Acta Medica Philippina最新文献

{"title":"Do Work Schedule and Work Position have an Impact on Fatigue among Geothermal Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic? An Analysis Using Structural Equation Modeling.","authors":"Caesar Nurhadiono Raharjo, Suryo Wibowo, Aria Kekalih, Amilya Agustina, Muhammad Ilyas","doi":"10.47895/amp.vi0.6823","DOIUrl":"10.47895/amp.vi0.6823","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study aimed to examine the impact of work schedule and work position on fatigue levels among employees at a private geothermal firm in Indonesia during the COVID-19 pandemic. The company has modified its work schedule considering the COVID-19 epidemic to ensure a continuous supply of energy and meet the needs of the public.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this cross-sectional study, the dependent variable is fatigue, which is classified as a latent variable. Fatigue is assessed using the Indonesian version of the Swedish Occupational Fatigue Inventory (SOFI). Fatigue is a condition that has five dimensions: lack of energy, physical exertion, physical discomfort, sleepiness, and lack of motivation. The observed variables in this study include work schedule and work position, which serve as independent variables. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), we assessed the impact of the independent variables on each dimension of fatigue. This approach allowed for the analysis of both the measurement and structural models.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The investigation employed total sampling, involving 132 workers from the company who willingly participated in the study. According to the findings, workers' main fatigue dimension was lack of energy. However, the statistical analysis did not establish a significant influence of work schedule and work position on fatigue.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Based on the findings of the SEM analysis, it is evident that there is no statistically significant correlation between work schedules and job positions with various dimensions of fatigue assessed using the SOFI questionnaire. These dimensions include lack of energy, physical exertion, physical discomfort, sleepiness, and lack of motivation. While this outcome suggests that work schedules and job positions may not directly influence fatigue levels as measured in this study, it underscores the importance of implementing occupational health and safety management systems. Additionally, promoting good work practices such as offering flexible working hours may help address potential fatigue concerns among employees. However, further research is necessary to explore additional variables that could potentially impact fatigue levels in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.</p>","PeriodicalId":6994,"journal":{"name":"Acta Medica Philippina","volume":"59 7","pages":"74-83"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12257564/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144641454","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Closed Tube Thoracostomy Morbidity Rate in a Philippine Tertiary Government Hospital: 6-Year Review.","authors":"Richard C Briones, Marla Vina A Briones, Kathleen S Cruz, Realyb B Dongaban","doi":"10.47895/amp.vi0.9493","DOIUrl":"10.47895/amp.vi0.9493","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objective: </strong>Closed tube thoracostomy is one of the most common hospital procedures known for its effectivity and safety; however, complications may occur, leading to poor patient outcomes. To date, the burden of morbidity among patients who underwent closed tube thoracostomy in the Philippines remains unknown. Therefore, this study aims to determine the in-hospital morbidity rate among patients who underwent closed tube thoracostomy in a tertiary government hospital.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This is a descriptive cross-sectional study of admitted patients who underwent closed tube thoracostomy at Bicol Medical Center from 2015 to 2020. Data were collected by reviewing medical charts.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 376 patients were included in the study. Morbidity rate was 15.16% (95% CI: 11.69-19.19%), and majority were due to improper chest tube placement. Compared to those without complications, a higher proportion of patients with complications had pleural effusion and had chest tube failure (both p≤0.05). The median operative time was also significantly longer in patients with complications compared to those without complications (p=0.0012). Mortality was significantly lower in patients with complications than those without complications. Total and postoperative length of stay were significantly longer in patients with complications than those without complications (p<0.00001).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Complications after closed tube thoracostomy are common. Across all variables analyzed, only indication of chest tube insertion, operative time, and occurrence of chest tube failure were found to differ between patients with and without complications. Moreover, patients with complications had longer length of stay than those without. Reducing positional tube complications may help decrease in-hospital morbidity.</p>","PeriodicalId":6994,"journal":{"name":"Acta Medica Philippina","volume":"59 7","pages":"45-54"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12257559/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144641451","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cross-sectional Cranial CT Imaging Findings and Patterns in Clinically Diagnosed COVID-19 Cases in a Tertiary Referral Center.","authors":"Dennis Raymond L Sacdalan, Jolly Jason S Catibog, Cesar C de Guzman","doi":"10.47895/amp.vi0.10069","DOIUrl":"10.47895/amp.vi0.10069","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, presents not only as a respiratory ailment but also poses risks of neurological complications whose underlying mechanisms remain unclear. These complications range from mild to severe and may involve direct invasion of the central nervous system (CNS), disruption of the blood-brain barrier, or systemic cytokine effects. Diagnostic challenges persist due to the suboptimal sensitivity of RT-PCR assays.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>The present study aimed to review the contrast and non-contrast enhanced cranial CT images of all diagnosed COVID-19 patients in a tertiary referral center with the clinical impression of non-traumatic and nonoperative CNS pathologies.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a cross-sectional study analyzing CT images of COVID-19 patients with neurological symptoms. Among 51 included patients, plain CT scans were predominantly used, revealing no acute infarcts or hemorrhages in the majority, while frontal lobe involvement was notable in cases with pathology. Chronic infarcts or ischemic changes were observed in over half of the cases, primarily affecting the anterior circulation. Only one case of meningitis was documented.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In the final analysis, 51 patients met the inclusion criteria out of the initial 64 enrolled. The study population, predominantly male with a mean age of 58.02 ± 20.87 years, mainly comprised patients solely diagnosed with COVID-19. Plain CT scans were favored over contrast-enhanced scans (76.50%, n = 39). While most patients had no acute infarcts or hemorrhages, the frontal lobe was commonly affected among stroke patients (9.8%, n = 5). Additionally, a significant portion of patients without acute stroke findings exhibited chronic infarcts or ischemic changes (57.69%, n = 15).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study sheds light on the radiological patterns of CNS involvement in COVID-19 patients, highlighting frequent frontal lobe involvement possibly attributed to hypercoagulability and endotheliitis. Further research with larger sample sizes and MRI utilization is recommended to enhance our understanding of CNS manifestations in COVID-19. This study contributes to understanding COVID-19 neurological sequelae, particularly in terms of radiological patterns, among patients presenting with neurological symptoms. The findings highlight the need for comprehensive evaluation and management of neurological complications in COVID-19 patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":6994,"journal":{"name":"Acta Medica Philippina","volume":"59 7","pages":"62-66"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12257562/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144641452","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of Tomato and Cucumber Juice on Blood Pressure in Hypertensive Patients: a Quasi-Experimental Study.","authors":"Agung Sutriyawan, Ernie Halimatushadyah, Fibrianti, Ilham Kamaruddin, Kurniawan, Vina Vitniawati, Ayuda Nia Agustina","doi":"10.47895/amp.vi0.8701","DOIUrl":"10.47895/amp.vi0.8701","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Hypertension is associated with the improvement of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality. A healthy diet based on consuming natural foods can prevent and control hypertension.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>The aim of this study was to analyze the effectiveness of tomato and cucumber juice in reducing the blood pressure of hypertensive patients.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The study used a quasi-experiment pretest-posttest control group design. The target population are people with hypertension Stage 1, people living in urban area - Cibiru Health Centre Work Area. Purposive sampling was used and the sample size was calculated using the average comparison formula with effect size=0.9, α=0.05, β =0.2. Forty-five subjects involved in the study were divided into three groups (15 subjects were given tomato juice, 15 subjects were given cucumber juice, and 15 subjects were given treatment with mineral water (control group)., This research used 100 grams of ripe red tomatoes, 100 grams of fresh cucumber, and 200 ml of water. The data collected were patient characteristics and blood pressure. The ANOVA analysis test and the Bonferroni Post Hoc test were used to analyze the data.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The results of the study showed a difference in blood pressure reduction in each group. The decrease in systolic blood pressure in the tomato juice group was 7.3±3.1, the cucumber juice group was 4.2±3.3, and the control group was -0.0±2.5 (p=0.0001). The decrease in diastolic blood pressure in the group given tomato juice was 9.2±3.1, the group given cucumber juice was 7.6±3.4, and the control group was 0.4±2.1 (p=0.0001).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>There is a difference in blood pressure reduction between the group given tomato juice and the control group, and there is a difference in blood pressure between the group given cucumber juice and the control group.</p>","PeriodicalId":6994,"journal":{"name":"Acta Medica Philippina","volume":"59 7","pages":"84-91"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12257554/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144641455","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development of the UP Med Webinars for Continuing Medical Education in the Philippines.","authors":"Alvin B Marcelo, Mary Rose Pe-Yan, Rowena Natividad F Genuino","doi":"10.47895/amp.vi0.8671","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.47895/amp.vi0.8671","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aims to describe the design, development, and implementation of the UP Med Webinars as a method for delivering continuing medical education online.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Thematic analysis was done to organize information to describe the three phases of development: design, planning, and implementation of the UP Med Webinars for the period of 2015-2021.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The University of the Philippines Medical Alumni Society, in collaboration with seven units from the University of the Philippines Manila, contributed resources to the design of the UP Med Webinars. A committee on continuing medical education composed of alumni celebrating their silver jubilee led the planning each year. A total of 435 webinars were conducted from 2015 to 2021. Attendance steadily grew from less than 50 to more than 600 participants per session. These webinars covered a wide range of topics and were attended by medical professionals from different disciplines. Continuing professional development units were provided for free.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The UP Med Webinars was able to deliver post-graduate content online to healthcare professionals in the Philippine medical community. A well-organized set of partners collaborating to design and develop continuing medical education online was key to its continuous implementation and expansion.</p>","PeriodicalId":6994,"journal":{"name":"Acta Medica Philippina","volume":"59 7","pages":"7-12"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12257556/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144641453","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Perception of Research Education among Medical Students of the University of the Philippines College of Medicine: A Mixed-Methods Study.","authors":"Carlos Diego A Rozul, Joven Jeremius Q Tanchuco","doi":"10.47895/amp.vi0.9655","DOIUrl":"10.47895/amp.vi0.9655","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The University of the Philippines College of Medicine has been lauded for its research output, especially among faculty members. Research is also integrated in its curriculum for medical students in pursuit of \"six-star physicians.\" However, there has been no consolidated analysis on the outcomes of feedback collected from students.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The study aims to describe the perception of research education among medical students in Learning Units III to VII (LU III-VII) from academic year 2017-2018 to 2019-2020 in the University of the Philippines College of Medicine (UPCM).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Through a mixed-method descriptive design, students enrolled in the MD and MD-PHD program from LU III-VII of the UPCM were invited to participate in a survey. Furthermore, a review of the student research database and course evaluations were conducted.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 197 student-initiated studies were conducted according to the college database, varying in types and approaches. However, only 4% of the registered research was published. Research-oriented courses were also rated highly among the medical students. This was consistent with positive attitudes towards research among the majority of participants. However, only 32.2% of the target sample size participated in the survey.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Participants of the survey had positive perceptions regarding their research education. However, there are several areas for improvement such as provision of grants, publication assistance, compliance with research registration, and mentorship in data analysis.</p>","PeriodicalId":6994,"journal":{"name":"Acta Medica Philippina","volume":"59 6","pages":"47-57"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12174646/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144332297","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Scoping Review on the Status of Clinical Simulation in Healthcare Education in the Philippines.","authors":"Christopher S Constantino, Rowena F Genuino, Nicole Katrina P Kilem, Glenmarie Angelica S Perias, Gere Ganixon T Ang","doi":"10.47895/amp.v59i6.11554","DOIUrl":"10.47895/amp.v59i6.11554","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Simulation immerses learners in guided replications of real-life experiences. Simulation-based learning in the health profession allows trainees and professionals to practice skills in a controlled environment using various modalities, enhancing patient safety and minimizing clinical errors.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To describe the profile of Philippine studies on clinical simulation in healthcare professional education and assess the methodological quality of these studies.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a scoping review of studies on clinical simulation studies in healthcare education in the Philippines. We followed the methods for scoping review and reported using the PRISMA Scoping review checklist. We searched for relevant studies from electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, CENTRAL, Herdin, and Cochrane) as of May 17, 2024, and summarized descriptive data on the characteristics of the study, population, clinical simulation technique, and outcomes, using graphical summaries and tables. We assessed the methodological quality of included studies using the Modified Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MMERSQI).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We included 13 studies mostly published in the 2020s (7), by faculty as main author (9), with hospital affiliation (10), single-center (11), setting in NCR (11), analytic (10), medical field (10), educational purpose (7), using task trainers (5), low- to medium-fidelity (11), with technical competencies (mostly skills) as desired outcome (9), median sample size of 40, and including mostly postgraduate level participants (7). There was moderate methodological quality (median MMERSQI score, 51 [range, 40, 77] with the 'type of data' item being highly reported and 'validity of instrument tool' item poorly reported.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The observed gaps in methodological rigor, study design, and fidelity of simulation techniques in healthcare education in the Philippines highlight opportunities for advancing the field. Future research should aim to address these gaps, particularly by increasing the use of RCTs, enhancing the validity of measurement tools, and incorporating comprehensive simulation components.</p>","PeriodicalId":6994,"journal":{"name":"Acta Medica Philippina","volume":"59 6","pages":"9-22"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12174649/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144332278","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Morbidity and Mortality Conferences of the Philippine General Hospital Department of Surgery: A Survey on the Perception of Surgical Trainees to Improve Patient Safety.","authors":"Ana Melissa Hilvano-Cabungcal, Jojiemar S De Pano, Marie Carmela M Lapitan","doi":"10.47895/amp.vi0.9793","DOIUrl":"10.47895/amp.vi0.9793","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objective: </strong>Morbidity and mortality conferences (M&M) have been an important part of the hospital governance since the early 1900s. It has been shown to improve overall quality of care, minimize adverse occurrences and preventable fatalities, and provide chances for educational learning. However, medical trainees have different perceptions of M&M conferences which may affect its effectiveness in improving patient outcomes. The aim of this study is to determine the perception of surgical trainees towards M&M conferences.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The study is a questionnaire-based survey among surgical trainees of the Department of Surgery, Philippine General Hospital (PGH), for the training year of 2023. The survey consisted of 24 questions on their perception regarding the conduct of M&M. A Likert scale was used by the respondents to rate their perceptions (1 - negative, 10 - positive). Descriptive analysis and ANOVA were used to summarize the responses to the survey.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 64 surgical trainees from the Department of Surgery responded to the survey (response rate = 71.9%). Most respondents (68.8%) reported that the ideal frequency of M&M conferences is once a month. 78.1% were not aware of the inclusion criteria of the cases discussed in the departmental M&M conferences. Most reported (64.1%) that M&M conferences did not regularly include data on outpatient events. A mean rating of 5.2 was observed among surgical trainees on how judgmental they feel about the environment of M&M conferences. Surgical trainees were willing to talk openly about their complications (mean rating 7.1). They were fearful of criticism (mean rating 4.4) and the negative repercussions of their presentations (mean rating 4.1) during M&M conferences. The respondents perceive M&M conferences to be conducive for learning and service improvement with both having a mean rating of 7.8. Most felt that M&M conferences focused on the individual performance (mean rating 7.3) while participants were divided regarding the focus on systems and processes (mean rating of 5.6). In terms of dissemination, about half (45.3%) mentioned that they did not know how the discussions/outcomes were disseminated following an M&M conference. The mean rating of willingness to talk openly of complications were significantly higher among senior residents (7.7) compared to junior residents (6.3) (p=0.008).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study observed variability in the perceptions of surgical trainees on M&M conferences. Surgical trainees tend to feel fear of criticism and negative repercussions during M&M conferences. There are opportunities for improving the format of M&M in terms of clarity of inclusion criteria and dissemination, and focusing on systems and processes rather than individual faults.</p>","PeriodicalId":6994,"journal":{"name":"Acta Medica Philippina","volume":"59 6","pages":"78-84"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12174647/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144332296","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Evolution of Medical Education: From Teacher-centered to Learner-centered Approaches.","authors":"Agnes L Soriano-Estrella","doi":"10.47895/amp.v59i5.13451","DOIUrl":"10.47895/amp.v59i5.13451","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":6994,"journal":{"name":"Acta Medica Philippina","volume":"59 6","pages":"6-8"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12174641/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144332298","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Use of Social Media for Student-led Initiatives in Undergraduate Medical Education: A Cross-sectional Study.","authors":"Nina Therese B Chan, Leonard Thomas S Lim, Hannah Joyce Y Abella, Arlyn Jave B Adlawon, Teod Carlo C Cabili, Iyanla Gabrielle C Capule, Gabrielle Rose M Pimentel, Raul Vicente O Recto, Blesile Suzette S Mantaring, Ronnie E Baticulon","doi":"10.47895/amp.v59i6.9640","DOIUrl":"10.47895/amp.v59i6.9640","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong>One of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on medical education is an increased awareness and use of social media (SocMed) to facilitate learning. However, literature on the use of SocMed in medical education has focused primarily on educator-led teaching activities. Our study aimed to describe SocMed initiatives that were student-led, particularly for information dissemination and peer collaborative learning, and to elicit perceptions of medical students towards such activities.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>An online survey on SocMed usage in medical education was sent to all first- and second-year medical students at the University of the Philippines Manila College of Medicine from October to December 2021. The questionnaire collected data on demographics, SocMed habits and preferences, and perceived advantages and disadvantages of SocMed. Descriptive statistics were calculated while the free-text responses were grouped into prominent themes and summarized.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We received a total of 258 responses (71%) out of 361 eligible participants. Overall, 74% found SocMed platforms to be very and extremely helpful; 88% recommended its continued use. The most popular SocMed platforms for different tasks were as follows: Discord for independent study groups and for conducting peer tutoring sessions; Facebook Messenger for reading reminders; Telegram for reading announcements related to academics and administrative requirements, and for accessing material provided by classmates and professors.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The high uptake of SocMed among medical students may be attributed to its accessibility and cost-efficiency. The use of a particular SocMed platform was dependent on the students' needs and the platform's features. Students tended to use multiple SocMed platforms that complemented one another. SocMed also had disadvantages, such as the potential to distract from academic work and to become a source of fatigue. Educators must engage with students to understand how SocMed platforms can be integrated into medical education, whether in the physical or virtual learning environment.</p>","PeriodicalId":6994,"journal":{"name":"Acta Medica Philippina","volume":"59 6","pages":"58-70"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12174642/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144332300","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}