THE Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has approved the application for government authority to operate the Doctor of Medicine program at the Samar Island Institute of Medicine (SIIM) of Samar State University (SSU).
The move was seen to make medical more accessible to students in the Eastern Visayas Region.
“The expansion of medical education in Samar will facilitate the implementation of Republic Act No. 11509 or the Doktor Para sa Bayan law as there is no state college or university in Eastern Visayas where poor but deserving students can become doctors,” said CHED Secretary Prospero de Vera.
The UP School of Health Sciences in Palo, Leyte has a medical program using a ladderized system but its students are scholars of local governments and do not allow direct enrolment of students.
The Doktor Para sa Bayan Law aims to increase the number of doctors who will serve in far flung areas by establishing a Medical Scholarship and Return Service (MSRS) program for deserving students in SUCs or in partner private HEIs in regions where no SUCs offer a medical course
“As SSU President, I am filled with immense pride, joy, and gratitude that the University has finally been granted authority by CHED to offer the Doctor of Medicine program. The program is the first of its kind in the Island of Samar and represents a significant milestone in our history as a University,” said SSU president Marilyn Cardoso.
“The program is more than just an addition to our academic offerings, it represents SSU’s commitment to rewriting the narrative of Samar; to transform the healthcare landscape; and to ensure that the peoples of Samar and beyond will have access to world-class medical training and care. It is a testimony of our shared aspirations turning into reality,” she added.
Samar Gov. Sharee Ann Tan also expressed her enthusiasm on the approval of Samar Island Institute of Medicine to open.
“I have long prayed for us to have a medical institution that is accessible to our aspiring doctors, especially one that is in the Province of Samar. I am sure that we are capable of producing home-grown doctors and specialists who have the heart to serve their fellow Samarnons,” she said.
Second District of Samar Rep. Michael Tan also congratulated SSU’s milestone.
“This is a dream come true to our fellow Samarnons. We will soon have a medical institute that can provide quality education here in our province. I hope that our aspiring doctors will choose SIIM, and choose to serve the Samarnon community,” he added.
The SIIM is the twentieth medical program in public universities approved by CHED. Prior to the passage of the Doktor Para sa Bayan law there were only eight (8) SUCs with medical schools with five (5) in Luzon, two (2) in the Visayas and one (1) in Mindanao.
As a flagship program of the Marcos administration, there are now eight (8) in Luzon, five (5) in the Visayas and seven (7) in Mindanao.
A total of 2,689 poor but deserving students enjoy scholarships in public and private-partner medical schools in the country under the Doktor Para sa Bayan law. They will practice in underserved areas upon graduation through a return service agreement as part of their scholarship grant.