Historical Background

The Section of Infectious Diseases under the Department of Medicine has been very active in leading the entire hospital towards improved management, control and prevention of various infectious diseases across all departments and units.

Its two-year fellowship training program began in 2019, initially with only two pioneer doctors. Despite being a fairly new program, the Infectious Diseases Fellowship has proven itself capable of realizing its plan to become the training platform of the ID leaders of tomorrow, recognized and accredited by the Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.  

Over the years, the fellowship program continued to produce a more resilient breed of ID specialists, responsive to the ever-changing needs of the country and the world; thereby attracting potential trainees from various institutions to be part of this growing family – with seven proud graduates – one of whom is a board topnotcher in 2022; and which now currently has seven fellows-in-training.

Training outcomes / Envisioned graduate

The Medical City Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program aims to train physicians in the development of professional expertise in the principles, ethical clinical practice and research in the field of infectious diseases and become an enthusiastic partner of patients and communities towards better health, with the confidence, willingness and dedication to contribute to national and global initiatives in the control, prevention and, whenever possible, elimination or eradication of infectious diseases.

Training Partnership / Consortium

Infectious Diseases fellows closely collaborate with trainees from other departments and sections to ensure consolidated patient care and at the same time, enhance learning opportunities.

Fellows also rotate in The Medical City’s Hospital Infection Control and Epidemiology Center which provide them experience and familiarity on disease surveillance, outbreak investigation, and formulation, implementation and monitoring of infection control policies.

Their rotation with the Antimicrobial Stewardship Committee provides trainees with learning opportunities to reinforce the importance of rational antimicrobial use. Fellows gain firsthand experience in the development and implementation of guidelines to improve antimicrobial prescribing practices.

Fellows rotate in The Medical City’s very own HIV treatment hub (I-REACT Clinic) and TB DOTS. Outside rotation on Programmatic Management for Drug-Resistant TB is also being done at the Lung Center of the Philippines.

The elective rotation may be done locally or internationally. Recently, the Infectious Diseases fellows had a 4-week rotation at Singapore’s National Center for Infectious Diseases (NCID), with the purpose of establishing continuous collaborative partnerships and fostering a more cohesive exchange of information and resources in Infectious Diseases. Fellows observe and assist in the management of infectious disease cases in the inpatient and outpatient departments of the Communicable Diseases Center. They also rotate through several new NCID functional units, including the National Public Health and Epidemiology Unit, the National Public Health Laboratory, the Infectious Disease Research and Training Office, the Antimicrobial Resistance Coordinating Office, and the HIV and Tuberculosis National Public Health programs. This rotation allows the fellows to discuss international and locally modified guidelines-based infectious disease outbreak control practices.

Accreditation status

The training program is continuously being recognized by the Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases and has been recently given a 3-year full re-accreditation from June 1, 2022 to May 31, 2025.

Training faculty

The Section of Infectious Diseases boasts of its strong, committed faculty with nine (9) esteemed consultants.

Section Head: Regina P. Berba, MD, MSc, FPCP, FPSMID
Training Officer: Karl Evans R. Henson, MD, FPCP, FPSMID

Members:

• Cybele Lara Abad, MD, FPCP, FIDSA
• Marissa Alejandria, MD, MSc, FPCP, FPSMID
• Marja Buensalido, MD, FPCP, FPSMID
• Raul Destura, MD, MBA, FPCP, FPSMID
• Karl Evans Henson, MD, FPCP, FPSMID, FIDSA
• Mary Ann Lansang, MD, FPCP, FPSMID
• Mediadora Saniel, MD, MBA-H, FPCP, FPSMID, FIDSA
• Maria Fe Tayzon, MD, FPCP, FPSMID

Fellows-in-Training

• Dr. Stephanie Co
• Dr. Alfred Daniel Navarro
• Dr. Justin Allister Ong
• Dr. Nicole Bernadette Terre
• Dr. Doreen Balagtas-Esteban
• Dr. Princess Joyce Esteban
• Dr. Heather Abigail Gutierrez

Alumni Profile

2021 Graduates

• Jia An Bello
• Jorge Francisco

2022 Graduates

• Jhon Ryan Enriquez (PSMID Board Exam Top 7)
• Dan Meynard Mantaring

2023 Graduates

• Eva Hazel Faustino (PSMID Board Exam Top 2)
• Charles Kevin Rivera (PSMID Board Exam Top 10)
• Christel Valdez (PSMID Board Exam Top 3)

Requirements

The admission requirements will follow the process set by The Medical City Department of Medical Education. It will also comply with the Philippine College of Physician (PCP) and PSMID requirements as follows:

1. Must be a physician with board certification from the Philippine Medical Board of Examiners
2. Must have finished three (3) years of residency in Internal Medicine from a training program accredited by the PCP.
3. Must be a diplomate of the PCP.
4. Must have passed the written examination and interview given by the faculty of TMC Section of Infectious Diseases
5. Must have undergone a pre-fellowship period – the duration of which will be set by the faculty

Contact

Phone Numbers: 8988-1000 / 8988-7000