THE UNIVERSITY again dominated recent licensure examinations for physicians, architects, physical and occupational therapists, and certification examinations for industrial engineers, with Thomasians landing the top 10 lists.
UST recorded a 95-percent passing rate in the February 2015 off-season physician licensure examinations, and saw two Thomasians entering the top 10.
Out of 20 examinees, 19 Thomasians passed. The passing rate was higher than last year’s 83.33-percent or 15 passers out of 18 examinees.
Alrick Anthony Gonzalez headed the new batch of Thomasian physicians after placing seventh with a score of 86 percent, while Angela Pauline Calimag-Loyola grabbed the eighth spot with a score of 85.75 percent.
Last August, UST dominated the physician licensure examinations, with six Thomasians landing in the top 10, including first place.
In the February exams, Far Eastern University-Nicanor Reyes Medical Foundation was declared the sole top-performing school after posting a 93.64-percent passing rate, equivalent to 103 passers out of 110 examinees.
The national passing rate improved to 71.39 percent (594 passers out of 832 examinees), compared with last year’s 52.15 percent (425 passers out of 815 examinees).
UST also reigned as the only top-performing school in the January 2015 licensure examination for architects, with an 83.42-percent passing rate or 161 passers out of 193 examinees, higher than last year’s 78.71 percent or 122 passers out of 155 examinees.
Thomasian Christian Reyes is this year’s topnotcher after getting a score of 84.80 percent. Thomasians Andre Nicolas Alcantara and Shane Ann Estaris were tied at sixth place with identical scores of 82.70 percent, while Francis Michael Padua placed eight after scoring 82.5 percent.
Architecture Dean John Joseph Fernandez attributed the improved exam results to rigid retention policies and review courses.
“[This] is the first batch that actually went through the general weighted average cut-off, the Ausat (Architecture Undergraduate Assessment Test) exam [and mock boards]. I guess it helped kasi for the first time, they were able to break the 80 percent barrier of passing rate [of UST],” Fernandez said.
The national passing rate went up to 60.71 percent, with 867 successful examinees out of 1,428. This was higher than last year’s 54.99 percent, wherein 793 examinees passed out of 1,442.
Meanwhile, UST topped the February 2015 licensure exams for physical therapists (PT), with a 94.12-percent passing rate or 16 passers out of 17 examinees. This was higher than last year’s 83.33 percent or five passers out of six examinees.
Lianne Skye Quitzon, who landed third place and scored 84.05 percent, led this year’s roster of new physical therapists. Another Thomasian, Luigi Montoro, grabbed the sixth spot with a score of 83.35 percent.
The University was also named second top-performing school in the licensure exams for occupational therapists (OT) after scoring a 93.33-percent passing rate or 14 passers out of 15 examinees. This was higher than last year’s 46.15 percent, in which six passed out of 13 examinees.
Last year, UST failed to enter the list of top-performing schools for both PT and OT board exams.
The national passing rate for PT increased to 53.79 percent or 412 passers out of 766 examinees, from 52.04 percent or 370 passers out of 711 examinees in 2014. The national passing rate for OT also improved to 62.07 percent or 54 passers out of 87 examinees, from last year’s 28.41 percent or 25 passers out of 88 examinees.
UST recorded an 81.25-percent passing rate in the November 2014 Industrial Engineering certification exam, results from the Industrial Engineering Certification Board (IECB) showed.
Heading the new batch of certified Thomasian industrial engineers were seventh-placer Bernard Lorenz Refuerzo, who scored 78.73 percent, and ninth-placer Vincent Alejandrino, who had a score of 78.18 percent.
The national passing rate was 76.20 percent or 205 passers out of 269 examinees, higher than last year’s 57.74 percent.
The certification exam, now on its sixth year, is given by the Philippine Institute of Industrial Engineers through the IECB. The exam, which is a voluntary process, validates an individual's qualifications in the field.
