THE RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT

The data collection for the research study was conducted at the Silliman University Medical School (SUMS), Dumaguete City.

The Silliman University Medical School (SUMS) is an academic unit of Silliman University (SU), a first American University in the Philippines and the entire Asian continent established in 1901 as Silliman Institute by the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions, in Dumaguete City. Established on March 20, 2004, the Silliman University Medical School used to hold classes at a two-storey annex beside the Angelo King Allied Medical Sciences Center inside the SU Campus. In 2013, the school transferred to its new building. Its partner institution is the Silliman Medical Center.

The plan to establish what would later be the Silliman University Medical School  started on October 20, 1997 when the first meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee was called. This was attended by Dr. Jonathan C. Amante, Prof.  Reynaldo Y.  Rivera, Dr. Brenda Diputado, Dr. Lynn Olegario and Dr. Erlinda Lim-Juan at the Cunningham Hall.  This was a brain-storming meeting, covering issues on curriculum, physical plant, and other related concerns.

The next day, Dr. Amante consulted with Dr. Fernando Sanchez in Manila, the latter being the Chairman of the Task Force on Reformation of Medical Education and Executive Director of the Association of Philippine Medical Colleges (APMC).  The outcome of the meeting was reported to Silliman University President Dr. Agustin A. Pulido, Vice President Academic Affairs Teresita Sy-Sinda and the members of the Ad Hoc Committee. A series of follow-up meetings transpired in Manila until November 6, 1997 when the  plan  to  hold  a  Symposium on Innovative Medical  Curriculum  was  finalized.  The symposium was held at the Cunningham Hall on November 29, 1997, facilitated by the members of the Task Force and attended by members of the Silliman University Administration, Ad Hoc Committee, and prospective SUMS faculty members. After two more meetings in February and April 1998 in Manila of Dr. Amante and Dr. Sanchez with the Task Force members, Dr. Reyes and Dr. Tantengco, a Workshop on Medical Curriculum planning was scheduled and was later implemented on April 24-25 1998. This was followed by a re—evaluation meeting in Manila on May 6, 1998.

Meanwhile, the prospective Faculty Teachers’ Training was started on January 31, 1998 and almost every Saturday thereafter at the Cunningham Hall. This was conducted by Prof. Reynaldo Rivera, University Registrar, Dr. Betsy Joy Tan, Dean of the College of Education, and Prof. Loreta Lachica, Director of the Office of  Instruction.  The training ended on June 6, 1998.

Subsequently, the University Academic Council endorsed on August 18, 1998 the Silliman University Medical School Program proposal for opening the following school year 1999-2000. It was only during the Board Of Trustees meeting on January 11, 2003 that a decision was

reached: to open the new Medical School on the basis of an updated feasibility study and provided that quality education is maintained.

An updated Feasibility Study was conducted by the 1998 Ad Hoc Committee, together with VPAA  Dr. Everett Mendoza, Internal Auditor Mr. Jenny Chiu and Prof. Reynaldo Y. Rivera. The results were later presented  for re-evaluation to the Board of Trustees on January 31, 2004. Finally, the Board of Trustees approved the Medical School Program on March 20, 2004. Dr. Agustin A. Pulido publicly announced the approval during the Silliman University Commencement Exercises the following day. The Commission on Higher Education approved the program for School Year 2005-2006, during its 243rd Commission en banc meeting on April 25, 2005.

The medical school confers a degree in Doctor of Medicine, with a curriculum that is based upon a combination of both the traditional and innovative strategies. The school is divided into six specialized departments: the Departments of Basic Sciences, Medicine, Pediatrics, Surgery, Obstetrics-Gynecology and the Department of Community and Family Medicine.

Source: Wikipedia, Silliman University Website

RECOMMENDATIONS

On the bases of the findings and conclusions, the researchers would like to suggest the following recommendations for future researchers to improve the structure of the study and to promote its significance.

A review of the questionnaire formulation is recommended to increase the validity and reliability.

Proper orientation should be given to the data collectors before the conduction of study to avoid bias. It is better if all students in the class are present during the data collection. Although respondents are solely observed without being influenced on how they must conduct themselves during the duration of this study, they should be instructed and informed to completely fill out the needed data in the questionnaire during data gathering. Well informed data collectors and cooperative respondents is the key to successfully data gathering.

It is recommended that further studies be made on exploring other possibilities that could affect the academic performance of the freshmen medical students aside from the ones already explored in this study. The researchers must take into account not only the number of hours of sleep and study, but as well as the “quality” of sleep and study in

terms of how well they understood the subject, and other factors that may affect the academic performance of the medical students.

To ensure the accuracy of results, statistical rigor of this study and to make the conclusion more generalizable, the researchers recommend replicating the study and obtain a greater number of participants in the future.

SCOPE, LIMITATIONS AND DELIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

This study endeavored to determine if there is a relationship between the number of hours of sleep and academic performance of students. It also aims determine relationship between number of hours of study and academic performance of the study.

The participants of the study are the freshmen medical students of Silliman University Medical School in school year 2013-2014 carrying the full load of the required subjects which is equivalent to 39 units for school year 2013-2014. The research questionnaires will be given to them at the same time to minimize the chance of bias.

The researchers only consider the number of hours of sleep and study. It does not take into consideration the “quality” of sleep and study (in terms how well they understood the subject) of the students and other factors that may affect their academic performance.

The validity of the study may have been affected by the sample size of only 33 respondents who completely answered the questionnaire.

Having human beings as respondents, it could not be avoided that the respondent's lack of candor and may have influenced their manner of answering the questionnaire.