There were 40 slots made available by the NorMinCoHRD (Northern Mindanao Consortium for Health Research and Development) for the 6th National Medical Writing Workshop held at Hotel Koresco Cagayan de Oro, Philippines on August 4-5, 2014. The said training was participated in by the member-institutions of the NorMinCoHRD, namely: Mountain View College (MVC), Central Mindanao University (CMU), Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT), Xavier University-JPRSM, MUST and SPC thru DOH-10, CHED 10 and IMCC. Majority of the participants arrived a day before the workshop and were accommodated at Hotel Koresco, enjoying the fellowship with one another during meal time.
Organized by the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD) and the Philippine Association of Medical Journal Editors (PAMJE) and endorsed by the Asia Pacific Association of Medical Journal Editors (APAME), the 6th National Medical Writing Workshop was made possible through the effort of the NorMinCoHRD headed by DOST Region 10 regional director Alfonso Alamban. Working with him were the NorMinCoHRD coordinator Romela Ratilla and the other DOST-10 staff.
The workshop was started with a doxology followed by the singing of Philippine national anthem rendered by the G-clef Society of Liceo de Cagayan University (LDCU). Dr. Franco Teves, the Executive Committee Chair of the Consortium gave the opening remarks. There were three resource speakers for the 2-day workshop who were introduced by Engr. Ratilla. The first who talked about APAME and PAMJE and who emphasized the importance of writing was Professor Dr. Jose Florencio Fabella Lapeña, Jr., the Vice Chancellor for Administration and Professor of Otorhinolaryngology in the University of the Philippines, Manila. Dr. Lapeña is an Attending Pediatric Otorhinilaryngologist in the Philippine General Hospital. He is the Secretary-General of APAME and the President of the PAMJE. His expertise in writing has taken in its full advantage as the Editor-in-Chief of the Philippine Journal of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. Dr. Lapeña was persuasive in his manner, inspiring the participants to write or publish because “no matter how “good” a research is, it is incomplete until it has been published.” He further discussed how to prepare and submit a manuscript, how it is processed with the editor’s role and the reviewer’s role, and how to deal with the editor’s and reviewer’s comments.
The second resource speaker is Professor Dr. Wilfred Chin Guan Peh, a Senior Consultant and Head of the Department of Diagnostic Radiology at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Singapore. He is a Clinical Professor at the National University of Singapore. He is the Executive Vice President of APAME and the President of the Singapore Association of Medical Journal Editors (SAMJE). He serves as the editor and advisor of the Singapore Medical Journal. Dr. Peh’s talk was about the basic structure and types of scientific papers with emphasis on the preparation of title, title page, abstract and keywords. Included in his discussion were the writing of the materials and methods, preparing effective tables and illustrations, discussion about authorship and acknowledgments and writing a technical note. Dr. Peh is credible in his talk, encouraging the participants to publish.
Professor Dr. Cecilia C. Maramba-Lazarte is the only lady resource speaker who talked about preparation of the references and writing a case report. She was so dynamic in facilitating the workshop. Dr. Lazarte is the Director of the Institute of Herbal Medicine in the National Institutes of Health. She is a Professor of Pharmacology and a Clinical Professor of Pediatrics in University of the Philippines, Manila. She serves the Philippine General Hospital as an Attending Pediatrician. She is a member of APAME and PAMJE, and the Editor-in-chief of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society of the Philippines Journal. The group dynamics she led was a good learning experience for all the participants and everyone was given a chance to apply what was taught by the resource speakers and to raise questions after each group’s presentation. It was a satisfying forum of which participants appeared to be so interested by asking a lot questions to the ever- ready resource speakers. The day-1 session was emceed by Dr. Lesley Lubos, a RICUC member and facilitated by the NorMinCoHRD staff.
After the whole day’s conscientious intellectual activity, a physical one followed in the fellowship night held at Limketkai Luxe Hotel, Cagayan de Oro City. The program started at 7:45 PM with Dir. Alfonso Alamban giving the opening remarks. A sumptuous dinner was served before proceeding to the main part of the program. The night was highlighted by a presentation contest which was supposed to be participated by three clusters, namely, Iligan, Cagayan and Bukidnon, with five P5,000 cash prize at stake for the group who would win as judged by the resource speakers and the DOST 10 Director. There were only two participating groups: the Iligan and Bukidnon clusters. The Iligan group rendered a Muslim dance projecting a Royal Family represented by a Datu (King) and a Bai (Queen or Princess)while ladies danced heartily in front of the Royal Family. The Bukidnon clusters, on the other hand, merrily performed a modern Manubo dance after they sang their province song entitled “Bukidnon my home”. The spectators were astounded when Dr. Franco Teves played his guitar while singing his favorite song as well as a Chinese song specially offered for Dr. Peh, the resource speaker from Singapore. Everyone was also surprised when Dr. Lapeña took the guitar and accompanied the group from Luzon who was forced to sing as their contribution in the night’s program. Joyful cheering the presentations in that fellowship night were three members of the NorMinCoHRD who were given tribute by the Consortium through Dr. Aristides Tan, DOH 10 regional director, Dir. DOST-10 regional director Alfonso Alamban, and Dr. Franco Teves, the NorMinCoHRD Executive Committee Chair. The three members who received a plaque of appreciation were Dr. Genaro Japos of Liceo de Cagayan University, Dr. Numeriano Escallante, Jr. of Capitol University, and Madame Cynthia Descallar of DOH-10. With loyalty, the three delightfully served the consortium and at present, they are in another phase of their professional undertaking.
The night was concluded by the announcement of the winner and the giving of awards and freebies. Everybody gave a round of applause when each heard the proclamation of the two presenting groups as the winners. The Bukidnon and Iligan chapters happily received their prize with big congratulations from the judges. Echo of “goodnight” was in the air as everyone head back to Koresco Hotel exhausted, but fulfilled.
The second day of the workshop was brighter and gay with everyone wearing the sweet cool shirt given to all participants during the fellowship night. Another group dynamics was facilitated by Dr. Lazarte where each group has to critique a published article and present to the whole group. With each presentation was an intellectual forum with the resource speakers who scholarly answered all the questions thrown by the participants.
The 2-day workshop has culminated with a post-test and followed by a discussion of the answers which was facilitated by Dr. Lazarte. All were happy to leave the venue, assured that the knowledge gained from the 6th National Writing Workshop is learned by heart and be used as each one goes back to his/her workplace.
Indeed, the experience was grand having resource speakers who are experts in their fields. Without a doubt, the workshop ignited each one to publish.
Lastly, may I share this thought from Dr. Peh (2008): “While ‘doing’ research is important, ‘writing’ about why and how it was done, what was found, and what it means is far more important as it serves as a permanent record of scientific work that has been completed and accepted by peers.”
Janelle C. Sumatra, Chief Nurse, Valencia Sanitarium Hospital
