The University of Santo Tomas recently conferred to Prof. María Minerva P. Calimag, M.D., PhD. the Doña Victoria Ty Tan Professorial Chair in Medicine.

The professorial chair is named after Doña Victoria Ty Tan, mother of Dr. George S.K. Ty, the founder of Metrobank.

“As I accept the Doña Victoria Ty Tan Professorial Chair, I am reminded of the transformative power of education in shaping competent, committed, compassionate and ethical medical professionals. I am committed to furthering this legacy by fostering an environment of critical thinking, empathy, and lifelong learning among our students and colleagues,” Calimag said.

Reflection

In her lecture, “Knowing Oneself Inside and Out: Success Formula for Teachers/Students in Caring Professions,” Calimag highlighted that health and wellness are not just the absence of disease or distress, but entail thriving physically, socially, and mentally in the personal and professional aspects of life.

Socio-emotional skills and competencies are necessary to develop, she said. These include self-awareness and self-management of emotions, thoughts and behaviors; social awareness and empathy with others’ perspectives; positive relationship building with diverse groups and individuals; responsible decision-making; and a growth mindset.

Such competencies build both resilience and grit, which would be well-supported by a sense of gratitude and humor, said Dr. Calimag, who added that the way to instill and develop these qualities in today’s generation of medical students is through mentorship.

“The ability to reflect is the beating heart of successful mentorship,” Calimag said, for “Mentors help us see what we may not otherwise see in ourselves, help us clarify our career pursuits, and encourage us in areas where confidence may be lacking. They do not necessarily have the answers. Rather, they merely seem to ask the right questions so we may discover the answers within.

“Study, study, study! Because that will be value added. It is not just the letter after our names. We take risks and tread new career paths. Be different and expand your boundaries! That will be your competitive advantage. Steer away from the traditional and look for the blue ocean, for that will be your market niche!”

Road to success

Calimag began teaching at UST in 1986, and is now a Full Professor at FMS and a Professorial Lecturer at the MHPEd and MHA programs of the Graduate School.

After graduating magna cum laude from the UST College of Science in 1977, she completed her Doctor of Medicine degree at the UST FMS in 1981.

In 2003, Calimag completed her Master of Science in Clinical Epidemiology degree from UP Manila, and obtained her Doctor of Philosophy in Education Major in Educational Management degree from UST in 2011.

She was the first recipient of the Eric Nubla Award for Excellence in the Professions by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC); the 2014 PSA Dr. Quintin J. Gomez Outstanding Filipino Anesthesiologist Award; the PMA 26th Dr. Jose Rizal Award for the Academe; the 2021 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipino Teacher in Higher Education; the 2022 Gawad Banyuhay ng Kalusugan — Doctor Leader of the Year Award; and the 2022 Outstanding Mother Award by the National Federation of Women’s Clubs of the Philippines.

Calimag is currently on her fourth term as president of the Philippine Medical Association. Prior to that, she previously led the Philippine Society of Anesthesiologists as well as the Asian and Oceanic Society of Regional Anaesthesia and Pain Medicine.

The Metrobank Foundation, Inc., in partnership with the UST Research and Endowment Foundation, Inc., established the Doña Victoria Ty Tan Professorial Chair in Medical Education in 2019. As the fourth recipient of the Professorial Chair in Medicine, Dr. Calimag now joins the previous honorees Prof. Sandra Teresa V. Navarra, M.D., Prof. Fidela L. Moreno, M.D., and Prof. Angeles Tan Alora, M.D.