To immerse Senior High School (SHS) students in real laboratory experiences, the College of Allied Medical Sciences (CAMS), in collaboration with the Senior High School Department, held a laboratory orientation titled “𝘓𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘘𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘈𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘔𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘚𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴” on October 1, 2025, as part of the Grade 12 Science Month celebration.|The Hygeia Society of Pharmacy officers opened the event at the Amphitheatre, 5th Floor of the ComSci Building, with an orientation on Laboratory Safety Guidelines that emphasized the importance of wearing personal protective equipment (PPE), proper handling of laboratory apparatus, and strict compliance with safety protocols to ensure a secure and productive learning environment.Students then participated in a series of laboratory activities conducted at the Equipment Room, Medical Technology (MT) Laboratories 1 and 2, and the Pharma Laboratory.
At the Equipment Room, students explored the Quality Control of Tablets activity, which included making paper boxes, observing the friabilator for tablet durability testing, and witnessing its proper operation. In the Pharma Laboratory, they engaged in hands-on training on making malunggay (𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘢 𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘪𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘢) capsules through trituration and the punching method, sieving powdered materials, labeling and packaging capsules, performing handwashing procedures, and conducting food dehydration activities.
At MT Laboratory 2, students were introduced to microbiology-related activities such as streaking techniques and aseptic inoculation, using the T-streak method with chocolate agar plates to learn proper incubation techniques that prevent contamination. Meanwhile, in MT Laboratory 1, participants familiarized themselves with the parts and functions of the microscope and observed human parasite slides under guided operation, emphasizing the precision and responsibility required in medical technology laboratory work.
Prof. Joy D. Pagaduan of the Pharmacy Department organized the CAMS Laboratory Quest in partnership with Ms. Fredda Aurelio of SHS. They highlighted the significance of the activity in enriching the Grade 12 curriculum and inspiring students to pursue allied health programs with greater curiosity, skill, and appreciation of the role of laboratory sciences in advancing healthcare.
“The Laboratory Quest strengthened the collaboration between CAMS and the Senior High School Department, enriching the Grade 12 curriculum of our 125 learners. It successfully inspired students to pursue allied health programs with greater curiosity, skill, and appreciation of the integral role of laboratory sciences in advancing healthcare,” she noted.
The Laboratory Quest activity supported several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). It promoted good health through lessons on hygiene, microbiology testing, and capsule compounding that raised awareness of disease prevention and public health. It advanced quality education by integrating experiential learning into the Grade 12 Science curriculum and enhancing students’ laboratory skills. The activity encouraged innovation and appreciation of scientific technologies in support of industry and infrastructure development. Finally, it demonstrated an effective partnership between CAMS and the Senior High School Department in strengthening linkages between secondary and tertiary education for health sciences advancement.
by Ayumi San Cai Valerio
Photo courtesy of The Wesleyanian and The Synapse
Information provided by: College of Allied Medical Sciences
