The president of West Visayas State University (WVSU), Dr. Joselito Villaruz, was recognized as the Filipino Physician of Distinction in Academe during the prestigious 33rd Dr. Jose P. Rizal Memorial Awards on May 18, 2024.
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Dr. Villaruz, now in his second term as WVSU president, received his award from the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) and PMA Foundation for Professional Medical Advancement Inc., in partnership with United Laboratories, Inc.ย
The ceremony, held from 8 a.m. to noon at Function Room 1 of the SMX Convention Center in Clark, Pampanga, honored Dr. Villaruz with a specially designed Dr. Jose P. Rizal Memorial Awards Trophy, a Dr. Jose P. Rizal Memorial Awards Medallion, a cash prize of P50,000.00, and P50,000.00 worth of Unilab medicines to be donated to a charitable institution of his choice.
The Dr. Jose P. Rizal Memorial Award is an annual search for outstanding Filipino physicians who embody the ideals of the national hero in their lives, practice, and service.
Dr. Villaruz was awarded on the basis of the following criteria: Academe Involvement; Research and Scholarly Works; Community, Socio-cultural and Religious Involvement; Government service/partnership; Professional Practice; Experience and Training.
Dr. Joselito F. Villaruz is a product of the Philippine public school system, graduating from the University of the Philippines in the Visayas (UPV) with a BS in Biology, and proceeding to earn his MD degree from West Visayas State University (WVSU), where he was the class salutatorian and the most outstanding medical graduate in 1991. He completed his residency in Pediatrics at WVSU Medical Center (WVSUMC) in 1996, became a diplomate of the Philippine Pediatric Society (PPS) in 1999, and was conferred a fellowship by the same specialty society in 2006. He earned two postgraduate degrees: a Master in Management from UPV and a PhD in Educational Management from WVSU. He also completed a diploma/certificate course at the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) for the Global Academic Leadership Program in 2022.
Dr. Villaruz has served in various capacities at WVSU and the WVSU-Medical Center, including Training Officer and Chairman of the Department of Pediatrics. In 2009, he was designated Associate Dean for Administrative Affairs at the WVSU College of Medicine (COM), a position he held for a year before becoming Dean of the College for seven and a half years, the first alumnus to do so. His term saw the collegeโs external accreditation, the launch of the WVSU Journal of Medical Studies, and consistent top performance in the Physician Licensure Examination. Additionally, he secured government funds to expand the College of Medicine and establish a Modern Skills Laboratory for medical students through legislated appropriations.
He has served as the editor-in-chief of the WVSU Journal of Medical Studies and the OIC Chair of the COM Office of Research.
One of Dr. Villaruzโs career highlights was his appointment as OIC President from November 2013 to May 2014. During this short stint, he left a significant legacy in managing the university’s affairs.
In 2019, he was appointed the 8th President of WVSU. He initiated the universityโs vision to become a research university, achieving significant research milestones and improving WVSU’s national and international rankings in research productivity. He also initiated the WVSU Internationalization Program.
In 2012, the Commission on Higher Education invited Dr. Villaruz to join the Technical Committee for Medical Education, an appointment he held until May 2021. One of his greatest contributions to medical education was his participation in crafting the policies, standards, and guidelines for the Doctor of Medicine Program (2016).
In June 2022, he was appointed Chair of the Technical Panel for Medical Education (TPME). As TPME Chair, he played a pivotal role in implementing RA 11509, the โDoktor Para sa Bayan Law,โ by assessing and recommending the approval of new medical programs by State Universities and Colleges to the CHED en banc. He also advises the CHED Chairman on awarding grants to existing and new medical schools for facility and laboratory modernization. Currently, he leads the TPME in formulating the SMART MD Roadmap for the Philippines, with Universal Healthcare (UHC) as a backdrop, and has led the formulation of the CHED-approved Accelerated Pathway for Medicine (APMed), set to be implemented in AY 2024-2025.
Dr. Villaruz served as National President of the Association of Philippine Medical Colleges (APMC) for two consecutive terms (2015 and 2016). He initiated institutional reforms, including automating the National Internship Program for medical graduates, launching the APMC Journalโs maiden issue, and assisting medical schools in transitioning to outcome-based education. Since 2017, he has been a member of the APMC Post-graduate Internship Committee, contributing to the formulation of policies, standards, and guidelines for the National Internship Program.
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