Good news! To all aspiring doctors out there who want to pursue medicine, you can now get a full scholarship.

Republic Act (RA) No. 11509 or the "Doktor Para sa Bayan Act" was signed by President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, January 5, that will help "deserving" students pursue medical education and training.

"Qualified applicants from municipalities without government physicians shall be prioritized in the allocation of scholarship slots to ensure the assignment of at least one doctor for every municipality in the country," Duterte ordered. 

In return for educational aid, the aspiring doctors will eventually render services in government hospitals in their hometown, in any municipality in their home province, or in any underserved municipality

The newly-signed law seeks to encourage students to take up medicine and help improve the country’s doctor-patient ratio.

According to the law, the program will be established in state universities and colleges or in private partner higher education institutions in regions where there are no SUCs. It mandates the acceptance of at least one scholar from each municipality of the country. But if no one is qualified in a certain municipality, other applicants will be considered.

WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS?

To be qualified in the full scholarship program, a student must be/have:

• a Filipino citizen living in the Philippines
  •  a graduating student or a graduate of an appropriate undergraduate program identified as a prerequisite for a medicine degree from any higher educational institution recognized by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED)
  • passed the entrance examinations and complied with other requirements for admission into a medicine degree
  • obtained a National Medical Admission test score mandated by CHED and required by the educational institution where the student intends to enroll in.

A student will lose the scholarship if he/she:

• accepts another scholarship from other government or private entity
  • fails to meet the academic requirements or to complete the course within the period prescribed by the school he is enrolled in without valid cause
  • fails to obtain a passing grade in the physician licensure examination within five years from the time he has completed the mandatory internship program
  • commits gross misconduct

As indicated in the law, after passing the physician licensure examination and the conferment of the license to practice, the scholar will become part of the public health and medical service system. The scholar will be required to:

• serve in a government public health office, government hospital, or any accredited government health facility in his hometown or in any underserved municipality closest to his hometown for at least one year for every scholarship year availed of,
• render the mandatory return service within six years from the time of passing the licensure examination for those who have availed of a four-year program and seven years for those who have availed of a five-year program.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

The medical scholarship and return service program in state universities and colleges or partner private higher education institutions shall cover the following, the President said. 

• Free tuition and other school fees
• Allowance for prescribed books, supplies, and equipment
• Clothing or uniform allowance 
• Allowance for dormitory or boarding house accommodation
• Transportation allowance
• Internship fees
• Medical board review fees
• Licensure fees
• Annual medical insurance
• Other education-related miscellaneous subsistence or living expenses

This is indeed one of the first wonderful news we’ve heard this year—a great initiative to aid doctor wannabes to pursue their medical dreams.

For those interested, let’s wait for the full implementation of this project!