Based largely on interest and preference, there are physician-scientists who are engaged in the dual work of being a clinician and researcher. Some of them have the added responsibility of also being academicians or members of medical faculties. The article, “Physician as a Clinician, Researcher and Academician” in this JMUST issue demonstrates the importance of organizational support and collaboration for physicians.

The daily work life of physicians who function as clinicians, researchers, and academicians is focused on improving public health and patient outcomes in three usually compartmentalized settings: clinics, classrooms, and centers for research. In these settings, physicians are addressing patients’ medical concerns based on evidence, and at the same time, considering if new information could lead to research and discovery for better patient outcomes. The physician then proceeds to mentor, teach, and train medical students in quality evidence-based clinical practice and the conduct of scientific research. The importance of operationally blending these three disciplines with research as a common thread is not only a big challenge for these physicians but also an opportunity to innovate for better public health.

Research writing evokes feelings of anger and anxiety even among graduate students. Feelings are an inseparable part of the human lived experience and are important to learning and decision making. Research anxiety is powerful but not impossible to overcome. Various affective, cognitive, linguistic, and pedagogical mitigating strategies can be employed. By simply acknowledging its existence, we lead our students in the direction of doing just that...towards a transformational mindset to overcome research anxiety.

To connect didactic learning to clinical application is a challenging task both for the teachers and students. Target - Oriented Clinical Skill Enhancement (TOCSE) is a teaching and learning tool that integrates basic medical sciences at the clinical level. The authors sought to determine  if TOCSE is effective in bridging didactic knowledge to clinical skill and enhance clinical performance of fourth year medical students.

International collaborative Master in Public Health programs provide students wider opportunities to engage in vital public health related work with specific populations and communities to improve health through awareness, education, policy, and research. A transnational education model to promote academic exchange in public health is hereby showcased with the collaboration of the University of Santo Tomas, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery and the University of Leeds, Nuffield Center for International Health and Development. The program was established through initial institutional visits of each respective staff, faculty capacity building through workshops and symposia, and final agreement on a laddered structure of curriculum. This article describes how this program was established.

This study deals with the public health effects of a natural disaster and some public health principles that can be applied to disaster risk reduction and management, focusing on earthquake preparedness for Barangay San Jose - Rodriguez, Rizal, Philippines. The study showed that the urban poor community has a weak history of engagement, and it explores whether facilitated community interventions can empower and develop community preparedness.

This capstone project of the Master in Public Health International of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery initiate the development of community health programs. Phase 1K, Kasiglahan Village, Barangay San Jose, Rodriguez, Rizal, a partner community of the UST - SIMBAHAYAN Community Development Office, was chosen as the primary stakeholder for the implementation of this capstone project. 

The seafarers’ poor mental health has been associated with significant morbidity, inefficiency, and accidents on board. Mental and physical health is largely dependent on the way seafarers handle stressors.

Anchored on the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping, this study aimed to identify the typology of Filipino merchant marine ratings according to their coping strategies to stressors on board vessels.

This meta-analysis aims to synthesize available evidence from published studies on the effectiveness of parental non-pharmacologic smoking cessation programs which aim to reduce children’s exposure to secondhand smoke.

Gait is one of the outcome measures used in evaluation in the field of rehabilitation and there is a need for reference data of gait parameters primarily to understand the physiological significance of these parameters, describe their changes in pathologic gait for better understanding of pathophysiology and be able to provide the appropriate therapeutic approach. The purpose of this study was to derive a reference data of spatiotemporal parameters of gait among Filipinos, which include step time, stride time, stance time, swing time, single limb support time, double limb support time, cadence, speed, step length, stride length, and step width; determine correlation of age, gender, and anthropometric measures with spatiotemporal parameters, and to determine gait symmetry.

Psoriasis is a chronic, complex, inflammatory disease that needs safe and effective treatment options to decrease its disease burden. The objective of this trial is to determine the efficacy and safety of sunflower oil in mild to moderate plaque-type psoriasis at the outpatient department of a tertiary hospital.

The authors’ aim was to conduct a dosimetric analysis of the incidental radiation dose to the internal mammary node (IMN) region using a three-field chest wall technique (TFCWT).

Allergic rhinitis is a common condition in children linked to sleep-related breathing disorders (SRBD). Because of nasal congestion, it can cause obstructive sleep apnea, sleep fragmentation, and excessive fatigue. Studies regarding its association with SRBD is limited. The objective of this study was to determine the association of allergic rhinitis with sleep-related breathing disorders.

Autoimmune diseases represent a significant health burden for 3% to 9% of the general population, and rheumatology, perhaps more than any other medical subspecialty, encompasses a broad array of such diseases that affect a wide range of organ systems including the eye. It serves as a sensitive barometer of autoimmune phenomena in many of the rheumatic diseases. The study determined the various ocular manifestations of all autoimmune inflammatory disorders at the University of Santo Tomas Hospital, Section of Rheumatology and the Department of Ophthalmology from 2003 to 2018.

Entrapment neuropathies are peripheral nerve disorders at specific anatomical locations. They may be caused by trauma in a manner of sprains or bone fracture, but it is often caused by repetitive insults or compression of nerves as they travel through a narrow anatomic space. Pregnancy and pre-existing comorbidities such as diabetes, obesity, cancer, or autoimmune diseases may also cause nerve entrapment. This report highlights the case of a 52-year-old female developing right foot dysesthesia and weakness after continuous restraint strapping from her previous hospitalization.

This oration was delivered by the author during the annual discurso de apertura at the formal opening of the academic year 2021-2022 at the University of Santo Tomas last August 2, 2021. The discurso started as a Dominican Catholic tradition on July 16, 1866 as an annual event.