Iligan Medical Center College
| Medical | |
| Type | Private, Non-sectarian |
|---|---|
| Established | 1975 |
| President | Royce S. Torres, PhD |
| Location | Iligan City, Lanao del Norte, Philippines |
| Campus | Urban |
| Affiliations | PACUCOA, Save Iligan Rivers Movement, Inc., COCOPEA |
| Website | www.imcc.edu.ph |
Iligan Medical Center College (IMCC) is a private, non-sectarian and non-political learning institution in Iligan City, Philippines.
History
In 1975, a group of five doctors recognized an inadequacy in experienced medical care and services in the Philippines. They noted that this was partly because of a lack of trained personnel who are committed to render service, especially in rural areas and the government’s slow delivery of such services to the general public.
A careful assessment of the problem led them to consider contributing to the training of personnel and finally deciding to put up an institution that will provide skillful and committed workforce in line with the medical field. Having no experience or education to manage an educational institution, they ventured anyway but with intense commitment and prayer that this noble intention would some day help solve the country’s medical care and services problems. Thus, in June 1975, the Iligan Medical School of Nursing and Midwifery was born.
Like any business venture in an unfamiliar field, the institution met rough encounters. In its maiden years, only 37 students enrolled in the College of Nursing. Two years later the Department of Midwifery followed suit. At the start, only one building served as school and dormitory. The first graduation was held in 1978.
Strings of difficulties and problems started to crop up; soon afterward the incorporators thought of disbanding. Incidentally, the public involved, including the students, convinced them to hold on. Some interested parties, parents and friends were instrumental to alter the course of the school. A new leash in the life of the school was possible and survival was in the offing.
In the succeeding years, survival was not the issue anymore — development and growth were the new long-term goals. With the relative growth of the paramedical courses, other allied courses were offered. To establish a far reaching impression, the name was changed to Iligan Medical Center College. The expansion of other paramedical courses was made possible with confidence and patronage of many parents and students and wider awareness of the competence of IMCC as an academic institution. The department of Physical Therapy, for example, was the first in the region.
The opening of Medical Technology, Radiologic Technology and other non-paramedical courses such as Applied Electronics, Practical Electricity, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning soon were offered. The name Iligan Medical Center College became a familiar name equal if not above local colleges. Soon after, it was among the names in the directory of prominent medical schools in the country. IMCC graduates had consistently landed at the top among board passers in the allied board examination. Notably, the College of Radiologic Technology was named and granted as best school in this field.
In the 1990s, there was a decrease in demand for paramedical courses graduates abroad since their schools were producing their own healthcare workers and prioritized local job employment. To keep IMCC competitive, and possibly reduce the impact of this event, the institution diversified its course offering to include more non-paramedical courses. With the rapid increase in technology — notably, computers — IMCC responded with the opening of computer-related courses such as Computer Science, Information Technology, and Information Management. Furthermore, widening its horizon, it offered pre-school, primary and secondary levels. Just a little while later, the Hotel and Restaurant Management, Tourism, Education and other courses opened up to meet the demand in industries and other employment entities.
The steady growth of IMCC brought to the vision of IMCC management to further its commitment; short-term programs supported this endeavor in a year-to-year basis. But its greatest hope is to become a university. In 1995, after assessing its potential, the grand plan was laid. The Graduate School was the initial venture, and that year the institution started enrolling students in master's degree in Human Resources Management. To further its noble job, in 1997 the college started concerning its effort and prepared all its resources with the desire for accreditation.
Founders
- MELCHOR B. PICARDAL, M.D., President, 1988–1994, Doctor of Medicine, Manila Central University
- VIRGILIO S. RIGOR, SR., M.D., President, Doctor of Medicine, University of the Philippines,
- RODOLFO R. TORRES, M.D., President, 1993–1995, Doctor of Medicine, University of Santo Tomas,
- SUSANO D. LAGTAPON, M.D., First President, 1975–1987, Doctor of Medicine, University of Santo Tomas,
- TEOFILO F. MONTERROYO, Jr., M.D., Board of Director, Doctor of Medicine, University of the East,
Research Office
Research Director: Dr. Helen S. Tejero Research Consultant: Paul Llido Research Coordinator: Dindo Donald A. Manulat, Jr. Research Administrator: Jasmin P. Sumagang Research Intelligence: Ivan Garde Redoblado
Research Centers:
- GLINTS (Green Lifestyle Inventions, Technology and Systems)
Program Head: Dindo Donald A. Manulat, Jr.
- Biosphere Project
Program Head: Imelda S. Dela Rama