By Larissa Mae C. Tan — The Varsitarian —
A PROFESSOR from the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery was named “Outstanding Filipino Teacher for Higher Education” by the Metrobank Foundation for “personifying genuine public service.”
Dr. Maria Minerva Patawaran-Calimag, who championed eLearning and the use of educational media and technology throughout her teaching career, was recognized for “equipping learners to be future leaders and innovators.”
Calimag is a certified educational technology eLearning applications coach and a member of the Exemplary League of Innovative Thomasian Educators. Together with other eLearning champions at the UST Educational Technology Center, she initiated the “Rapid eLearning Program” in 2012, which contributed to the University’s transition to the “new normal.”
“I have been fascinated with digital media and technology early on,” the Metrobank awardee told the Varsitarian.
She developed the course on “Web-based Instruction,” for the certificate program in educational technology at the College of Education funded by the Netherlands government.
Calimag also conceptualized, initiated and co-developed “Online Webbed Learning@Partnerships for Medical Advancement (OWL@PMA),” a cloud-based eLearning and ePortfolio Program for physicians’ continuing professional development.
The program, which deployed webinars for physicians unable to attend face-to-face conferences and roundtable discussions, was conceptualized during Calimag’s term as Philippine Medical Association (PMA) president in 2015.
Calimag also teaches “HyFlex” (hybrid and flexible) education to medical professors in various schools through the auspices of the Association of Philippine Medical Colleges and the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities.
Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, she has been mentoring UST faculty members in the enhanced virtual mode of instruction through the Center for Innovative Teaching and Educational Delivery under the Office of the Vice Rector for Academic Affairs, as pedagogical lead of the UST Graduate School.
Calimag is also an advocate of pharmacovigilance or drug safety.
She initiated the programs “Drug Safety for All,” “Truth in Advertising” and “Consumer Awareness and Grassroots Advocacy,” programs that promoted honest drug advertising to prevent drug misuse and adverse effects.
Calimag is a multi-awarded doctor, educator and researcher.
She was awarded the “Most Outstanding Professional in Medicine” and became the first recipient of the Eric Nubla Award for Excellence, distinctions given by the Professional Regulation Commission, in 2012; the Dr. Quintin J. Gomez Award as “Most Outstanding Filipino Anesthesiologist” by the Philippine Society of Anesthesiologists in 2014; and the Dr. Jose Rizal Memorial Award as the Most Outstanding Physician for the Academe category by the PMA in 2017.
In 2019, Calimag became a recipient of the Thomasian Outstanding Alumni Scientist Tribute (TOAST) Award from the College of Science. In the same year, she delivered the Discurso de Apertura, one of the oldest Catholic traditions of the University. In the lecture she delivered for the opening of the Academic Year 2019-2020, she called for more action research that would benefit society.
READ: Medicine professor calls on UST researchers to work for ‘social good’
Calimag earned her bachelor’s in science and medicine degrees from UST. She earned her master’s degree in clinical epidemiology at the University of the Philippines Manila in 2003. In 2011, Calimag obtained her doctor of philosophy, major in educational management from the UST Graduate School.
Calimag teaches “Digital Workflow in Research,” a capability-building course in research management to undergraduate medical students at the UST Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, post-doctoral students at the UST Graduate School, as well as residents and fellows of various medical and surgical specialties all over the country.
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Source “The Varsitarian”
https://varsitarian.net/news/20210822/medicine-professor-named-outstanding-teacher-for-tertiary-education
