Faculty and Student Perspectives in Launching a Post-Pandemic Medical School: A Philippine Case Study

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted medical education as the shift from face-to-face to remote teaching raised concerns about learning outcomes and well-being. However, while established schools have been widely studied, the challenges faced by new institutions in the pandemic’s aftermath remain underexplored. This study provides a valuable case study examining the motivations and concerns of faculty and students at a newly established medical school in the Philippines during its inaugural academic year. Employing a mixed-methods design, we collected data via validated Likert-based questionnaires assessing motivation and survey question eliciting concerns. We used descriptive and inferential approach to analyze data. Faculty motivations were primarily intrinsic, whereas students were driven by a mix of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Subgroup analyses revealed consistent motivational profiles across demographic characteristics. Faculty were primarily concerned with their readiness for academic roles, use of modern teaching technologies, and ensuring effective student learning. Students’ concerns focused on training quality, institutional capacity, and the uncertainties of being the pioneer batch. Despite the pioneer cohort’s small size, this study highlighted the importance of understanding faculty and student motivations and concerns to design targeted support for new medical programs in the evolving post-pandemic landscape.