Course Description
WELCOME TO FCH 260.2!
- updated: January 05, 2022 (LopaoMD) -
FCH 260.2 in Action: (Then UPCM-PGH 2021 interns) Drs. Kurt Baladjay and Miguel Arkoncel at a Resbakuna (COVID-19 vaccination) activity in Amadeo, Cavite during their Limited F2F Community Medicine Internship last June 2021.
Family and Community Health 260.2 (FCH 260.2) is the UPCM-PGH Internship in Community Medicine. It is officially described as a "Rotation in a rural/urban community-based health program (CBHP) that will provide learning experiences, opportunities and skills for interns to work as a family and community health practitioner".
The rotation is conducted within the activities of the University of the Philippines Manila Community Health and Development Program (UP CHDP); the UP Manila unit mandated to enter into partnerships with municipalities to set up and maintain community-based health programs. From 2013 to December 31, 2021, our partner communities have been the 5 towns of Alfonso, Mendez, Indang, Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo and Amadeo in Cavite Province which constitute the AMIGA Inter-LGU Health Cooperation Zone. Beginning January 01, 2022, UP Manila is embarking on a Community Health Partnership Program (CHPP) with the 4 towns of Magallanes, Naic, Maragondon and Ternate which constitute the MAGNAMARTE Interlocal Health Zone.
The different teaching-learning activities for FCH 260.2 are closely intertwined with 1) The immersive and experiential engagement of the UPCM-PGH interns with the community members, stakeholders and officials of our MAGNAMARTE partners and 2) The collaborative and integrative goals, objectives and service-learning activities that have been agreed upon by the MAGNAMARTE-UP CHPP Executive Committee. Thus, the teaching-learning elements of the rotation cannot be divorced from the service as well as the community health and development efforts of the MAGNAMARTE-UP CHPP.
FCH 260.2 During the COVID-19 Pandemic
FCH 260.2 in Action: Dr. AM Gabuyo (one of our course faculty); sits with Ate Agnes, BHW of Bgy. Pangil. Amadeo to take her through the BHERTs Training Needs Assessment questionnaire being remotely administered by a medical intern last June 2020.
Because of the limitations to the rotation brought about by the COVID-19 Pandemic, what used to be a 6-week immersive and experiential rotation was redesigned into two 2-week rotation "Phases" (Phase 01 and 02) for AY 2020-2021. Phase 01 was purely remote while Phase 02 composed of voluntary AMIGA Cavite immersion, Interns' LGU health system work and DOH Health Promotion and Development Bureau internship options.
The experiences from last academic year, coupled with the existing institutional mechanisms enabled by the AMIGA-UP Community Health Partnership Program has led to the conduct of the FCH 260.2 Course for AY 2021-2022 as an essentially BLENDED, "Limited F2F" course offering according to the relevant issuances, directives and guidelines by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the Association of Philippine Medical Colleges (APMC) as operationalized by the University of the Philippines College of Medicine (UPCM), University of the Philippines - Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) and University of the Philippines Manila (UPM).
Phase 01 (August 01, 2021 to February 09, 2022) consists of 21 days (3 weeks) of blended learning; 5 of which are Fully Remote Learning while the remaining 16 are immersive and experiential. Phase 02 (February 10 to June 30, 2022) is envisioned to be 14 days of fully immersive and experiential learning in the community. It is the Remote Learning Component of Phase 01 that is currently detailed here in the UPM VLE. It is to be noted that due to the adjustments made to the interns' rotation schedule beginning January 06, 2022, FCH 260.2 Phase 01 is now 7 days of full remote learning with 12-13 days of actual community deployment to MAGNAMARTE. 
FCH 260.2 in Action: UPCM-PGH Interns 2021 and FCH 260.2 Faculty and staff during the summative processing and discussion of their rotation last AY 2020-2021
FCH 260.2 in Action: UPCM-PGH Mendez Interns 2021 with Dr. Hari Hamoy (FCH 260.2 Faculty ) and Miss Manilyn Prudente-Espejo (Mendez Community Organizer) during an SGD for processing of interns' experiences while in their town of assignment.
While it is quite unfortunate that full community immersion for FCH 260.2 cannot be done at this time, the course faculty, staff and our MAGNAMARTE partners have resolved to do their best to enable a meaningful, enjoyable and relevant learning experience for the UPCM-PGH interns Batch 2022. Despite the limitations and adjustments, the rotation teaching-learning activities are still very much anchored on the collective goals and service-learning outcomes of the MAGNAMARTE-UP CHPP. As such, what technology we have available is used to overcome the challenges and maximize the opportunities for "blended learning" of UPCM-PGH Interns Batch 2022. By working towards maintaining the critical engagement with our MAGNAMARTE community partners through the Primary Health Care Approach - an essential element of the practice of Community Medicine - the appreciation of the importance of social solidarity with our countrymen, especially in these challenging pandemic times, will contribute significantly to what the FCH 260.2 faculty/staff believe is the ultimate outcome of any Philippine Medical Education curriculum/training program; Physicians who are not only "for the people" but always endeavor to be, "WITH the people". .
COURSE CREDIT: 6 weeks (pre-COVID19); 5 weeks (AY 2021-2022) divided into two 2 "Phases" (Phase 01 - 3 weeks; Phase 02 - 2 weeks)
COURSE COORDINATOR: Dr. Paolo Victor N. Medina (pnmedina@up.edu.ph)
General news and announcements for the Course, Family and Community Health 260.2 (FCH 260.2)