Prof. Maria Minerva P. Calimag

Prof. Maria Minerva P. Calimag

Full Name

Maria Minerva P. Calimag, MD, MSc (Clin Epi.), PhD, FPSA, FPSECP, FPCHA, FICS

Academic Rank

Professor 5

Contact Information

Bionote

Dr.  Calimag is Professor of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology, Anesthesiology, Clinical Epidemiology, and Research Methodology at the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery of the University of Santo Tomas since 1986. She is likewise a Graduate Professor of Research Methodology, Translational Health Informatics, Culture and Bioethics, Human Behavior in Organizations, Leadership and Governance, Hospital Management and Leadership, Immunodiagnostics, and Therapeutic Drug Monitoring in the Masters and Doctoral Programs at the UST Graduate School. Her teaching also extends to her professional life as lecturer in the Pharmacology modules for the anesthesiologists of the Philippine Society of Anesthesiologists and the integrated Residency Training in the Anesthesia Review Courses; and in international symposia in the area of Pharmacology, Anesthesiology, Clinical Epidemiology, and Medical Education.  

 

As an educator, she has developed teaching modules that have transformed learning and have been used as part of an evidence base for the continuing professional development of medical educators.   In the University, she is a certified Educational Technology E-Learning Applications Coordinator and a Course Developer for the Certificate Program in Educational Technology of the UST Educational Technology center since 2006.   In 2008, she developed the Course management site and was in-charge of the Information Technology support for the first fully online course for the Masters in Medicine Pain Management Program of the University. At the national level, she has developed modules on Pharmacology for Anesthesiologists, Pharmacovigilance, Drug Safety, drug monographs for different national organizations such as the Philippine Society of Anesthesiologists, Philippine Medical Association and the Department of Health.

 

She elevates her teaching into advocacy. She is a Pharmacovigilance Advocate as she campaigns against the unverified benefits and possible harmful herb-drug and herb-herb interaction; undertakes writing of implementing guidelines; and information dissemination with national coverage in quad-media through scientific journal publications, website postings, television appearance and documentaries and radio interviews, regarding the proliferation of fake drugs.   

 

A prolific researcher,  Dr. Calimag has published numerous scientific papers in national and international journals on various research topics such as pharmacology, cancer pain, palliative care, medical education, and interprofessional education as an author or a co-author.

Research Highlights

  • Resource Person and Panel Member of Technical Working Groups for health policies and health laws at the UP Health Policy Development Hub, the Dangerous Drugs Board, the Philippine National Formulary, the Department of Health, and the Philippine Senate and Congress Blue Ribbon Committees and Committees on Health

  • Chair, Subcommittee on Medical and Surgical Procedures, Health Technology Assessment Council (HTAC), Department of Health (DOH)

  • Dr. Calimag is part inter-alia of multi-institutional and interdisciplinary collaborative research grants from the International Federation of Catholic Universities (IFCU), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Metro Manila Health Research Development Hub (MMHRDH), the Philippine Institute for Traditional and Alternative Health Care (PITAHC), the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD), and the Middle East Cancer Consortium (MECC).

Selected Recent International Peer-Reviewed Book Chapters and Journal Publications

  1. Calimag, MMP. (2022). “Meaning-making in Coping with Cancer: The impact of Spirituality and Culture among Cancer Patients in the Philippines.” In: Silbermann M, editor. The Impact of Culture and Beliefs in Cancer Care. Oxford University Press.  In Press

  2. Calimag, MMP.  (2021). The Anesthesiologist amidst a Pandemic: Storying an Alternate History provides Insights to improve the Practice of Anesthesiology in a VUCA World. Hypothesis Historia Periodical , 1, 71—91

  3. Calimag, MMP. (2021). “Community-based Palliative Care for Chronic Cancer Patients in the Philippines”. In: Silbermann M, editor. Palliative Care for Chronic Cancer Patients in the Community: Global Approaches and Future Applications. Springer Publishing.

  4. Calimag, MMP. (2021). “The ePortfolio: Technology-enabled Authentic Assessments in Medical Education.” In: Reis P, editor. Determining the Reliability of Online Assessments and Distance Learning. IGI Global.

  5. Calimag, MMP. (2020) “Palliative Care Research: Issues and Challenges in Developing and Resource-constrained Countries with Focus in Southeast Asia” In: Silbermann M (Ed) Palliative Care: The Role and Importance of Research in Promoting Palliative Care Practices. Reports from Developing Countries Volume 3. pp. 321-334 Nova Medicine and Health Publishing, New York, NY

  6. Macapagal, J. & Calimag, MMP. (2020). Effect of a video-based case presentation educational intervention anchored on the Theory of Planned Behavior on adoption of oral health behaviors among dental Patients: A quasi-experimental study. Odovtos-International Journal of Dental Sciences, 23(2), 148-160.  https://doi.org/10.15517/ijds.2021.44171 [indexed in Clarivate Analytics – Emerging Sources Citation Index]

  7. Calimag, MMP and Silbermann, M. (2019). Current Challenges and Evolving Strategies in Implementing Cancer and Palliative Care Services in the Philippines. British Journal of Cancer Research. 2(2): 257 – 263. doi: 10.31488/bjcr.127

  8. Ong, IL; Diño, MJS; Calimag, MMP & Hidalgo FA (2019). Development and validation of interprofessional learning assessment tool for health professionals in continuing professional development (CPD). PloS one, 14(1). [indexed in Clarivate Analytics – Emerging Sources Citation Index]

  9. Ho KY, Ahn JS,  Calimag, MMP.  et al. (2018). Inadequate treatment practices for pain relief and adverse event management in cancer patients across 10 countries/regions in Asia: A call for greater efforts to improve standards for patient care. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Oncology, 14(3), 159-166. ISSN: 1743-77563 (Online) DOI: 10.1111/ajco. [indexed in Clarivate Analytics – Emerging Sources Citation Index]

  10. Ong IL, Diño MJS, Calimag MMP & Hidalgo FA. (2018). Developing a valid and reliable assessment of knowledge translation (KT) for continuing professional development programs of health professionals. PeerJ, 6, e5323.

  11. Kim YC, Ahn JS, Calimag, MMP. et al. (2015). Current practices in Cancer Pain Management in Asia: A survey of patients and physicians across 10 countries. Cancer Medicine 4(8), 1196-1204. Online ISSN: 2045- 7634 https://www.doi.org/10.1002/cam4.471  [indexed in Clarivate Analytics – Emerging Sources Citation Index]

  12. Javier, FO. and Calimag, MMP. (2007). Opioid Use in the Philippines—20 years after the Introduction of the WHO Analgesic Ladder. European Journal of Pain Suppl 1(S1) 19-22.

Awards and Recognitions

  • Awarded 2021 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipino Teacher (Higher Education), September 2, 2021

  • Awarded Most Outstanding Professional in Medicine for 2012 and in addition, the First Eric Nubla Most Outstanding Professional for 2012 when she bested 39 other outstanding professionals from 46 PRC-accredited and licensed professions by the Professional Regulation Commission of the Philippines, June 2012. 

  • Awarded the 26th Quintin J. Gomez Award as Most Outstanding Filipino Anesthesiologist by the Philippine Society of Anesthesiologists in November 2014.

  • Awarded the 26th Dr. Jose Rizal Memorial Award as Most Outstanding Physician for the Academe by the Philippine Medical Association, May 2017. 

  • Awarded, together with co-authors from academe, a Special Book Citation for their work on the Encyclopedia of Common Medicinal Plants of the Philippines (Vol. 1) by the National Academy of Science and Technology and the Department of Science and Technology, 2017.

  • Awarded the International Award For Research in the Basic Science by the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) in 2010, Montreal, Canada

  • UST OVRII Biennial Rector’s Award For Research (Gold, International and Silver Series) since 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018; 

  • THOMAS Award for Most Outstanding Alumni in Public Health and Health-Related Issues by the UST Medical Alumni Association in December 2006.

Professional Activities and Extension Services

  • Editor-in-Chief, Philippine Journal of Anesthesiology, 2012-2015

  • Associate Editor, Journal of Medicine University of Santo Tomas

  • Associate Editor, Journal of Social Health

  • International Editor, International Journal of Regional Anaesthesia

  • Member, Philippine Association of Medical Journal Editors (PAMJE)

  • Member, Asia-Pacific Association of Medical Editors (APAME)

  • Member, National Research Council of the Philippines 2007 up to present

  • Chair, Board of Accreditors Philippine Board of Anesthesiology, 2021

  • Secretary General, Confederation of ASEAN Societies of Anesthesiology (CASA), 2011

  • Treasurer, Association of SouthEast Asian Nations (MASEAN), 2015

  • President, Asian and Oceanic Society of Regional Anaesthesia and Pain Medicine (AOSRA-PM), 2015-2017

  • President, Philippine Medical Association (PMA), 2014-2015; 2015-2016

  • President, Philippine Society of Anesthesiologists (PSA), 2010 and 2011

  • President, Society for Obstetric Anesthesia of the Philippines (SOAP), 2001-2003

  • President, Philippine Society of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology (PSECP), 2018-2020

  • President, Regional Anesthesia Society of the Philippines (RASPhil), 2017-2019

 

Journal Resources