The Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) is the tertiary hospital in Davao City that is fast becoming a world-class, service-oriented medical center, leading in the provision of health care and training in Mindanao. For a century now, SPMC underwent several processes of reinvention in order to meet the changing needs of the public we serve. Between the years 1917 and 1920, Davao Hospital started operations in a temporary wooden pavilion originally built by the Bureau of Public Works for its sick laborers. The temporary hospital was equipped with basic equipment and had a small laboratory. The government of the Philippine Islands allocated budget for the salaries of one resident physician, one superintendent and property clerk, three nurses, four ward attendants, one cook, one assistant cook, and five laborers-a total of 16 personnel-to keep the hospital running. Over the succeeding decades, the Davao Hospital underwent several name changes, with corresponding increases in bed capacity from 50 in 1921 to 1200 in 2009. The hospital also slowly provided specialized health care services to cater to the growing needs of the populace. Starting in the 1950s, the hospital's services were divided into specialty areas, and the establishment of residency training programs in different medical disciplines soon followed. The services also became more specialized and sophisticated with the establishment of a burn unit, a heart center, a dialysis center, and a kidney transplant unit. We are an “accomplished” old institution. It is very tempting to go gentle into that good night and rest on our laurels. However, resting on previous achievements is definitely not an option. Prior success does not always guarantee continued results.
Physicians ; Internship and Residency