Chapter 5
Medical
Studies at the
University of
Santo Tomas
(1877-1882)
University of Santo Tomas
After finishing the first year of course
in Philosophy and letters (1877-78),
he transferred to the medical course.
As a Thomasian, he won more literary
laurels, had other romances with
pretty girls, and fought against
Spanish students who insulted the
brown Filipino students.
After Graduating with the highest
honors from Ateneo, Rizal had to go
to the University of Santo Tomas for
higher studies.
Don Francisco and Paciano wanted
Jose to pursue higher learning in the
university.
Dona Teodora opposed:
“Don’t send him to Manila again; he
knows enough. If he gets to know
more, the Spaniards will cut off his
head.”
Jose Rizal himself was surprised why
his mother, who was a woman of
education and culture, should object to
his desire for a university education.
In April 1877, Rizal who was 16,
matriculated at UST, taking the
course on Philosophy and Letters.
two reasons for taking the course:
1. his father liked it
2. he was “still uncertain as to what
career to pursue”
He wrote to Father Pablo Ramon,
Rector of the Ateneo, asking for
advice on the choice of a career. But
the Father Rector was then in
Mindanao so that he was unable to
advise Rizal.
Two reasons for studying medicine:
1. Ateneo Rector’s advice is to study
medicine
2. to be able to cure his mother’s
growing blindness.
during the 1st term in UST, he also
studied in Ateneo and took up
vocational course leading to the title
of Perito Agrimensor (Expert
Surveyor)
at age 17, he passed the final
examination in the surveying course,
but could not be granted title because
he was below age.
he frequently visited Ateneo because
of his loyalty
the professors in Ateneo loved him
and inspired him to ascend to greater
heights of knowledge.
he was president of the Academy of
Spanish Literature and secretary of
the Academy of Natural Sciences and
also the secretary of Marian
Congregation.
Rizal had ample time for love
Romantic Dreamer who liked to sip
the “nectar of love”
His sad experience with his first love
Segunda had made him wiser.
Segunda Katigbak
“Miss L” (fair with seductive and
attractive eyes)
Nobody today knows this woman
Two reasons for his change of heart:
The sweet memory of Segunda was still
fresh in his heart
His father did not like the family of “Miss
L”
He courted Leonor
Valenzuela , pet name
is Orang
He taught her the
secret of reading any
note written in the
invisible ink by
heating it over a
candle or lamp.
Leonor Valenzuela
Leonor Rivera (his
cousin from
Camiling, Tarlac)
They became
engaged.
“Taimis” is the
code name of
Leonor Leonor Rivera
Rizal experienced his first taste of
Spanish brutality when he a freshmen
medical student at the UST.
One dark night in Calamba, Rizal
passed a man and did not salute nor
say a courteous “Good Evening”. That
man turned out to be a lieutenant of
the Guardia Civil. He whipped out his
sword and brutally slashed Rizal on
the back.
he went to the General Primo de
Rivera but did not obtain justice
Because he was an indio and the
abusive lieutenant was a Spaniard.
In 1879, the Liceo Artistico-Literario
(Artistic-Literary Lyceum) of Manila
held a literary contest.
Rizal, 18, submitted his poem entitled
“A La Juventud Filipina (To the Filipino
Youth)”
He won first prize which consisted of
a silver pen, feather-shaped and
decorated with a gold ribbon.
The poem is a classic in Philippine
literature for two reasons:
1. it was the first great 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, and not the foreigners, were
the “fair hope of the Fatherland”.
In 1880, Artistic-Literary Lyceum opened
another literary contest to
commemorate the 4th centennial of the
death of Cervantes, famous author of
Don Quixote.
Many participated in the contest –
priests, newspapermen, scholars and
professors.
Rizal submitted an allegorical drama
entitled “El Consejo de los Dioses (The
Council of the Gods)
All the judges were Spaniards.
Rizal won first prize because of its
literary superiority over the others.
The Spanish community in Manila
howled in great indignation against
the decision because the winning
author was an Indio.
The prize awarded to Rizal was a gold
ring on which was engraved the best
of Cervantes.
Junto al Pasig (Beside the Pasig)
a zarzuela, staged by the Ateneans on
the occasion of the annual celebration of
the Feast Day of the Immaculate
Conception, Patroness of the Ateneo.
(1880)
A Filipinas
a sonnet, for the album of the Society of
Sculptors. It urged Filipino artist to
glorify the Philippines.(1880)
Rizal went on a pilgrimage to the town of Pakil,
famous shrine of Birhen Maria de los Dolores
Accompanied by Saturnina, Maria, Trinidad and
female friends
They took casco and stayed at home of Mr. and
Mrs. Manuel Regalado
They were Fascinated by the famous turumba
People dancing in the street in honor of Birhen Maria
de los Dolores
From Pakil, Rizal
made a side trip to
Pagsanjan
It is the native
town of Leonor
River
To see the world
famed Pagsanjan
Falls
In frequently fights against arrogant Spanish
students:
indio chongo
kastila bangus
1880, Rizal founded Companerismo
(comradeship), members were called
companions of Jehu.
he was the chief of this secret student society
his cousin, Galicano Apacible was the secretary
As chief, he led the Filipino students
into combat against spanish students
in various street fights.
In one of the skirmishes, Rizal was
wounded on the head.
His friends brought him to Casa
Tomasina where Leonor Rivera took
care of him.
Rizal was unhappy because:
The Dominican professors were hostile to
him
The Filipino students were racially
discriminated against by the Spaniards
The method of instruction was obsolete
and repressive.
In his novel, El Filibusterismo, he
described how the Filipinos students
were humiliated and insulted by their
Dominican professors and how
backward the method of instruction
was.
Failed to win high scholastic honors
due to his unfriendly attitude of his
professors.
1877-78 Philosophy and 1879-80 Medicine
Letters G Anatomy 2
E Cosmology & G Dissection 2
Metaphysics Physiology
G
E Theodicy G Private Hygiene
E History of Philosophy G Public Hygiene
1878-79 Medicine 1880-81 Medicine
F Physics F General Pathology
E Chemistry E Therapeutics
G Natural History G Surgery
G Anatomy I 1881-82 Medicine
G Dissection I
VG Medical Pathology
VG Obstetrics
Library
University of
Santo
Thomas
decided to study in Spain because:
no longer endure the rampant bigotry,
discrimination, and hostility of UST
he knew that they will disapprove
especially his mother
Persons allowed him to go to Spain:
Paciano
Saturnina
Lucia
Antonio Rivera
Valenzuela Family
