University of Northern Philippines College of Medicine, Philippines

The university began as the Vigan High School (present-day Ilocos Sur National High School) in 1906. Its shop department was converted into a separate intermediate level school, named the Vigan Trade School in 1910. It opened its high school in 1927 and produced its first graduates in 1931, when it evolved as the Ilocos Sur Trade School. They were both in Vigan town. Two of the buildings still exist: one being used as a warehouse for a construction supply firm, the other is the location of the Vigan City Trade Center.

President Manuel Luis Quezon converted the Ilocos Sur Trade School in 1941 through the help of Assemblyman Benito T. Soliven and Governor Pedro Singson Reyes. However, World War II halted its implementation.

In 1951 the Ilocos Sur Trade School became the Northern Luzon School of Arts and Trades (NLSAT) by virtue of Republic Act 547. However, Republic Act 2700, or the General Appropriations Act of 1960, converted it back to Ilocos Sur School of Arts and Trades (ISSAT).

It is the only state university in the province aimed for less-fortunate people and one of three state-owned educational institutions of higher learning operating in Ilocos Sur.

The Candon Community College (CCC) was incorporated into the university in 1989 through Republic Act 6744, through the efforts of then-Congressman Eric D. Singson. It acted as a semi-autonomous unit. Despite this semi-autonomous status, CCC was split from the university by virtue of Republic Act 10085, also by Singson, to become the Northern Luzon Polytechnic State College in 2010.

In the late 1980s the commitment of the university to the new Stepladder Nursing Curriculum pioneered in Palo, Leyte was marked by the construction of the College of Health Sciences building, the tallest building in the university and one of the tallest in Ilocos Sur, finished in 1997. It currently houses all of its nursing and health-related courses and, later, the university-owned radio station dwNP, with its radio mast making the building taller than the new Student Council Building, finished in 2008-2009; and even the new University Gymnasium, currently under construction.

The University Infirmary was due for completion in 2009 but was delayed to give priority to the construction of the Administration Building. It was inaugurated on July 4, 2011. The fully operational hospital now houses the College of Medicine, which was spun off from the College of Health Sciences starting SY 2014-2015.

Under the administration of University President Gilbert R. Arce, an unprecedented sweeping wave of reforms led to various successes in the local, national, and even international scenes. During this period, amidst organizational reforms (including the shifting of the opening of the school year to the month of August–the first to do so in Ilocos Sur) and infrastructure changes (including the building of a new Gymnasium and University Hostel), the University attained attention when two of its graduates from the College of Medicine landed First in the Medical Council of India board examinations.

Address : Tamag,, Vigan City, Ilocos Sur, Philippines.