In an August 26, 2024 letter to CRS Dean Anne Marie Aseron, MSPT, Philippine Academy of Occupational Therapists (PAOT) President Thea Sheila Ocheda-Alonto confirmed the re-accreditation by WFOT following the onsite visit of the deputized task force. 

Rated Excellent were the facilities and resources, including access to a variety of research journals and classrooms and laboratories to service student needs. Classroom and practice placement were rated Satisfactory, along with course syllabi.

In an interview with the Communications Bureau, Department of Occupational Therapy Chair Kathlene Anne Hernandez, MHPEd stated that the review cycle by WFOT involved the evaluation of the new Outcomes-Based Curriculum that goes beyond standards of the Commission on Higher Education and the standards of the Professional Regulation Commission and foreign credentialing institutions. “This curriculum is viewed as an enhanced program with greater emphasis on more aligned and occupation-focused courses that incorporate concepts of social health sciences,” Aseron said. The curriculum now follows a biopsychosocial model of disability, incorporate both international and local knowledge.

Hernandez also highlighted the role of the OT academic staff, all of whom have the relevant degrees and “rich clinical and industry experiences” that lend themselves to “providing real-world influence in placing occupations at the heart of curricular plans; equipped with the basic pedagogical skills necessary to perform various roles and responsibilities of OT in the academe; and contribute to the development of projects and programs of partner institutions for advocacy roles to name a few.”

BSOT students undergo more than 1,000 hours of in-person and virtual or hybrid clinical and non-clinical rotations here and abroad. The virtual and hybrid clinical modes helped surmount the limitations posed by the pandemic and opened doors for foreign inputs to enrich program quality. As early as college, too, the students were exposed to “various programs of the professional organization, facilitating the development of future leadership roles.”

The WFOT accreditation allows graduates to sit in foreign certification and licensure exams, to enroll in foreign post-graduate studies, and assures stakeholders that the program is compliant with global standards.

The BSOT program also enjoys the nod of the ASEAN University Network Quality Assurance, which provided a five-year certification.

The post World Federation of Occupational Therapists grants re-accreditation to BS Occupational Therapy program appeared first on University of Santo Tomas.

������Ƶ logged a 68% passing rate in the said exams, higher than the 35.96% national passing rate.

The post 17 new Occupational Therapists ace June 2024 boards appeared first on University of Santo Tomas.

A Level IV program recognized by the FAAP are considered to be “highly respected as very high academic programs in the Philippines and with prestige and authority comparable to similar programs in excellent foreign universities.” The BS PT and BS OT programs have been granted full autonomy and the authority to offer new allied graduate programs and open learning/distance education and extension classes subject to information provided to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

For the Level I accreditation, BS Sports Science now enjoys full administrative deregulation, financial deregulation, and authority to revise the curriculum without prior CHED approval. It is likewise given priority in the awards of grants/subsidies or funding assistance from CHED or the Department of Education.

The post PT, OT programs receive 5-year Level IV reaccreditation; Sports Science now Level I appeared first on University of Santo Tomas.

For the third consecutive year, the Department of Physical Therapy posted a 100% passing rate, producing 18 newly licensed Thomasian Physical Therapists, while the Department of Occupational Therapy likewise produced eight newly licensed Thomasian Occupational Therapists.

The Physical and Occupational Therapy Licensure Examination, administered by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), was held on June 3 and 4, 2022.

The post Three Thomasians ace June 2022 OT and PT Boards; UST posts 100% passing rate in PT boards appeared first on University of Santo Tomas.

The 48 new Thomasian occupational therapists posted an 88.89% passing rate, making UST the 3rd Top Performing School in the exams. The topnotchers included the following graduates:

#1 – Maria Regina D. Cerezo, OTRP – 85.40%

#2 – Andryella Maxie P. Ibarra, OTRP – 85.20%

#3 – Nadia Isabel M. Trajano, OTRP – 84.60%

#5 – Kenneth S. Porlucas, OTRP – 84.20%

#6 – Princess E. Madarang, OTRP – 84.00%

#7 – Carl Simon M. Concepcion, OTRP – 83.60%

#8 – John Ephraim C. Alviz, OTRP – 83.20%

#8 – Chiara Betina A. Cabildo, OTRP – 83.20%

#8 – Lindsey Monique D. Gaela, OTRP – 83.20%

#8 – Roxanne S. Sabido, OTRP – 83.20%

#9 – Kimberly Claire A. Kiang, OTRP – 83.00%

#9 – Glenn E. Regondola, Jr., OTRP – 83.00%

The post 12 topnotchers lead new Thomasian occupational therapists appeared first on University of Santo Tomas.

In the conceptualization of Aruga, it was quickly identified that it will be able to fill multiple needs of both the department and the community at large. Aruga provides an avenue for occupational therapy interns to receive quality training and an opportunity for the department to serve the UST community and its partners through the provision of free occupational therapy services. Aruga has as its mission to impart quality education and training to occupational therapy interns, to go beyond the provision of service in physical clinics and extend the reach of occupational therapy services to more people through telehealth, and to empower clients and their families to be able to overcome their difficulties and limitations.

From planning and meetings beginning in December of 2020, Aruga opened its doors to receive its first clients on July 1, 2021. Partner institutions include the UST Human Resource Department, Parent Advocates for Visually Impaired Children (PAVIC), Balay Tulul-anan, UST Simbahayan, UST Health Service, and UST Psychotrauma Clinic.

The grand launch was well attended by university officials, led by Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs Cheryl R. Peralta, DrPH, faculty members, interns and distinguised guests from partner organizations and institutions, all of whom were welcomed by Assoc. Prof. Anne Marie C. Aseron, MSPT, Dean of the College of Rehabilitation Sciences. This was followed by a presentation about the Aruga UST OT Clinic, showcasing the history, background, goals and programs of the clinic, which are delivered by Charles Bermejo, MSOT, OTRP, Zha Nella Canja, MFLCD, OTRP, Gillian Ollet, MAEd, OTRP, Ma. Carol Mae Protacio, MSOT, OTRP, at Allan James Tan, MSOT, OTRP, and OT Department Chair Asst. Prof. Kathlene Anne Hernandez, MHPEd, OTR, OTRP.

For more information, visit .

The post Occupational Therapy dept opens Aruga Virtual Occupational Therapy and Wellness Center appeared first on University of Santo Tomas.

The tracks featured for this year were “Well-being and Equity” and “Urbanization and Industrialization,” each with speakers from fields of expertise who provided insightful discussions. Delegates also had a chance to hone their skills through research, public speaking, and business model canvas workshops. The highlight of the convention was on the last day, at which point the delegates needed to apply the learnings from the previous sessions into research-based solutions proposals. In groups of four or five, they had to come up with innovative proposals to pitch to the judges who are experts in their respective fields (e.g. Architecture, Medicine, and the like).

This program gave participants a greater sense of awareness regarding the many challenges that face countries in South East Asia, including the Philippines. It also provided the opportunity to connect with international students from Singapore to Lebanon through social lunch rooms and interactive track sessions.

The post Sophomore Occupational Therapy students join Harvard Innovation Challenge South East Asia, Burgos bags third place appeared first on University of Santo Tomas.

The students are accompanied by two faculty members, Jocel Magpili-Regino, MSPT and . This activity is part of on-going student and faculty mobility programs covered by the Memorandum of Understanding between UST and NUHW, signed in 2011.

The UST delegation got the chance to meet Prof. Masaharu Yamamoto, MD, MPH, PhD, President of NUHW. He encouraged students with scientific interests in improving people’s health to become “qualified QOL supporters” with the intent to work worldwide in the future.

In addition to the academic exchange program, this visit is also intended to strengthen research collaborations between NUHW and UST. Ms. Fernandez, together with the PT and SPS students in the group, are engaged in research that will utilize the Vicon Motion Analysis System. They will undergo training with Prof. Masayoshi Kubo, a physical therapist who has extensive experience with motion analysis studies, and who has also been instrumental to the continuing academic and research collaborations between UST and NUHW. This training will be relayed to the other members of the research team in UST and aims to inform the on-going faculty-led, student-assisted researches using this technology.

The post Rehabilitation sciences students in Japan for seminar on inter-professional education appeared first on University of Santo Tomas.

The post UST recognized as the only top performing school in Occupational Therapy board exams; 2 grads enter top 5 appeared first on University of Santo Tomas.