Rizal As A Student
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fter nishing the 4 th year of the medical course in the University of Santo Tomas, Tomas, Jose Rizal, being disgusted with the antiquated method of instruction in this ominican!owned university and the racial "re#udice of ominican $rofessors $rofessors against %ili"ino students, decided to com"lete his studies in S"ain& 't that time the government of S"ain was a constitutional monarchy under a written consti constitut tution ion which which grante granted d human human right rights s to the "eo"le "eo"le,, "artic "articula ularly rly freed freedom om of s"eech, freedom of the "ress, and freedom of assembly& 'side from this ostensible reason, he had another reason, which was more im"ortant than merely com"leting his studies in S"ain& This was his (secret mission) which many Rizalist biogra"hers *including 'ustin +raig and enceslao -& Retana. never mention in their writings& /n 0ovemb 0ovember er 1, 233, 233, Rizal Rizal enroll enrolled ed in the Univer Universid sidad ad +entra +entrall de 5adrid 5adrid *+entr *+entral al University of 5drid. in two courses 6 5edicine and $hiloso"hy and 7etters& 'side from his heavy studies in the university, he studied "ainting and scul"ture in the 'cademy of %ine 'rts 'rts of San %ernan ernando8 do8 too9 too9 lesson lessons s in %rench rench,, :erman :erman and -ngli -nglish sh under under "rivate instructors8 and assiduously "racticed fencing and shooting in the ;all of 'rms of Sanz y +aebonell& ;is thirst for 9nowledge of music, he visited the art galleries and museums and read boo9s on all sub#ects under the sun, including military engineering in order to broaden broaden his cultural cultural bac9ground& bac9ground& Rizal led a S"artan S"artan life in 5adrid& 5adrid& ;e 9new that he came to S"ain to study and "re"are himself for service to his fatherland& 'ccordingly, he rigidly budgeted his money, on food, clothing, lodging and boo9s never wasting a "eseta for gambling, wine and women& ;is only e> demo demons nstr trat atio ions ns wer were caus caused ed by the the addr addres ess s of r& r& 5igu 5iguel el 5ora 5orayt yta, a, "rofessor of history, at the o"ening ceremonies of the academic year on 0ovember =, in which he "roclaimed (the freedom of science and the teacher)& Such as liberal view was condemned by the +atholic bisho"s of S"ain, who "rom"tly e
he studied and "assed all sub#ects leading to the degree of octor of 5edicine& ue to the fact, however that he did not "resent the thesis required for graduation nor "aid the corres"onding fees, he was not awarded his octor>s di"loma&
;is scholastic records in medicine at the Universidad +entral de 5adrid were as follows@
Fifth Year (1882-83): Continuation of Medical Course in the ni!ersit" of Santo #o$as 5edical +linic ABBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB&&B& :ood Surgical +linic ABBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB&&B& :ood /bstetrical +linic BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB&&B&& %air 7egal 5edicineBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB&&&& -
Si% Year (1883-8&) 5edical +linic BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB&&& Surgical +linic BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB&&&
:ood Cery :ood
'icentiate in Medicine aarded on une 21* 188& +ith the ratin, Fair. /octorate (188&-80) ;istory of 5edical ScienceBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB&&&&&&&& %air Surgical 'nalysisBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB&&&&&&& :ood 0ormal ;istologyBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& -
/octor of Medicine (ot Aarded) Rizal also nished his studies in $hiloso"hy and 7etters, with higher grades& ;e was awarded the degree of 7icentiate in $hiloso"hy and 7etters by the Universidad +entral de 5adrid on June 2D, 233? *his 4th birthday., with the rating of (-
1882-83 Universal ;istory ABBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB&&&&& :eneral 7iteratureBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB&&
1883-8&
Cery :ood -
Universal ;istory ABBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB&&&&&&&& :eneral 7iteratureBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB&&&&& 188&-80
Cery :ood -
Universal ;istory BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB -
-
1882-83 S"anish 7anguageBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB -
't long last, Rizal com"leted his studies in S"ain& Fy obtaining the degree of 7icentiate in $hiloso"hy and 7etters, he became qualied to be a "rofessor of humanities in any S"anish university& 'nd by receiving his degree of 7icentiate in 5edicine, he became a full!Gedged "hysician, qualied to "ractice medicine& ;e did not bother to secure the "ost!graduate degree of octor of 5edicine because it was, together with the 7icentiate in $hiloso"hy and 7etters, good only for teaching "ur"oses& Feing a man of high intelligence and foresight, he 9new that with his brown color and 'sian racial ancestry no friar!owned university or college in the $hili""ines would acce"t him in its faculty staH& Thus he said, in his letter to his family written in 5adrid, 0ovember I, 2334@ (5y doctorate is not of very much value to meB&because although it is useful to a university "rofessor, yet A believe they *ominican friars. will never a""oint me as such in the +ollege of Santo Tomas& A say the same thing of $hiloso"hy and 7etters which may serve also for a "rofessorshi", but A doubt if the ominican fathers will grant it to me&) 'fter com"leting his studies in 5adrid, Rizal went to $aris and :ermany in order to s"ecialize in o"hthalmology& ;e "articularly chose this branch of medicine because he wanted to cure his mother>s eye ailment& ;e served as an assistant to the famous oculists of -uro"e& ;e also continued his travels and observations of -uro"ean life and customs, government and laws in $aris, ;eidelberg, 7ei"zig and Ferlin& An Ferlin, ca"ital of then unied :ermany, he met and befriended several to" :erman scientists, r& %eodor Jagor, r& 'dol"h F& 5eyer, r& ;ans 5eyer and r& Rudolf Circhow& ;is merits as a scientist were recognized by the eminent scientists of -uro"e& 'fter terminating his studies at the +entral University of 5adrid, Rizal who was then 4 years old and already a "hysician, went to $aris in order to acquire more 9nowledge in o"hthalmology&
