

The formal post-residency training of the Section of Infectious Diseases of the University of Santo Tomas Hospital began as a combined Adult and Pediatric Fellowship program in 1986. Drs. Bienvenido Alora, Rosario Angeles Tan-Alora and Remedios Fabra-Coronel were the adult Infectious Diseases mentors while the pediatric aspect was directed by Dr. Estrella Paje-Villar. The section was one of the two pioneer sections established under the Department of Medicine. Aside from the clinical program at the USTH, the trainees also rotated at the US Naval Medical Research Unit (US- NAMRU), then located at San Lazaro compound. However, the succeeding years saw the evolution of the fellowship training program to cater Adult Infectious Diseases only.
In 1995, the first Directly Observed Therapy Short Course (DOTS) clinic in the Philippines was established by Dr. Rodrigo Romulo, under the auspices of the Section of Infectious Diseases. Likewise, the present day PRISM, the fellows-in-training clinicopathologic conference saw its beginnings at the USTH in 2001 under the initiative of Dr. Margarita Torralba-Cayco.
In keeping with the goals of the training program, the USTH Section of Infectious Diseases has and continues to produce well-rounded physicians who are well-versed in the principles and practice of infectious diseases while observing the ideals and values of the Thomasian physician – committed, competent and compassionate. The graduates of the section are humble and well-grounded trailblazers in various provinces in the country where they share their knowledge passion with their patients, colleagues and students and at the same time tirelessly seeking for the truth and knowledge through research.
Head: Dr. Remedios F. Coronel
Training Officer: Dr. Maria Rhona G. Bergantin
Fellows-in-Training:
Phone Number: 287313001
The Infectious Disease Section of Makati Medical Center has a two-year fellowship training program accredited by the Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (PSMID). This training program started in 1987 with Dr. Marivyl Javato as the first recipient. The training includes clinical care of patients with community and hospital acquired infections in General Medicine, Surgery, Orthopedics, Neurosurgery, Neurology Obstetrics, Gynecology and Dermatology. It also includes laboratory training in Bacteriology, Mycobacteriology, Mycology and Virology, and research training in epidemiology of infectious diseases and clinical trials of new antimicrobial agents. The program was started in this institution by Dr. Thelma Tupasi who was also the Section Chief from 1987 to 2004. She was succeeded by Dr. Vilma Co in 2005 to 2013. The current head of the section is Dr. Janice Caoili.
To be the Philippines’ undisputed leading medical center by 2015 and to be competitive with the best in the world by 2020, staffed with highly experienced / highly qualified medical and healthcare practitioners, enabled by state-of-the-art diagnostic and medical/ surgical equipment and a cadre of well-trained professional support staff. Our patients and their families should experience the highest levels of satisfaction with the healthcare services we provide.
To be an internationally recognized fellowship training program dedicated to excellence in the diagnosis and management of Infectious Diseases.
To develop and train Infectious Disease practitioners who are guided by the principles of integrity, professionalism, fairness, accountability and transparency and the spirit of compassion, and great passion for excellence
Makati Med has 10 core values, represented in five pairs and summarized by the overarching value called “Malasakit”.
At the end two years, the fellow-in-training must have developed professional expertise and ethical practices in the field of Infectious Diseases
The section was evaluated by the Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (PSMID) in May 21, 2015. The first full three-year accreditation was granted to the Infectious Disease Fellowship Training Program from June 1, 2015 to May 31, 2018. The accrediting body was composed of Dr. Henry Alevaren, Dr. Larissa Lara Torno, Dr. Elfleda Hernandez, Dr. Marie Yvette Barez, and Dr. Ludovico Jurao.
Eligibility and Application Procedures – A duly certified physician who has finished his/her residency in Internal Medicine and passed the Philippine Specialty Board of Internal Medicine (PSBIM) is qualified to apply in the training program. The application forms for the Fellowship Training Program may be obtained from the Medical Education and Research Division. Completed forms along with required documents will be forwarded to the Chief of Section.
Head: Dr. Janice C. Caoili
Training Officer: Dr. Ma. Tarcela S. Gler
Consultants:
Fellows-in-Training:
Phone Number: 8888-8999
Envisioned as the lead center for infectious and tropical diseases in the country, it was in March of 2011 when the RITM Adult Infectious Diseases Fellowship Training Program materialized under the leadership of Dr. Mari Rose A. de los Reyes, head of the medical department, with Dr. Manolito L. Chua as the over-all training officer. The training program aims to produce subspecialists highly competent in the diagnosis, treatment, prevention and control of infectious and tropical diseases. The strength of the training program includes exposure to case management and preparedness for emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, infection control, in- and outpatient management of patients with HIV/AIDS being the largest treatment hub in the country, and exposure to national reference laboratories among others.
The hospital arm of the institute, under the Clinical Research Division (CRD), is the main training ground for the fellowship training program. Classified as a referral hospital for tropical diseases, RITM also caters to patients with dengue fever, malaria, tuberculosis, tetanus, rabies, snakebites and animal bites. It has been designated by the Department of Health as the national referral center for the clinical management of Ebola, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and other Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases (EREIDs). The institute is likewise the home of many research study programs like HIV/AIDS, schistosomiasis, polio and other enteroviruses, acute respiratory infections, acute gastroenteritis, etc.
As of 2019, RITM has produced fifteen (15) graduates now distributed throughout the country, each providing significant contributions in their areas of practice. The trainees are supervised by esteemed infectious diseases consultants, all of whom are Fellows of the Philippine Society of the Philippine College of Physicians (PCP) and the Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (PSMID). The training program is also fully accredited by PSMID. In order to provide more clinical experience for the fellows, affiliation agreements have been put in place with the National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Philippine Heart Center, Philippine General Hospital, Makati Medical Center, and Sendai Medical Center in Tohoku, Japan.
Every year, three (3) fellows-in-training are accepted to the program. Training begins every 1st of June with a duration of two (2) years. Applicants must be a diplomate of PCP and a graduate of a PCP-accredited program in internal medicine. Every applicant must have passed a written examination, interview and screening by the Medical Department under the CRD. The deadline for applications is usually in the end of February of the same year. For further information, kindly contact the Medical Department through e-mail ritm_medical@yahoo.com, telephone nos. (02) 807-2631/32/37 local 801, or telefax no. (632) 8807 9603.
Head: Dr. Arthur Dessi E. Roman
Training Officer: Dr. Jemelyn U. Garcia
Consultants:
Fellows-in-Training:
In 2005, a concrete plan for the establishment of “Clinical Departments or Departmentalization” was conceptualized. On March 6, 2006, thru a hospital order, three Clinical Departments were established namely: The Adult Infectious Disease and Tropical Medicine Department (AIDTMD), the Pediatric Infectious Disease and Tropical Medicine Department (PIDTMD) and the Family Medicine Department (FMD), thus AIDTMD was established. Adult male and female infectious patients were admitted at Pavilion 6 (50-bed capacity) and Pavilion 2 (50-bed capacity) respectively. Each pavilion has its own isolation rooms for patients with highly communicable disease like meningococcemia, diphtheria, measles and varicella. A separate room in also intended for patients with rabies. Adult infectious patients who needs critical care are admitted at Adult Infectious Disease Critical Care Unit (Adult IDCCU) (6-bed capacity). The AIDTMD from 2006 to 2017, has accepted 21 Fellows-in-Training and produced 23 Infectious Disease Fellow Graduates.
Vision: To be a world-class health care, research, and training facility in adult infectious and tropical diseases.
Mission: Respond with compassion and sensitivity in providing quality Health care amongadults with infectious and tropical diseases.
The PSMID granted San Lazaro Hospital-AIDTMD accreditation for satisfactorily complying with the prescribed standards and requirements for Fellowship Training Program in Infectious Disease.
2005: Concrete plans for the establishment of Clinical Departments or “Departmentalization” was conceptualized.
March 6, 2006: Thru a Hospital Order, three Clinical Departments were established namely the Adult Infectious Disease and Tropical Medicine Department (AIDTMD), the Pediatric Infectious Disease and Tropical Medicine Department (PIDTMD) and the Family Medicine Department (FMD).
Year 2006 up to 2015: The new AIDTMD had accepted 21 Fellows-in-Training and produced 13 Infectious Disease Fellow Graduates.
November 2015 up to present: SLH AIDTMD has been accredited by the ISO 9001:2008
Head: Dr. Rontgene M. Solante
Training Officer: Dr. Edna M. Edrada
Fellows-in-Training:
Phone Numbers: 5309-9523 / 5309-9527
The fellowship program in Infectious Diseases is now on its 3rd decade from the time of its inception in 1994 and accredited by the Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.
Applicants should have satisfactorily completed residency in Internal Medicine and have successfully passed the PSBIM diplomate examination. The training takes 2 years to complete in a more than 620-bed capacity tertiary care hospital which boasts of facilities that allows trainees to access a wide variety of modalities needed to ideally diagnose and manage patients. Trainees are moulded to work well with different medical disciplines and subspecialties, with the patient’s safety as priority. They are also exposed to the varied settings of clinical illnesses from critical care (medical, coronary, neurologic), to hematopoietic, solid organ transplant recipients and other sick individuals, with or without significant immune-compromise. The availability of a dedicated wireless network also allows trainees access to journal articles on-demand. Fellowship starts May 01 of the current year with 2 fellows being accepted in the program per year. The first year of training is dedicated to clinical exposure in the wards and critical care units and out-patient care. Outside rotation exposes the trainee to tropical diseases not commonly encountered in the institution. Conferences are regularly conducted on a weekly basis with joint conference with other subspecialties to further maximize learnings.
Being trained in Evidence-based Medicine is an advantage for ID fellows-in-training as research is an integral part of the requirements for completion of the fellowship training. The program requires each trainee to complete one retrospective during their first year and one prospective research paper during their second year of training. It is also strongly encouraged that completed papers be submitted to the subspecialty society for possible publication or presentation during the annual convention.
The section is now under the leadership of Dr. Dionisio M. Tiu and Dr. Catherine T. Yu as its training officer. The section takes pride in the graduates that the program has produced, being leaders in their chosen area of clinical practice or university.
Head: Dr. Minette Claire O. Rosario
Training Officer: Dr. Armin N. Masbang
Fellows-in-Training:
Phone Number: 8723-0101
Dr. Jemelyn Garcia, FPCP, FPSMID
Dr. Maria Sonia Salamat, FPCP, FPSMID
Dr. Marja B. Buensalido, FPCP, FPSMID
Dr. Emmerson Gale Vista, FPDS
Dr. Clarisse Garcia-Mendoza, FPDS
Dr. Kingbherly L. Li, FPCP, FPSMID
Dr. Yvette Silubrico, FPCP, FPSMID
Dr. Chatie Olasiman, FPCP, FPSMID
Dr. Ma. Charmian Hufano, FPCP, FPSMID
Dr. Mitzie Lou Osabel, FPCP, FPSMID
Dr. Janice C. Caoili, FPCP, FPSMID
The Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (PSMID) Guidance on the Management of Mpox, Ver. 1 provides the basic and most updated information on management of patients confirmed with mpox.
This guidance complements the mpox recommendations of the DOH (Updated Interim Guidelines on the Prevention, Detection, and Management of MPOX, by Department of Health, August 26, 2024, Department Memorandum 2024-0306) and PHICS-PHICNA (Interim Guidelines on the Prevention and Control of Monkeypox version 1).
The antivirals, immunoglobulin and vaccines discussed below are not available locally. In our local situation, we should maximize supportive care for mpox cases.