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Is rizal a doctor

Is rizal a doctor

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Is Jose Rizal a doctor?

There is still an information about our national hero, Jose Rizal, that is still vague for most

of us. Is our national hero a doctor or not?

From the years 1879 up to 1882, Jose Rizal studied medicine, agriculture, surveying, and

philosophy and letters at University of Santo Tomas. He went to Spain to continue his studies

because he was not satisfied with his education at UST. Rizal completed licentiates in medicine

and in philosophy and letters at the Central University of Madrid in 1884. The term licentiate is

similar to what we call now as bachelor’s degree. It refers to an undergraduate degree which is

similar to the American bachelor’s degree but with more vocational focus. At that time, further

medical education was not required to call oneself a physician to practice medicine. However, one

could go on to obtain a doctoral degree after passing examinations, and writing and orally

presenting an approved thesis. Although Rizal was able to complete his thesis for doctorate in

medicine, he did not technically receive this degree since he did not appear to read his thesis aloud

as required by the University of Madrid. Without completing the requirements for a doctorate, he

left for Paris to study ophthalmology.

Back in 19

century, ophthalmology was already a separate, flourishing, and dynamic

specialty in Europe although there were no formal residency training programs yet. One can

become an ophthalmologist through the tutelage and supervision of well-known professors. At that

time, if you were good and your mentor liked you, then you were allowed to personally assist them

in the clinics and at surgery, and actually perform some of the procedures. Rizal went to Paris to

train under the famous occuloplastic surgeon, Dr. Louis de Wecker (also known as Louis von

Wecker) where he served as assistant at de Wecker’s clinic for four months (from November 1885

to February 1886). He then proceeded to Heidelberg in order to train under Dr. Otto Becker. He

completed his doctoral thesis in Germany. He just mailed it to Madrid and hoped that they would

accept it in that manner. It would mean an extra trip to Madrid if he presented it orally. Madrid did

not make an exception for him and he never completed his doctorate. Still, for me, he was a doctor

because he was able to practice ophthalmology. He was an opthalmologist. He was also able to

practice ophthalmology mainly in Calamba, in Hong Kong and while he was exiled in Dapitan.

He successfully removed the cataracts from her mother’s left eye in 1892. According to

www.aao.org, the term ophthalmologist refers to a medical or osteopathic doctor who specializes

in eye and vision care. This takes us to the point that Jose Rizal was truly a doctor. Particularly, he

was the doctor of the eyes. In addition, one thing that could prove that he was a doctor was his

business card which can be seen below.

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Is Jose Rizal a doctor? There is still an information about our national hero, Jose Rizal, that is still vague for most of us. Is our national hero a doctor or not? From the years 1879 up to 1882, Jose Rizal studied medicine, agriculture, surveying, and philosophy and letters at University of Santo Tomas. He went to Spain to continue his studies because he was not satisfied with his education at UST. Rizal completed licentiates in medicine and in philosophy and letters at the Central University of Madrid in 1884. The term licentiate is similar to what we call now as bachelor’s degree. It ref ...
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