Medical education in the Philippines is principally offered and developed by accredited

and government recognized medical schools in the country.

The Philippine medical schools are graduate schools offering the Doctor of Medicine (M.D.)
degree. The M.D. is a four-year professional degree program which qualifies the degree
holder to take the licensure exam for medical doctors in the Philippines.

Admission to medical schools[edit]

Before applying to any medical school, a candidate must earn a bachelor's degree with
credits in certain required subjects. The most common pre-medical degrees
include biology, psychology, pharmacy, medical technology, biochemistry, nursing,
and physical therapy.[1]
In addition, a candidate must take the National Medical Admission Test (NMAT), the
national entrance exam for all medical schools in the Philippines.[1][2]

Professional medical degree[edit]

The Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) is a four-year professional degree program dealing
with medical theories, practices, technologies, and problem solving.
The completion of the degree program with one-year postgraduate internship qualifies a
candidate to take the licensure exam for medical doctors in the Philippines. [1]

Philippine medical schools[edit]

Medical schools in the country are regulated by the Commission on Higher
Education (CHED) of the Philippines, and accredited by the Association of Philippine
Medical Colleges.[1]

Philippine Physician Licensure Examination[edit]

The licensure exams for physicians (board exam for doctors) are administered by
the Philippine Board of Medicine, a professional regulatory body under the general control
and supervision of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) of the Philippines.[1]

Advanced medical studies[edit]

After graduation from medical school and passing the board exam for doctors, a Filipino
doctor is labelled as a general medical practitioner. He may seek further training by way of
graduate programs in medicine (i.e., Master of Public Health, Master of Health Services
Administration, etc.), or by way of medical specialization. [1]

Graduate medical programs[edit]

Graduate programs are offered in some medical schools in the country and abroad.
Candidates usually attend lectures and practical exercises in an academic environment and
in laboratory settings. The program may require the presentation and defense of a graduatelevel thesis, an independent research project, or supervised professional practice as a final
graduation requirement. The entire academic program may last from one year to five years,
depending on the requirements of the curriculum; the demands of the institution; and the
academic load, availability, and dedication of the individual student. [1]

Medical specialization[edit]
Medical specialization usually takes three to six years of residency training in accredited
hospitals and clinics, and the taking of diplomate board examinations conducted by a board
of medical specialists in a particular field (i.e., Philippine Board of Psychiatry, Philippine
Board of Pediatrics, Philippine Board of Surgery, Philippine Specialty Board of Internal
Medicine, Philippine Academy of Family Physicians Board of Examiners etc.). After
specialization, the doctor may practice his field of specialty or pursue one to three years of
subspecialty training / fellowship such as A) Pediatrics and internal medicine: cardiology,
pulmonology, gastroenterology, endocrinology, infectious disease, oncology etc. B) Surgery:
thoracic and cardiovascular, pediatric, transplant, trauma, minimally invasive, oncology C)
Anesthesiology: pain, cardiovascular D) OB Gyn: oncology, ultrasound, reproductive
endocrinolgy and infertility Straight programs for subspecialties are also offered : urology,
orthopedics, plastic and reconstructive, neurosurgery

[1]

Medical practice[edit]
Medical practice in the Philippines is developed, monitored, and regulated by the Philippine
Medical Association (PMA), the largest organization of medical doctors in the country.
Other medical and health societies co-exist to pursue more specific interests in the medical
field (i.e. Philippine Academy of Family Physicians, Philippine Dermatological Society,
Philippine Cancer Society, Philippine Pediatric Society, Philippine Association for the Study
of Overweight and Obesity, etc.).[8]
The Department of Health, a cabinet-level department under the Office of the President of
the Philippines, exercises general monitoring supervisory powers over medical practitioners
and allied health personnel in the Philippines.[9]

Notable Filipino doctors[edit]

Jos Rizal - the National Hero of the Philippines

Mariano Ponce - Filipino propagandist, was managing editor of La Solidaridad

Juan Flavier - former Health Secretary and Senator of the Philippines

Manuel Dayrit - former Health Secretary and Officer of the World Health
Organization, current Dean of Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health
Ramon Gustilo - Orthopedic surgeon; responsible for the commonly used Gustilo

open fracture classification.[10]

Senen Reyes - the first and only Filipino Cosmonaut-Doctor[11]

Fe del Mundo - First Filipino woman and female medical student to enter the Harvard
Medical School. A pioneer of Pediatrics in the Philippines.[12]

See also[edit]

List of medical schools in the Philippines

Higher education in the Philippines

Philippine College of Physicians

References[edit]
1.

2.
3.

4.
5.

^ Jump up to:a b c d e f g h i Medical education, Professional Regulation Commission of

the Philippines, 2007.
Jump up^ CHED Memorandum Order no. 10, series of 2006.
Jump up^ Statistical Data of Medical Board Exam Passing Rates, Professional
Regulation Commission of the Philippines, 1998-2011
Jump up^ Souvenir Program of Oath-taking of New Physicians, 15 September 2012
Jump up^ http://www.prcboardexams.com/2007-2012-top-medical-schools-inphilippines/

6.

Jump up^ http://infolikes.com/board-exams/top-medical-schools-in-the-philippines2007-2012/

7.

Jump up^ http://www.apmcf-ph.net/member-schools-and-colleges

8.

Jump up^ Allied organizations, Philippine Medical Association, 2007.

9.

Jump up^ Public Information Office, Department of Health, Republic of the

Philippines, 2007.

10.
96.

Jump up^ Redi, etc. all. AO principles of fracture management, Volume 1. p. Page

11.

Jump up^ Beta Mu Sigma.

12.

Jump up^ http://www.feu-alumni.com/announcements/fdm.htm