The event was organized by the Regional Health Research and Development Consortium of Davao Region (RHRDC XI) in coordination with the Department of Science and Technology XI (DOST XI) and Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST-PCHRD) on November 15-16, 2021. The theme was “Health R&D Solutions in the Fight Against Covid-19”.

In the Oral Competition undergraduate category, UIC Pharmacy students Salma Khaina Alang, Ryyann Dagadas, Shaira Masul, and Arfah Porza placed first with their study “Perceptions and Lived Experiences of Patient-Consumers and Community Pharmacists on Direct-to-Consumer Drug Advertising (DTCDA) in Cotabato City” while the Medtech students of UIC CMBS George Carr Plaza, Hasmin Alempang, Ynan Bab Shariff Boquia, Kaecey Airen Gonzales, Kyoko Japitan, and Shaina Grace Parba landed second for their study “Forecasting Dengue Cases in Davao City Administrative Districts from 2020 to 2025 utilizing Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA) Model”.

The Poster Competition undergraduate category, UIC students of both CMBS and CPC programs got the top three spots. The competition featured an infographic version of students’ research abstracts. The poster that took the gold was “A Retrospective Study on the Success Rates of Antiretroviral Therapy and Adherence of Antiretroviral Naive Patients in an HIV Treatment Hub in Davao City, Philippines”. It was a collaborative effort of students Jesille Mae Legarta, Princess Faiqah Brahim, Aireen Salva, Stephanie Kate Arriola, ReignerA Escarlin, and Dennis Louis Braza. Following them were two teams from UIC CPC who placed second and third.

The purpose of the event was to “bring together the health research community from private and public sectors and provide a platform for oral and poster presentations of completed research undertakings of professional and student researchers in the region.”

In another event, CPC students placed second in the undergraduate level of Philippine Pharmacists Association (PPhA) National Research Competition 2021. Their research, which was entitled “Pharmacist-led Interventions on Medication Adherence and Quality of Life of Hypertensive Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis” won second place prize during the Innovation, Collaboration, and Promotion of Pharmaceutical Science Webinar Series which was held in Zoom and was also shared in Facebook page of PPhA.

Josiah Embalsado, one of the UIC participants of the research said that “It was really an honor for us to represent the school and to share our research on a national level. The experience was really nerve wracking and stressful to begin with; with renowned panelists to facing-off against other prestigious institutions across the country, it really felt like the pressure was on our shoulders. Probably what kept us fighting was the overwhelming support of our peers and the department. Earning 2nd place in a national level is truly validating for all of us because it pays tribute to the team’s effort,”

The competition was held in light of PPhA’s celebration of the association’s 101st anniversary. Eric Jude E. Recentes