Profile snapshot: Dr Rody G. Sy Dr Rody Gan Sy is a highly accomplished academician and cardiologist recognized for his
18 Dec 2025
Dr Rody Gan Sy is a highly accomplished academician
and cardiologist recognized for his pioneering research in cardiovascular (CV)
health and genetics in the Philippines. He is widely respected by colleagues
and patients alike for his dedication to medical education and patient care.
Key highlights of life and career
• Born on December 20, 1950
• Education Doctor of Medicine, University of the Philippines Manila (UPCM), 1974 • Medical internship (1975) and Internal Medicine residency (1976-1979), UP-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) • Fellowship in Cardiology, Georgetown University Hospital (1979-1982) • Fellow and diplomate status with several prestigious bodies such as: Philippine College of Physicians (PCP), Philippine College of Cardiology, American College of Cardiology, Philippine Society of Cardiac Catheterization and Intervention, and ASEAN College of Cardiology
• Cardiogenomics, pharmacogenomics, epidemiology, and public health Country’s leading lipidologist • Significant contributions to the study of the genetic basis of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and of how different individuals respond to medications and treatments • Reported the first genetic study on Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) and related disorders • Led the 1st epidemiologic study on the prevalence of atherosclerotic risk factors in the country which revealed the high prevalence of low levels of HDL-C among Filipinos
• Served as principal investigator for the Philippine arm of LIFECARE (LIFE course study in CARdiovascular disease Epidemiology), a multi-country longitudinal cohort study tracking CVD development • Key role in the UP PGH Cardiovascular Genetics Study Group • Formed the FH Champions network to create regional experts for treating high-risk FH patients
• Academic, professional, and clinical leadership Professor Emeritus, UPCM • Past Head of Cardiovascular Section and Chair of the Department of Medicine, UP-PGH • Past Medical Director and Chairman of the Medicine Department and Chairman of the Cardiovascular Institute, Cardinal Santos Medical Center (CSMC) • Active in organizations that help indigent patients and needy medical students, like the Sagip Buhay Medical Foundation Inc., the Pusong Pinoy Foundation Inc., and the UP Medical Alumni Foundation Inc. • Held significant positions in medical societies, serving as presidents of the Philippine Heart Association (PHA), the Philippine Lipid and Atherosclerosis Society (PLAS), and the Asian Pacific Society of Atherosclerosis and Vascular Diseases
• Recognitions Academician, National Academy of Science and Technology (2019) • One of 100 Asian Scientists, Asian Scientist Magazine (2019) • Lifetime Achievement Awards from the UP Medical Alumni Society (2024) and the UP Alumni Association (2025)*
Five questions for Dr Rody Sy
1. Why did you pursue medicine?
I pursued medicine because I like solving problems, as in solving math equations. Medicine provides an opportunity in finding the cause of a patient's presenting symptoms and offering appropriate solutions.
2. Any advice for anyone pursuing a career in medicine?
One must have the patience and dedication to stay in the course for a long training period before reaching the time of actually treating a patient, more so nowadays when most doctors go for specialization and subspecialization, which means roughly 15 years after high school graduation. This doesn't guarantee a successful career for everyone. Furthermore, one has to update himself regularly to be abreast of the latest medical developments.
3. What keeps you healthy? Any advice on keeping healthy?
I keep myself healthy by following a healthy lifestyle as much as possible, balancing long hours of work with time with the family and traveling. Do everything in moderation.
4. What keeps you busy nowadays?
I am still busy with my private practice—five days a week with clinics in two hospitals, though shorter working hours than before. I attend professional group meetings and medical conferences. I help out in several medical foundations as well.
5. What are your most important legacies and most memorable moments?
Legacies—I was able to increase awareness on lipid disorders in our country, having identified the relatively low HDL cholesterol level in our population from national surveys and by doing the first local genetic study on [FH] more than two decades ago. I am currently involved in the FH registry of [PLAS]. I initiated the pharmacogenomic study on drugs prescribed in several common [CV] conditions.
Besides medical practice, I worked closely with former Dean Agnes Mejia in putting up the recently constructed eleven-story Medical Sciences Building in [UPCM].
Memorable moments—hearing patients telling me that certain doctors they consulted revealed to them that I was their mentor—this gives me a sense of fulfillment that I was instrumental in the training of colleagues in different fields of medicine.
Key highlights of life and career
• Born on December 20, 1950
• Education Doctor of Medicine, University of the Philippines Manila (UPCM), 1974 • Medical internship (1975) and Internal Medicine residency (1976-1979), UP-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) • Fellowship in Cardiology, Georgetown University Hospital (1979-1982) • Fellow and diplomate status with several prestigious bodies such as: Philippine College of Physicians (PCP), Philippine College of Cardiology, American College of Cardiology, Philippine Society of Cardiac Catheterization and Intervention, and ASEAN College of Cardiology
• Cardiogenomics, pharmacogenomics, epidemiology, and public health Country’s leading lipidologist • Significant contributions to the study of the genetic basis of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and of how different individuals respond to medications and treatments • Reported the first genetic study on Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) and related disorders • Led the 1st epidemiologic study on the prevalence of atherosclerotic risk factors in the country which revealed the high prevalence of low levels of HDL-C among Filipinos
• Served as principal investigator for the Philippine arm of LIFECARE (LIFE course study in CARdiovascular disease Epidemiology), a multi-country longitudinal cohort study tracking CVD development • Key role in the UP PGH Cardiovascular Genetics Study Group • Formed the FH Champions network to create regional experts for treating high-risk FH patients
• Academic, professional, and clinical leadership Professor Emeritus, UPCM • Past Head of Cardiovascular Section and Chair of the Department of Medicine, UP-PGH • Past Medical Director and Chairman of the Medicine Department and Chairman of the Cardiovascular Institute, Cardinal Santos Medical Center (CSMC) • Active in organizations that help indigent patients and needy medical students, like the Sagip Buhay Medical Foundation Inc., the Pusong Pinoy Foundation Inc., and the UP Medical Alumni Foundation Inc. • Held significant positions in medical societies, serving as presidents of the Philippine Heart Association (PHA), the Philippine Lipid and Atherosclerosis Society (PLAS), and the Asian Pacific Society of Atherosclerosis and Vascular Diseases
• Recognitions Academician, National Academy of Science and Technology (2019) • One of 100 Asian Scientists, Asian Scientist Magazine (2019) • Lifetime Achievement Awards from the UP Medical Alumni Society (2024) and the UP Alumni Association (2025)*
Five questions for Dr Rody Sy
1. Why did you pursue medicine?
I pursued medicine because I like solving problems, as in solving math equations. Medicine provides an opportunity in finding the cause of a patient's presenting symptoms and offering appropriate solutions.
2. Any advice for anyone pursuing a career in medicine?
One must have the patience and dedication to stay in the course for a long training period before reaching the time of actually treating a patient, more so nowadays when most doctors go for specialization and subspecialization, which means roughly 15 years after high school graduation. This doesn't guarantee a successful career for everyone. Furthermore, one has to update himself regularly to be abreast of the latest medical developments.
3. What keeps you healthy? Any advice on keeping healthy?
I keep myself healthy by following a healthy lifestyle as much as possible, balancing long hours of work with time with the family and traveling. Do everything in moderation.
4. What keeps you busy nowadays?
I am still busy with my private practice—five days a week with clinics in two hospitals, though shorter working hours than before. I attend professional group meetings and medical conferences. I help out in several medical foundations as well.
5. What are your most important legacies and most memorable moments?
Legacies—I was able to increase awareness on lipid disorders in our country, having identified the relatively low HDL cholesterol level in our population from national surveys and by doing the first local genetic study on [FH] more than two decades ago. I am currently involved in the FH registry of [PLAS]. I initiated the pharmacogenomic study on drugs prescribed in several common [CV] conditions.
Besides medical practice, I worked closely with former Dean Agnes Mejia in putting up the recently constructed eleven-story Medical Sciences Building in [UPCM].
Memorable moments—hearing patients telling me that certain doctors they consulted revealed to them that I was their mentor—this gives me a sense of fulfillment that I was instrumental in the training of colleagues in different fields of medicine.