed her successor in 1990. For health reasons, Dr. Solis relinquished the Deanship in 1992 and Dr. Flordeliza Baltazar is the current Officer-In-Charge. There were originally ten departments of instruction-Anatomy, Histology and Embryology; Physiology and Biochemistry; Pharmacology; Pathology; Bacteriology and Laboratory Diagnosis; Hygiene; Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics; Medicine; Surgery; Pediatrics; Obstetrics and Gynecology and EENT.
Because of the rapid growth of medical knowledge, some departments were split and others changed names. The Departrnent of Anatomy was renamed Departrnent of Human Structural Biology; Biochemistry was separated from Physiology; Bacteriology was detached from Pathology and renamed Microbiology; the department of Hygiene took the name of Social, Preventive and Community Medicine; Pediatrics took on the name of Child Health; Gynecology was separated from Obstetrics and EENT was split into Ophthalmology and Otorhinolaryngology. Initiated by Dean Panganiban and eventually becoming a reality during the term of Dean Juliano, the FEU-Dr. Nicanor Reyes Medical Foundation was created, taking under its wing the Institute of Medicine, the FEU Hospital and the School of Medical Technology.
The governance of the medically-oriented institutions was separated from that of the parent University. Only the Institute of Nursing remained with the University. The present Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the FEU-Dr. Nicanor Reyes Medical Foundation is Mrs. Josephine C. Reyes, wife of the first Chairman and son of the founder of Far Eastem University. The Institute of Medicine pioneered in innovations in the field of medical education. Anatomy incorporated living human anatomy and paid greater emphasis on the viscera and the nervous system; the course in Physiology and Biochemistry became year-long subjects in order that the teaching of Anatomy can be coordinated with the teaching of Biochemistry and Physiology; Endocrinology was a subject on its own; a course in Clinical Physiology and Pharmacology was given in the third year to correlate basic Physiology and Pharmacology with Clinical Medicine and Therapeutics. Seminar-discussions were introduced in the Department of Preventive Medicine. Class schedules were drawn to avoid a six-month wait for students wishing to start or resume their studies in the middle of the academic year. Students who would miss Saturday classes because of their religious beliefs were accommodated.
The Institute was responsible for introducing into the University the ranking of faculty members and a basic salary system. The caliber of instruction in the Institute of Medicine and the Far Eastern University Hospital was repeatedly demonstrated in the performance of its graduates in the licensing examinations given by the Philippine Board of Medical Examiners and, in later years, in their accomplishments in the academe (bright alumni were offered positions in the teaching staff), in research, in the military service and in their medical practice both in the Philippines and overseas.
FEU-DR. NICANOR REYES SCHOOL OF MEDICINE ALUMNI FOUNDATION
The 1960s was a decade characterized by free flow of medical graduates from foreign lands to the United States and in the Philippines. American students were seeking to enter the Institute of Medicine in increasing numbers. Drs. Horacio A. Ylagan and Jesus B. Nolasco, who were in New Jersey, were requested by Dean Juliano to interview some of these students. Mr. Samuel Green, father of one of the American students enrolled in FEU visited the Institute in the late 1960 and suggested the formation of an alumni organization in the United States. Dean Juliano suggested that Mr. Green contact Drs. Ylagan and Nolasco. By good fortune, Mr. Green, Dr. Ylagan and Dr. Nolasco worked and lived within a radius of 20 miles in the State of New Jersey. Dr. Ylagan's house in Elizabeth, New Jersey was a meeting place of FEU alumni in the area and Dr. Nolasco was printing and distributing the newsletter, Ectopic Murmurs, to alumni principally in the Chicago, Perth Amboy, Summit and Newark areas, cities with hospitals actively recruiting FEU alumni.
In his letter to "Ipe and Farida Chua" in Chicago on May 11, 1965, Dr. Nolasco expressed great optimism that "the idea of establishing an FEU organization in the United States will meet with enthusiasm among the alumni here." He also outlined five important objectives the alumni association could adopt. On May 15, 1965, a handful of alumni, who made up the midwest nucleus, met at the residence of the Chuas at 2437 N. Racine in Chicago. Three interim officers were elected: Pete J. Obregon, M.D., presiding officer; Philip S. Chua, M.D. assistant presiding officer; and, Noel D. Nequin, M.D., provisional secretary. Other alumni present were Drs. Avelino Sales, Edgardo Perona, Pete Casaclang, Jr., Wolfgang Villanueva, Perla Ramirez, Jun Talavera, Francisco Alonzo, Jessie Mohammad and Farida I. Chua.
The first general organizational meeting was held on Saturday, May 29, 1965, at the Jonas Pavillion of the Illinois Masonic Hospital. Our alumni in the East also started to organize themselves. An organizational meeting was scheduled on July 4, 1971 with Drs. Leon Mercado, Apolinario Miranda, Jaime Punzalan, Celia Roque, Conrado Salita, Albert P. Valenzuela and Dioscora Reroma Vannoy, among others, attending. On October 17, 1971, at a second meeting of the alumni with Mr. Green, Dr. Ylagan and Dr. Nolasco, the following officers of the organization were elected: Mr. Green, President; Dr. Ylagan, Vice President; Dr. Nolasco, Treasurer; Dr. Vannoy, Secretary; Dr. Celia Roque, Recording Secretary; and Drs. Conrado Tojino, Ehner Geniblazo and Benjamin Wiesenfeld (father of another American student) as Trustees. Incorporation papers were drawn by Mr. Green and on October 20, 1971, a certificate of incorporation of the FEU-Dr. Nicanor Reyes School of Medicine Alumni Foundation was issued by the Secretary of State of the State of New Jersey.
Meanwhile, alumni in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Cleveland and St. Louis had taken the initiative and organized their own groups. Drs. Ylagan and Nolasco traveled throughout the United States urging alumni to form their own chapters and affiliating with the national organization. On December 9, 1978, Dr. Emelie H. Ongcapin of New Jersey assumed the Presidency of the Alumni Foundation and Dr. Godofredo P. Torres of California was elected Chairman of the Board of Trustees. Dr. Ylagan remained as Vice President, Mr. Green became Treasurer and Executive Director and Dr. Nolasco became Assistant Treasurer.
The Chicago group led by Dr. Edmundo Relucio, which was organized during the visit of Dr. Serafin Juliano, hosted the alumni in Lincoln, Illinois in 1978 and an alumni meeting was held in Great Gorge, New Jersey in 1979. The meeting and reunion of the FEU-Dr. Nicanor Reyes School of Medicine Alumni Foundation became an annual affair starting with the first one in Orlando, Florida in August 1980. Succeeding reunions were held in Anaheim (1981), Boston (1982), Grand Island Niagara (1983), Indian Lakes Chicago (1984), Orlando (1985), Virginia Beach (1986), Toronto (1987), L.ong Beach (1988), St. Louis (1989), Washington, D.C. in (1990), Atlantic City (1991) and in San Francisco (1992).
The Alumni Foundation has helped the Institute of Medicine and the FEU Hospital with hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of equipment and supplies. Among its substantial donations were: a student bus; an ambulance; a Siemens X-ray machine; an ultrasound machine; an automatic blood analyzer; a Magnascanner; a Gammacord radiation counter; a Gilson physiologic recorder; a hemodialyzer; echocardiograph; electrocardiographs; a treadmill; audiovisual materials and slide projectors; a new telecommunication system in the FEU Hospital; renovation of the library to provide student carrels; carbon dioxide incubator for microbiology; teaching slides in histology, embryology, pathology, radiology, medicine, and cardiology; anatomical models; microscopes; gastroscope; surgical, EENT and urology instruments; obstetrical and resuscitation models; infant incubators; electronic calculators for biostatistics; textbooks and reference books, etc. It subsidized faculty retreats in the Philippines and scholarship training programs in the United States to improve and update teaching by the faculty. It sent salary supplements for the faculty. Student achievement awards were started in 1978 and outstanding faculty awards in 1983. These awards are continuing to the present. In 1979, in order to provide permanent funding to help the Institute and the Hospital, it created an endowment fund. But in 1982 to 1984, the Alumni Foundation's contribution to the acquisition of the physical plant of the Institute and the Hospital from the parent University made a severe dent in this endowment fund.
The subsequent restriction in the admission of foreign students into the Institute of Medicine further reduced the Alumni Foundation's revenues and the officers were forced to eliminate the equipment fund in 1986; to suspend the faculty scholarship program and to reduce the faculty salary supplement. Each year, beginning in 1982 with the Class of 1957, classes celebrating their silver jubilees made generous donations. The various chapters and individual alumni have also been relentless in soliciting and shipping or personally delivering their donations to their Alma Mater. Dr. Emelie H. Ongcapin, erstwhile Dean, initiated the project to create Professorial Chairs. Several alumni are actively organizing their classmates for the annual meetings and reunions. In a year or two, the endowment fund is expected to reach one million dollars. Dr. Renato Ramos, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Dr. Edmundo Relucio, President and the other officers and members are leaving no stone unturned to resume and increase the aid which the Alumni Foundation has been extending to the Far Eastern University-Dr. Nicanor Reyes Medical Foundation's Institute of Medicine and the FEU Hospital.
CHRONOLOGY OF THE FEU-NRSMAF-OFFICERS
