The Philippine Academy of Family Physicians, the governing body of all accredited departments of Family and Community Medicine nationwide, launched its Golden Anniversary Year celebrations last 30 April 2010. As part of the ceremonies, we presented a short video about the Academy. The AVP was produced by Drs. Kaye Estepa and Joey Joson. Below is the text of the presentation.
PAFP at 50!
We have come a long way. From a handful of indomitable spirits to a 6,000-strong organization, from a band of pioneering individuals to an enterprise of 58 chapters and 40 accredited training programs nationwide, from an upstart faced with tremendous odds to an imposing force to reckon with in Philippine medicine…
Our evolution has been brisk but predictable at the same time, it was both dramatic and calculated. One thing is for certain, it was quite remarkable.
We didn’t aim for just quantity, quality was almost second nature. We were not content in being merely a social grouping, we dedicated ourselves to being an enclave of higher learning – where concepts were defined, standards were set, competencies were consolidated, programs and advocacies were outlined.
We spread our wings, we gained recognition from the Philippine Medical Association, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, the Department of Health. We got involved in academic instruction, in research and publication, in linkages, in conferences, in the international scene. The words “professionalize” and “institutionalize” were ingrained in us.
And as we soared, the discipline and the practice became unmistakably clearer and more relevant. We got accustomed to the multifaceted role of a physician – the so-called 5-star model – we refined our healing methods, we learned the tools of counseling and teaching, we became skilled at management and organizing and we incorporated clinical research and the scientific approach in our daily work.
Indeed the journey has been arduous and the path, rough and unnerving. Yet it was not without its gratifying moments and flashes of fulfillment. Hence, we have reached this milestone. The Philippine Academy of Family Physicians is celebrating its 50 years of existence. We dare not stop the momentum. So much is still waiting to be accomplished. We have to carry on with the excitement and the energy.
Text by: Dr. Alex J. B. Alip, Jr.
