A PROFESSOR from the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery was named outstanding teacher for higher education by the Metrobank Foundation for “personifying genuine public service.”
Dr. Maria Minerva 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, a certified Educational Technology E-Learning Applications Coordinator (eTEACH) and a member of the Exemplary League of Innovative Thomasian Educators (Elite), is one of the individuals that led the University in fine-tuning its educational system in the “new normal.”
“I have been fascinated with digital media and technology early on,” the Metrobank awardee told the Varsitarian.
She developed the certificate program, “Web-based Instruction,” an educational technology course funded by the Netherlands government.
Calimag also conceptualized, initiated and co-developed “Online Webbed Learning@Partnerships for Medical AdvancementTM (OWL@PMATM),” a cloud-based software for physicians’ continuing professional development.
The software, used by physicians unable to attend face-to-face conferences and roundtable discussions, was conceptualized during Calimag’s term as Philippine Medical Association (PMA) president.
Calimag teaches “HyFlex” (hybrid and flexible) education to medical professors in the Association of Philippine Medical Colleges – Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities.
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.
Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, she has been mentoring UST faculty members in course site development for virtual classes, through the “Rapid e-Learning Course Site Development Training.”
Calimag is a multi-awarded doctor, educator and researcher.
She was awarded the “Most Outstanding Professional in Medicine” distinction by the Professional Regulation Commission in 2012, the Quintin J. Gomez Award for being the most outstanding Filipino anesthesiologist by the Philippine Society of Anesthesiologists in 2014, and the Dr. Jose Rizal Memorial Award for being 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 award. The same year, she delivered the discurso de apertura or the lecture delivered by a professor for the opening of classes, where 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 and medicine degrees from UST. She finished her masters degree in clinical epidemiology at the University of the Philippines Manila in 2003.
In 2011, Calimag obtained her doctorate in philosophy, major in education management from the University.
Calimag teaches “capability-building” courses to undergraduate medical students, post-doctoral students in the Graduate School, and residents and fellows in the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery.
0 Comments