Medical education during the pre-clinical years often emphasizes foundational sciences, which students may find difficult to contextualize clinically. Early exposure to clinical correlation has been shown to enhance comprehension, retention, and long-term application of medical knowledge, particularly in preparation for clinical rotations and licensure examinations.
The University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center (UERMMMC) has a strong network of alumni physicians practicing in the United States across various specialties. These alumni represent a valuable educational resource who can provide real-world clinical perspectives, mentorship, and guidance to current medical students.
To harness this resource, UERM AFUSA proposes a pilot program that connects UERM medical students with UERM alumni specialists in the USA through structured, virtual tutorial sessions focused on clinical correlation of basic medical concepts.
In addition, the program will intentionally incorporate longitudinal alumni mentorship to guide students who are considering postgraduate training in the United States, providing early advising on examinations, residency applications, and professional expectations alongside academic learning.
Platform:
Zoom (or equivalent virtual meeting platform)
Session Length:
One (1) hour per session
Frequency:
Initially 1–2 sessions per month during the pilot phase
Participants:
The medical student will:
Topics will focus on:
Alumni will serve as volunteer mentors and facilitators.
Sessions are intended to be informal and educational, not formal classroom instruction.
Alumni may share:
A curated list of participating alumni will be made available on the UERM AFUSA website.
Each profile may include:
The success of the pilot program will be assessed using the following metrics:
Findings from the pilot phase will guide program refinement and potential expansion.
Month 1:
Alumni recruitment and directory development
Month 2:
Student orientation and pilot launch
Months 3–6:
Ongoing sessions and data collection
End of Pilot:
Program evaluation and recommendation for continuation or expansion
The UERM AFUSA Alumni–Student Clinical Correlation and Mentorship Program is a cost-effective, sustainable initiative designed to enhance medical education through early clinical exposure and mentorship. By leveraging the expertise of UERM alumni in the USA, the program aims to support medical students academically and professionally. By embedding structured residency mentorship throughout the program, students will also receive consistent guidance toward successful preparation for U.S. postgraduate training and long-term career development.
The following list of ALUMNI have volunteered their time and energy to serve as mentors to UERM Medical Students.
| Eliezer de Leon MD’73 ADS Board Certified Internal Medicine and Acupuncture and Detoxification Former Care Management Director, Corewell Health Systems Michigan |
| Emily de los Reyes MD’85 Board Certified Pediatric Neurology Clinical professor of Pediatrics and Neurology The Ohio State University School of Medicine Columbus, Ohio |
| Rommel Aquino MD’85 HMDC Board Certified Family Medicine Board Certified as Hospice Medical Director Flint, Michigan |
| Nathalie Bernabe-Quion MD’88 MPH FAAP Board Certified Pediatrics Children’s National at Columbia Heights Washington DC |
| Luven Tejero MD ’93 Board Certified Psychiatry Michigan |
| Carmen Tapiador MD ’93 Board Certified Pediatric Endocrinology East Tennessee Children’s Hospital Tennessee |
| Jacqueline Gamiao MD ’87 Board Certified Endocrinology Livonia, Michigan |
| Michael Gamiao MD ’87 Board Certified Pulmonary Medicine and Critical Care Livonia, Michigan |
| Roy Torcuator MD ’93 Board Certified Neurosurgery Michigan |
| Mario Trance MD’89 Board Certified Internal Medicine Hospitalist, Naples Comprehensive Health Naples, Florida |
| Vicenta Gaspar-Yoo MD’89 MBA CHCQM-PA Board Certified Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Master’s Degree in Business Administration Senior VP. Care Continuum and Transitions, Allegheny Health Network Pennsylvania |
| Enrico Esguerra MD ’87 Board Certified Pediatrics Joplin, Missouri |
| Marisha Agana MD ’88 Board Certified Pediatrics Hackley Community Care Muskegon, Michigan Assistant Professor, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine Specialist and Researcher in Childhood Obesity Michigan |
| Pauline Camu-Aquino MD’90 Board Certified Family Medicine Michigan |
| Vernon Montoya MD’85 PA Board Certified Hematology and Oncology Lake City, Florida |
| Maria Lapid MD’92 Board Certified Psychiatry Distinguised Fellow, American Psychiatry Association Professor of Psychiatry, Mayo Clinic School of Medicine Rochester, Minnesota |
| Erwinn Sistoza MD’93 Board Certified Geriatrics Medicine California |