Mark Gevy G.

Candelario BSTM 1B

Reflection from IRCAM CONFERENCE- December 1, 2021

Last December 1, 2021, we attended a seminar conducted by Lyceum Northwestern

University in celebration of the 2nd biennial International Research Conference and Medical
Symposium with the theme ”Health and Education: Trajectories & Challenges in the New
Normal”. There many topics discussed that are very essential to our lives.
Health-care systems contribute to the substantial increase in life expectancy that
happened throughout the modern period, especially this coronavirus pandemic. They have
made huge contributions to improved health and have touched the lives and well-being of
billions of men, women, and children all across the world. Their function has grown in
importance. Without access to healthcare, people are far more at risk. Diseases, malnutrition,
pregnancy – all can become incredibly dangerous without proper help and support. During the
webinar, the keynote speaker, Department of Health Philippine secretary Francisco T. Duque III
shared the philosophy of universal health health care. This philosophy is anchored on the
principles of primary health care, that healthcare services are affordable, efficient and
accessible to all people. To ensure a high quality of health and wellbeing, there are steps
towards achieving it. The first step is transforming the education curriculum to incorporate
primary healthcare. It should be applied to medical related education programs like medicine.
nursing, midwifery, dentistry, pharmacy, and others with certain strategies and techniques. They
conduct faculty immersions in primary care facilities and internship programs to train these
people about the approach prioritizing primary health care universal health care. They also
incorporate primary health care to student orientations. Also, they implemented expanded
government scholars and shall return service obligations like serving in priority primary
healthcare facilities. The presentation on the topic is suitable in this time where our health is our
top priority. We truly understand and are motivated by the conversation and explanation, and we
have learnt so much about what we are about to accomplish. What we learned is that, by
creating such programs like expanding government scholarships, we can encourage many
people, especially youth out there to take medical professions to build a mass of competent
health care professionals that will support building resilient health systems.

In the next part of the program, Architect Felino Palafox Jr. shows some architectural
plans such as the Northern Gateway district, proposed Metro Manila- Clark Railway, Leyte
Ecological Industrial Zone and many other places. We learned that having a professional to
check on your plans is way better, not only because they studied and specialized in their fields,
but they are also capable of ironing out any quirks and faults in your house plan or design. As
infrastructure designs become more complex there is also a need to properly detail any special
features which are noted on your plans or elevations. This will give a builder an understanding
of what your designer wishes to achieve with a particular building element. Building plans are
important because they give the builders a bird's-eye view of the ongoing construction. They
help visualize what the end result will be like, so that you can evaluate ahead of time and make
revisions if needed. This plan would also help you and the builders to turn your ideas to a visual
representation for them to easily understand what you really want. Most importantly, you can
plan ahead of time for the furniture and some other specifications that you will add since you
already have a building plan that is just waiting to be completed.
The next resource speaker, Dr. Constantine Della discussed mental health. The COVID-
19 pandemic may have caused numerous changes in our life, including uncertainty, disrupted
daily routines, financial stress, and social isolation. We may be concerned about being ill, how
long the pandemic will endure, if our career will be impacted, and what the future holds.
Overload of information, rumors, and disinformation may make our life feel out of control and
leave us unsure of what to do. We may suffer tension, worry, fear, despair, and loneliness
during the COVID-19 epidemic. And mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression,
might deteriorate. We learned that we can optimize mental health in the pandemic by preventive
strategies, health education interventions and using technology like video- conferencing
interventions and smartphone-based applications and tv-based platforms. We should always
look after ourselves. It’s important to take care of yourself and get the most from life.
Dr. Arturo De Leon, another resource speaker, talked about crippling challenges on
healthcare and professional health education. In order to rise from the challenges brought by
the pandemic, the Inter-Agency Task Force, Department of Health, Commission on Higher
Education and Local Government Unit joined forces. Also, one of the things that marked in my
mind was that even as a student we should start work and act as a professional. And to work as
a professional, we must be true to ourselves. Professionalism fosters a respectful culture, which
should see conflicts be handled in the correct way. It will help us to understand boundaries more
clearly, and solve any minor issues in an efficient and respectful approach.