Chapter 5

Medical Studies at the

University of Santo Tomas
Ateneo
-Rizal had completed his vocational course in surveying which he graduate
with Highest Honors.

UST
-He transferred to Medical course where he won more Literary Laurels; had
other romances with pretty girls; and fought against Spanish Students who
insulted the brown Filipino students.
Doña Teodora
opposed the idea of sending Rizal to University to
pursue Higher Education because she was aware
what happened to Gom-Bur-Za and feared of might
would happen to Rizal.

Rizal was surprised by his mother’s opposition, who

was a woman of education and culture.

Despite her mother’s opposition, Don Francisco told

Paciano to accompany Rizal to Manila.
Rizal’s enters the University
April 1877
-Rizal enrolled at UST, taking the course on Philosophy
and Letters.

Reasons:
1. His father liked it.
2. He was still uncertain as to what career to pursue.

Fr. Pablo Ramon

-rector of the Ateneo.
1877 – 1878
Rizal studied Cosmology, Metaphysics, Theodicy, and History
of Philosophy during his first year term.

1877 – 1879
Rizal took up medical course upon the advised of Ateneo’s
Rector to study medicine.

Reason:
- To be able to cure his mother’s growing blindness.
Finishes Surveying course in
Ateneo (1878)
• While Rizal was studying at UST, he also studied in Ateneo. He took the
vocational course leading to the title of “Perito Agrimensor” (Expert
Surveyor).

• He excelled in all subjects in the surveying course obtaining gold

medals in Agriculture and Topography.

• Vocational Courses:
1. Agriculture
2. Mechanics
3. Commerce
4. Surveying
• At the age of 17, he passed the final exam in the surveying
course but could not be granted the title as Surveyor
because he was under age.

• November 25, 1881- the title as Surveyor to Rizal

• Extra-Curricular Activities:
1. President, Academy of Spanish Literature.
2. Secretary, Academy of Natural Sciences.
3. Secretary, Marian Congregation.
ROMANCES WITH OTHER GIRLS
• Segunda Katigbak

• Miss L.
-fair with seductive and attractive eyes.

Reasons:
1. The sweet memory of Segunda was still fresh in his heart.
2. His father did not like the family of Miss L.

• Leonor “Orang” Valenzuela

-a medical student from Calamba, Laguna
-the charming daughter of Capitan Juan and Capitana Sanday Valenzuela.
-all girl with a regal bearing.
-Rizal sent Leonor a love notes written in invisible ink.
• Leonor Rivera
-Rizal’s cousin from Camiling.
-born in Camiling, tarlac on April 11, 1867.
-a student of La Concordia College where Rizal’s sister, Soledad was then studying.
-frail, pretty girl, and tender as a budding flower with kindly wistful eyes.

Taimis - Leonor’s pseudonym in order to camouflage their intimate relationship

from their parents and friends.

Rizal lived in:

Casa Tomasina
No. 6 Calle Santo Tomas, Intramuros

Antonio Rivero
– Rizal’s landlord-uncle.
-- father of Leonor Rivera.
Victim of Spanish Officer’s
Brutality
One dark summer vacation night of 1878 in Calamba
when Rizal was a freshman Medical student at the University
of Santo Tomas. He was walking in the street and dimly
perceived the figure of a man while passing him not knowing
that the person was a Lieutenant of the Guardia Civil, he did
not salute not say a greetings. With a snarl, he turned upon
Rizal, whipped out his sword and brutally slashed his back.
 Rizal reported the incident to General Primo de Rivera, the
Spanish Governor General of the Philippines at that time but
nothing came out because he was an Indio and the accused
was a Spaniard.

Later in a letter to Blumentritt dated March 21, 1887, he

related, “I went to the Captain-General but I could not obtain
justice; my wound lasted two weeks.”
“ To the Filipino Youth”
Liceo Artisco-Literano (Artistic-Literary Lyceum)
-a society of literary men and artists.
-held a Literary Contest and offered a prize (Silver Pen, feather-shaped
decorated with gold ribbon) for best poem.

“A La Juventud Filipina” (To The Filipino Youth)

-Rizal’s prize-winning and inspiring poem of flawless for.
 Rizal beseeched the Filipino youth to rise from the lethargy; to
let their genius mind fly swiftly the wind and descend with art and
science to break the chains that have long bound the spirit of the
people.

Reasons why Rizal’s Poem was a Classic in Philippine Literature:

1. It was the first gr eat poem in Spanish written by a Filipino, whose
merit was recognized by Spanish Literary Authorities.
2. It expressed for the first time the nationalistic concept that the
Filipinos were the “fair hope of the Fatherland.”
“ The Council of Gods” (1880)
Artistic-Literary Lyceum
-opened another literary contest (to both Filipinos and Spaniards) to
commemorate the 4th centennial of the death of Cervantes.

Cervantes
-was a Spain’s glorified man-of-letters and famous author of Don
Quixote.

Rizal submitted an allegorical drama entitled “El Consejo de los Dioses”

(The Council of the Gods).
The Council of the Gods
-was based on the Greek classics.
-aided by Fr. Rector of Ateneo.

Prize: Gold Ring engraved the bust of Cervantes

Winners:
1st Place: Jose Rizal (19yrs old)
2nd Place: D. N. Del Puzo (Spanish)

--Because of its literary superiority.

Other Literary Works
• “Junto Al Pasig” (Besides the Pasig)
-(Zarzuela)staged by the Ateneans on December 8, 1880 of the Annual Celebration of the
Feast Day of Immaculate Concepcion (Patroness of Ateneo).

• A Filipinas
-(a sonnet, 1880) Rizal urged all Filipino artists to glorify the Philippines.

• Abd-el-Azis y Mahoma
-(poem, 1879) was declaimed by an Atenean, Manuel Fernandez on the night of December 8,
1879 in honor of the Ateneo’s Patroness.

• Al M. R. P. Pablo Ramon
-(a poem, 1881) Rizal wrote a poem as an expression of affection to Father Pablo Ramon, the Ateneo
Rector, who had been so kind and helpful to him.
Rizal’s visits to Pakil and
Pagsanjan
Summer of May 1881
-Rizal went to a pilgrimage to the town of pakil, famous shrine of the Birhen
Maria de los Dolores.
-he was accompanied by his sisters—Saturnina , Maria, and Trinidad and their
female friends.
-They took a casco (flat-bottom sailing vessel) from Calamba to Pakil, Laguna,
and stayed at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Manuel Regalado, whose son Nicolas
was Rizal’s friend in Manila.
-Rizal and his companions were fascinated by he famous Turumba (people
dancing in the streets during the procession in honor of the miraculous Birhen
Maria de los Dolores)

-Rizal was infatuated by a pretty girl colegiala, Vicenta Ybardolaza, who

skillfully played the harp at the Regalado home.

Reasons why Rizal and his company made side trip to the neighbouring town
of Pagsanjan:
1. It was the native town of Leonor Valenzuela
2. To see the world famed Pagsanjan Falls.
Champions of Filipino
•Students
Rizal was the champion of the Filipino students in their fights against the
arrogant Spanish students.
• In 1880, Rizal founded a secret society of Filipino students in the University of
Santo Tomas called “Compaňerismo”(Comradeship), whose members were
called “Companions of Jehu,” after the valiant Hebrew general who fought
the Armaeans.
• Galicano Apacible (Rizal’s cousin from Batangas) was the Secretary.
• Fierce encounter near the Escolta in Manila where Rizal was wounded on the
head, and tenderly washed and dressed by Leonor Rivera in his boarding
house “Casa Tomasina”.
Unhappy days at the UST
1. The Dominican were hostile to him.
2. The Filipino students were racially discriminated by the Spaniards.
3. The method of instruction was obsolete and repressive.

Result:
--Rizal, the most brilliant graduate of Ateneo failed to win high scholastic grade.
Rizal’s scholastic records at
the
•1877 -UST
1878 (Philosophy & Letters)
Cosmology & Metaphysics … Excellent
Theodicy … Excellent
History of Philosophy … Excellent

• 1878 - 1879 (Medicine) 1st Year

Physics … Fair
Chemistry … Excellent
Natural History … Good
Anatomy I … Good
Dissection I … Good
• 1879 - 1880 (Medicine) –2nd Year
Anatomy 2 … Good
Dissection 2 … Good
Physiology … Good
Private Hygiene … Good
Public Hygiene … Good

• 1880 - 1881 (Medicine) –3rd Year

General Pathology … Fair
Therapeutics … Excellent
Surgery … Good

• 1881 – 1882 (Medicine) –4th Year

Medical Pathology … Very Good
Surgical Pathology … Very Good
Obstetrics … Very Good
After finishing the Fourth Year of his medical course, Rizal decided to
study in Spain. He could no longer endure the rampant bigotry,
discrimination, and hostility in the University of Santo Tomas.

He did not seek his parent’s permission and blessings to go abroad;

and even his beloved Leonor.
THANK YOU!