MANILA Mayor Francisco ‘Isko Moreno’ Domagoso has allowed the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila to hold limited face-to-face classes for its College of Medicine.

“Aprubado na po natin ang proposed gradual reopening ng clinical clerkship program ng Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila-College of Medicine sa Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center,” Domagoso said on Facebook.

“Ito po ay in full compliance sa Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2021-001 na in-issue ng Commission on Higher Education at Department of Health,” he added.

PLM said that 107 out of 110 senior medicine students have signified their interest to start their clerkship duties this year.

University president Emmanuel Leyco thanked Domagoso for allowing medicine students to pursue their clerkship amid the Covid19 pandemic.

“We believe that this hands-on training will ensure that our future doctors will be of good caliber. Their deployment at the Ospital ng Maynila will also boost the number of healing hands that will serve the city’s patients,” Leyco said.

Last month, professors and university executives led by Leyco initiated online consultations with students, parents, faculty, and practicing doctors at the Ospital ng Maynila to gauge the reception and readiness of stakeholders.

Marita Fuentes, assistant dean of the PLM-CM, said that students will not be assigned to the emergency room, outpatient department, or Covid19 wards of the Ospital ng Maynila, where students will render on-site training.

She reiterated that students who will pursue clerkship at the Ospital ng Maynila will be subjected to RT-PCR tests before they report to duty, and will be constantly monitored for symptoms.

“Students need to complete their clerkship and fulfill the rotation duty in hospitals to graduate in June 2021,” she added.

PLM plans to start infection control training for the students on March 8, in anticipation of securing the approval of the Commission on Higher Education.