Useful Tips on Residency Application
By popular demand especially from young UERM alumni, we present Dr. Benjamin Rigor’s very helpful talk on applying for residency in the U.S. Originally presented last February, it covers resume writing, letters of recommendation, interview strategies and advices on pre and post matching, all aimed at maximizing the chance of an applicant’s landing a residency position.
The presentation reflects Dr. Rigor’s decades-old experiences as anesthesiology program director, head of department and educator at the University of Texas Health Sciences School of Medicine in Houston and University of Louisville School of Medicine in Louisville, Kentucky.
Dr. Rigor's Tips on Residency Application
Thank you Dr. Rigor and good luck to our young alumni!
Official Website - www.uermmmc.org
The UERMMMC Medical Alumni Association of America, Inc. (MAAAI) was originally incorporated in the State of Maryland and registered as an IRS 501 (c)(6) tax-exempt corporation. The association is in compliance with IRS rules and regulations, the officers with the approval of the general membership applied and has been approved for change of IRS status to a 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt corporation.
MAAAI was founded by a few alumni headed by Dr. Rogelio 'Boy' Sion, Dr. Bayani Elma and Dr. Benjamin Narrajos (deceased) who envisioned that all alumni residing in the United States and Canada would unite in a common cause to foster camaraderie among alumni, champion continuing medical education and support our alma mater and homeland through financial contributions, medical/surgical missions, and other medical community services.
Welcome to Our New Dean
Our new dean, Dr. Nobert Lingling D. Uy is a member of Class 1979! He takes over from former Dean Alfaretta T. Reyes of Class 1973. Appointed in the second semester of the last school year, Dr. Uy brings to his new position a wealth of experience as an educator, a clinician, a professional leader and advocate.
After his graduation from the UERMMMC College of Medicine, he did his post-graduate internship and later completed his residency in internal medicine at the UERMMH in 1984. He finished his 2-year fellowship in cardiology at the Philippine Heart Center. He did further studies in cardiology at St. Louis University Hospital in Missouri in 1991.
He joined the teaching and clinical staff at UERMMMC as well as St. Luke’s Medical Center and the Philippine Hear Center in Quezon City. He rose through the ranks and became the Head of the Department of Medicine at our alma mater. He held leadership roles at the Philippine College of Physicians and Philippine College of Chest Physicians. Along with other specialists from UERM, he advocated for the reduction of hypertension among Filipinos, addressing the alarming trend of more, younger Filipinos now suffering from hypertension and its complications. He balances his busy cardiology practice with his strong commitment to quality medical education as a full-time professor of medicine and cardiology at UERMMMC.
We congratulate Dr. Uy on his appointment, warmly welcome him to our alumni family here in America, offer our support, and wish him well!
Philippine Secretary of Health is Cuyegkeng Lecturer
This year’s Cuyegkeng Memorial lecturer is Dr. Paulyn Jean B. Rosell-Ubial, a 1987 alumna of the UERMMMC College of Medicine and Secretary of Health in the current administration of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.
She is a career public health official who rose through the ranks, starting as a volunteer rural health doctor in Kidapawan, Cotabato in 1988 and ending up as the Assistant Secretary of Health for Health Regulations before joining the president’s cabinet on June 30, 2016.
She was born in Iloilo City but grew up in M’lang, North Cotabato. According to her official Department of Health profile published online, she was educated primarily at the University of the Philippines Diliman (elementary, high school, B.S. Zoology), obtained her medical degree at UERMMMC in 1987, went back to UP-PGH for her post-graduate internship, then earned a master’s degree in public health at U.P. Manila in 1997.
In her 27 years of public health service, Dr. Ubial immersed herself on issues of women and child health, universal health care delivery, mental health and tobacco control. In her new role as top health official of the Philippines, she is now the principal advocate of the nation’s health care agenda which includes universal health care that emphasizes preventive medicine patterned after the Cuban model.
According to the HuffPost, the WHO cited Cuba in 2014 for its “efficiency” in “prevention-based system” of health care delivery. In the same year, the infant mortality rate there was 4.2 per thousand births, the best in the developing world and lower than that of the U.S.
The young Duterte administration aspires to improve the health of the country with Dr. Ubial as the linchpin. She could face a bump in the road as she gets a handle of country’s health infrastructure. As in any political position, she recently had to contend with being bypassed by the Commission on Appointment during the recently concluded session of the Philippine Congress. Reports from the Philippine Daily Inquirer downplay this temporary setback as merely “running out of time” for her confirmation. She is expected to be confirmed after being recess re-appointed by the president.
We welcome Dr. Ubial and wish her all success!
47th Annual Medical Alumni Homecoming
February 13 - 17, 2017
Herrera Ready to Take MAAAI Helm
Dr. Zosimo Herrera of Class 1973 in a brief phone interview with Aesculapius Ex in early June expressed excitement and readiness to lead the alumni association in the next two years. He was elected as president‐elect at the 36th national convention in Las Vegas in July 2014. He will be inaugurated in early July at the 38th convention and reunion at the Marriott Hotel and Resort in Newport Beach, California. He aims to find ways to encourage and attract more and younger alumni to come to conventions and be active in alumni affairs.
Asked for any message to alumni, he just wants to reiterate the terse acceptance speech he gave after his election:
My fellow alumni, I am honored and privileged to be elected as President of our alumni association. It is a huge responsibility that requires my total commitment and complete focus that I will be glad to offer.
As in any endeavor that aims to foster continuity and strength in our mission as an alumni association, our success depends on both dedicated leadership and committed membership. Together, we can navigate the challenges that ultimately lead to accomplishing our priorities while simultaneously enjoying the rewards that unity, camaraderie and enthusiasm bring.
I want to thank everyone for their full and continuing support, welcome back those who have been away from the fold and, finally, give assurance that your confidence and trust in me shall be my inspiration to move our organization forward.
De La Llana Leads Unopposed Slate
Dr. Andres de la Llana of Class 1984, former president of the alumni association’s Southern California Chapter, former Convention Chairman several years ago at the previous Newport Beach reunion, currently a faculty member at Loma Linda University Medical Center and a practicing internist at the Loma Linda VA, will lead an unopposed slate of new officers of the UERMMMC Medical Alumni Association in America, Inc. which will be elected on July 2nd at the 38th Convention and Reunion.
In his letter of intent, Dr. de la Llana recognized the “UERM spirit” as the glue that “binds us all together” and vowed to instill it to younger alumni in the hope of harnessing “their talents, leadership skills, resources and active participation” in building a “vibrant” alumni association.
Similarly, the other nominees expressed their commitment and enthusiasm to serve. These candidates have the depth of experience in alumni work in various capacities. Dr. Abella, a nuclear radiologist from Sacramento had already served as national assistant secretary and Northern California Chapter secretary before. Dr. Galarpe‐Pastor, a Newark, New Jersey‐trained pediatrician practicing in Long Beach, California, served as national auditor in 2012 as well as Southern California Chapter president. Dr. Puno, a renowned orthopedic surgeon at the University of Louisville in Kentucky had a stint as a trustee of the alumni foundation.
Puno’s Pioneering Work Honored with $2.5M Gift
Dr. Rolando Puno of Class 1977, incoming auditor of the UERMMMCMAAAI, and a well‐known orthopedic surgeon from Louisville, Kentucky was recently honored with a $2.5 M anonymous donation to the city’s Kosair Children’s Hospital. In the March 24, 2016 issue of the Courier‐Journal of Louisville shared with UERM alumni by Dr. Benjamin Rigor, the bequest stipulated that the said hospital’s children’s orthopedic surgery unit be named after Dr. Puno in honor of his many innovations in children’s spinal surgery.
Advances in Cardiovascular Disease
July 7 and July 8, 2018
The Art of Healing, Today and Tomorrow
July 7 and July 8, 2017
UERM Alumni SoCal Chapter Serves Northern Palawan
The Southern California chapter of the alumni association led by then President Dr. Joselito Babaran continued its medical mission program with a 3-day foray last January into Coron, seat of the Tagbanua tribal region of the Calamianes island group in Northern Palawan, in conjunction with other organizations. Dr. Edgar Banez, former chapter and national association president and long-serving coordinator of the chapter’s medical missions filed this report which was also published in the Asian Journal.
2016 Mission to Lubao, Pampanga and Lucena, Quezon
SoCal Chapter Mission 2015: Baler, Aurora, Quezon
The Alumni Newsletter is the news magazine of the UERMMMC Medical Alumni Association of America, Inc. (MAAAI) in Marshfield, Wisconsin.
This is the newsletter of the UERMMMC Medical Alumni Association, Inc. in Maryland, Virgina and District of Columbia.
PMAC News is an official publication of the Philippine Medical Association in Chicago.
AlumNews is the newsletter of the UERMMMC Medical Alumni Association, Inc. in Quezon City, Philippines.
