HEADS up, future doctors!
The Doctor of Medicine program will soon be offered at two universities in La Union and Bulacan following the Commission on Higher Education’s (CHED) authorization.
CHED announced that Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University (DMMMSU) and Bulacan State University (BulSu) have been authorized to offer this program starting in the academic year 2024-2025, according to an article from Inquirer.net.
DMMMSU, the 21st public university in the Ilocos region, will become the third to offer the program among the other two public universities. Meanwhile, BulSu will be the first state university across Region III or central Luzon to offer a chance to study medicine.
A 2019 study by the UP Center for Integrative and Development Studies cited the excessive cost of the country’s medical education. It said it took approximately PHP 2 million for a student to graduate from medical school.
Today, the total cost may have risen, taking inflation into account. According to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, in April 2024, inflation is expected to settle within 3.5 to 4.3 percent range.
But set aside your worries because of the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Republic Act No. 11509 or Doktor Para sa Bayan Act.
CHED chair Prospero de Vera said that this sets the guidelines on the implementation of the law whose goals are to provide a medical scholarship program for students with excellent marks; and build a strong foundation for doctors for underserved areas in the country.
“Now we can produce more doctors through our top SUCs, who will go to underserved areas, specifically in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas or in municipalities without government physicians in need of health personnel,” added De Vera, according to Inquirer.net.
As for regions like Caraga and the Cordillera Administrative Region, the commission looks forward to establishing the same for public universities there.
With reports from Naomi Viehl D. Politico
