Adventist students in the Philippines are continuing to make headlines for their professional examination results. For the seventh year in a row, students from the Adventist University of the Philippines (AUP) earned a 100% passing rate in the recent national Medical Technologist Licensure Examination held March 14 and 15, 2018, according to the Philippine Regulatory Board (PRC).
All 81 AUP students were among the 2,648 passing students out of a field of 3,644. One of the AUP students, Jay Gabriel Diesto, achieved a 5th place ranking. Prior to his four-year study as a Medical Technologist major, Diesto attended the Adventist University of the Philippines Academy beginning in junior high school.
Like other Adventist students who have been in the news recently for exam results, Diesto realizes the role an Adventist education plays in building a character both spiritually and professionally. “The Adventist community (AUP) as a whole was a great support. What we learn in school was an integration of faith and learning. I was just not studying to pass the boards; it helped [me] to apply what I learned to real life,” Diesto said.
Steadfast to its stated commitment of excellence, character, and service, AUP heralds a holistic approach in preparing students for a profession with a dedicated Christian perspective.
AUP - Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) Department chairperson, Kristine Mendoza, shared some insights regarding AUP’s exam results history. Since 2012, the university has remarkably maintained a 100% passing rate on the Medical Technologist Board exam. Additionally, it has established a reputation amongst other universities in the Philippines due to being the top performing school on this exam since 2016.
“A dedicated faculty, a tradition of training for students to develop their ‘academic muscles’, trusted partnership with affiliated hospitals for internship, and most important above all is the department’s total dependence on our God Almighty. This could be the reasons why we were able to achieve [a passing record for] seven years,” Mendoza reiterated.
In terms of preparation, AUP provides a “rigorous schedule of quizzes and examinations which help students to develop discipline and a habit of aiming for a high standard," explained Mendoza.
Aside from examinations conducted during the four-year course, MLS faculty encourage their students to enhance their education by enrolling in examination review centers. This exposes them to other lecturers who can provide additional knowledge to strengthen them in areas that might not have been covered as extensively.
While these components may be similar to other universities, AUP adds a uniquely different benefit by organizing a regular, dedicated program for MLS students to hear testimonies of faith from former board examiners. This special program aims to stress that God is with them [AUP students] all throughout this journey.
“Hearing from others that God is there to help is one thing, but having experienced it yourself in an environment such as AUP makes such a big difference,” emphasized Mendoza.
“I believe the overall environment in an Adventist educational institution gives students the knowledge of God based on real experiences that they can take with them even after they graduate from school,” she continued. “How you attain that success and what you do with it afterwards is what differentiates [you as] a Christian.”
AUP is located in Putting Kahoy, Silang, Cavite, Philippines, approximately 50 kilometers (31miles) from the national capital of Manila. It offers degrees on the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels. It is one of nine Adventist colleges and universities in the Philippines which are a part of the Southern Asia-Pacific Division territory.
[Teresa Costello and Edward Rodriguez, SSD communication]