University of Santo Tomas: Rizal's First Steps into Medicine
José Rizal began his medical studies at the University of Santo Tomas in 1877, initially pursuing Philosophy and Letters before shifting to medicine — driven by his desire to treat his mother's failing eyesight. Though he didn't complete his degree there, leaving in 1882 to continue his studies in Spain, UST marked the true beginning of his path toward ophthalmology. Discover how José Rizal's medical journey began at the University of Santo Tomas, driven by his desire to help his mother's failing eyesight, and how this chapter set him on the path toward Spain and a career in ophthalmology.
Moderator - Tomas Kauer 
After graduating with highest honors from the Ateneo Municipal de Manila, José Rizal faced a decision that would shape the next chapter of his life: where to continue his education, and what path to pursue. He chose the University of Santo Tomas, one of the oldest universities in Asia, and it was here that he took his very first steps toward becoming a doctor — a professional identity that would follow him for the rest of his life, even as his ambitions grew far beyond medicine alone.
Arriving at UST
Rizal enrolled at the University of Santo Tomas in 1877, initially pursuing studies in Philosophy and Letters, a common academic path at the time before specializing further. This choice reflected both his broad intellectual curiosity and the expectations of a well-rounded classical education, similar in spirit to what he had already experienced at the Ateneo.
It didn't take long, however, for Rizal to shift his focus toward something more specific and personally meaningful: medicine.
Why Medicine? A Deeply Personal Motivation
Rizal's decision to study medicine wasn't a purely academic or career-driven choice — it was deeply personal. His mother, Teodora Alonso, was experiencing failing eyesight, and Rizal wanted to be able to help her directly. This motivation led him to pursue medicine with a particular focus on ophthalmology, the branch of medicine dealing with eye care and treatment.
This detail says a great deal about Rizal's character: even as he was clearly capable of pursuing nearly any academic or intellectual path, his choice of medicine was rooted in something intimate and practical — a desire to care for someone he loved, rather than pure ambition or prestige.
Life as a Student at UST
At the University of Santo Tomas, Rizal continued to demonstrate the same academic discipline that had defined his years at the Ateneo. However, his time at UST was not without friction. Some historical accounts suggest that Rizal experienced discrimination as a Filipino student within an institution still deeply shaped by Spanish colonial hierarchies, where Filipino students were sometimes treated with less respect or given fewer opportunities than their Spanish counterparts, regardless of merit.
This experience, subtle as it may have been compared to the more dramatic abuses he would later write about, likely contributed to Rizal's growing awareness of the systemic inequalities embedded within colonial institutions — including those meant to educate and uplift, like the university itself.
An Incomplete Chapter, By Design
Rizal did not complete his medical degree at the University of Santo Tomas. In 1882, he made the significant decision to leave the Philippines — in secret, without the full knowledge of colonial authorities — in order to continue his medical studies in Spain. This wasn't a rejection of UST itself, but rather a reflection of Rizal's ambition to receive a more advanced, specialized medical education than what was available to him in the Philippines at the time, particularly in the specific field of ophthalmology he wished to pursue.
His studies would eventually continue at the Universidad Central de Madrid, and later in Paris and Heidelberg, where he would finally complete his training under some of Europe's leading medical specialists.
Why UST Still Matters in Rizal's Story
Though his time at the University of Santo Tomas didn't end with a diploma in hand, it played an essential role in shaping the direction of his life. It was here that his academic path shifted from broad classical study toward the specific, purposeful pursuit of medicine — a decision driven by love for his mother rather than personal glory. It was also here that he likely encountered, in smaller and more personal ways, some of the colonial inequities that would later fuel the sharper, more public critiques found in his writing.
The University of Santo Tomas remains an important stop in tracing Rizal's educational journey — not the place where his medical training concluded, but the place where it truly began, setting him on a path that would eventually take him halfway across the world in pursuit of the same original goal: to become a doctor capable of helping the people he loved most.
