The Alberto P. Concha School of Medicine (APCSOM) is committed to developing competent, compassionate, and community oriented physicians through a student centered curriculum that emphasizes clinical reasoning, problem solving, and lifelong learning.

At the heart of APCSOM’s curriculum is the spiral approach, an educational strategy where essential medical concepts are revisited throughout the program at increasing levels of depth and complexity. This design ensures that students not only retain foundational knowledge but also progressively build stronger connections between basic sciences and clinical practice. For example, core principles learned in anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry are reintroduced in higher years through pathology, pharmacology, and clinical rotations, each time with broader applications and greater sophistication. Weekly recap sessions, facilitated by faculty, further reinforce learning and prepare students for examinations and licensure.

The four year program is structured to integrate the basic and clinical sciences in a systematic way. The first three years focus on building a solid foundation through lectures, laboratories, small group case discussions, and community exposure. As students progress, topics are revisited and expanded, transforming basic understanding into applied clinical knowledge.

In the final year, students undergo a full Clinical Clerkship in the base and affiliate hospitals as well as community health facilities. They rotate through major specialties—including Internal Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Psychiatry, Neurology, Ophthalmology, and Otorhinolaryngology—while applying previously learned concepts to patient care under the supervision of practicing clinicians.

Assessment is comprehensive and varied, combining written, oral, and clinical examinations with research, reports, and active participation in conferences. By graduation, students are equipped not only with medical expertise but also with the adaptability and critical thinking required of modern physicians.

The spiral curriculum defines APCSOM’s identity: learning is continuous, interconnected, and evolving. Each cycle reinforces what came before and elevates it to higher levels of understanding. In this way, APCSOM ensures its graduates are not only prepared to practice medicine but are also empowered to keep learning, adapting, and serving throughout their professional lives.

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