Augustinian mentor speaks in PCQACL nat’l confab

PROFESSOR Lerma Paris, R.M.T., faculty member from the College of Pharmacy and Medical Technology, was one of the resource speakers during the 6th National Convention of the Philippine Council for Quality Assurance in Clinical Laboratories (PCQACL) held in October 2009 at the Century Park Hotel, Malate, Manila. An M.S. in Public Health holder, Paris spoke about “Intestinal Parasite Diagnosis: Current Issues and Implications for Standardization and Quality Improvement” during the first day of the convention. With the theme, “Ensuring Quality Healthcare through Quality Laboratory Testing,” the convention was attended by pathologists, chiefs of clinical laboratories, and medical technologists nationwide. 

Modern clinical laboratories are considered important components of Medical and Public Health Services. The laboratory data they provide are integral parts of decision-making in the health services, especially in the diagnosis and management of patients.

Med tech students win best oral paper in microbio

A TEAM of four Medical Technology students won the Best Oral Paper Presentation in the undergraduate category during the 17th Annual Convention and Regional Scientific Meeting of the Philippine Society for Microbiology, Inc., Visayas Regional Chapter, on 23-24 October 2009 at the Punta Villa Resort in Iloilo City.

The research team was declared best among seven groups coming from three competing schools: three from the University of the Philippines Visayas, two from the Riverside College and two from the University of San Agustin. The Augustinian team members were Serren Lor Gallinero, Ellen Mae Cerena, Diane Lorraine Loreña and Rachelle Ann Sayomac.

The group’s research was on “Parasite Larvae in Soil Samplesfrom Brgy. Calaparan, Arevalo, Iloilo City.” The members defended their study in front of a panel composed of microbiologists coming from within and outside the country.

The contest had three categories: high school, undergraduate, and graduate levels. Each contesting group was given ten minutes to present its study and to defend the same in an open forum – where the panelists, other contestants and other research advisers were allowed to critique the study and ask questions. “I think what is best in our study is that it is new – we have used a modified Baermann technique for the experiment; and it has greater benefit to the public: there is still hope for parasitism incidence in Iloilo to be controlled or lowered now that we have found out the reason why this is so,” Gallinero stressed.
The group had three months (June-August 2009) to finish the study as part of the requirements of the research subject under Professors Christine Villanueva and Lerma Paris, who also served as the group advisers.