Southwestern University School of Medicine, Philippines

Southwestern University was founded as Southwestern Colleges in the summer of 1946, when the entire country was in the process of rehabilitation from the destruction that resulted from the Second World War. The founders were Don Matias Hipolito Chavez Aznar II and his wife, Dona Anunciacion Barcenilla Aznar, both pharmacists, who wanted to establish a school that was within the reach of the common people. SWU Located in the middle of Cebu city, the 2nd biggest city in South Philippines and closer to countries like Singapore and Malaysia.

Southwestern University was founded as Southwestern Colleges in the summer of 1946, when the entire country was in the process of rehabilitation from the destruction that resulted from the Second World War. The founders were Don Matias Hipolito Chavez Aznar II and his wife, Dona Anunciacion Barcenilla Aznar, both pharmacists, who wanted to establish a school that was within the reach of the common people. SWU Located in the middle of Cebu city, the 2nd biggest city in South Philippines and closer to countries like Singapore and Malaysia. At the time of the founding, the University had only three two-story buildings on an approximately two hectare lot. But then there were only 18 faculty members, 509 students and the following programs: Elementary, High School, Liberal Arts, Education and Law.

Southwestern University offers over 50 degree programs in the graduate and undergraduate levels, with an enrolment of more than 10 thousand. It has increased to more than 400 faculty members and more than 400 non-teaching personnel. Impressive buildings have replaced the old structures and the land area has increased several-fold. In addition to its more than 20 colleges, the University includes a tertiary hospital, a drug rehabilitation center, and a multimilion peso museum that gives a quick look at Cebuano art and lifestyle from the pre-historic era to modern times.

Established in 1951, Southwestern University prides itself as the first medical school outside Manila.In its formative years, classroom instructions were conducted in the pre-World War II residence of the university’s founders with fourteen (14) pioneering students and six (6) members of the faculty. As the university’s flagship program, it is now housed in a 7-storey building complete with advanced educational facilities and seamlessly integrated with the university’s training hospital, the SWU Medical.

The School of Medicine has a longstanding reputation for educating and training physicians from different parts of the world, shaping them to become world-class practitioners who foster groundbreaking innovations through research to continuously improve healthcare delivery.