First District Cong. Edgar Chatto is urging
qualified students to study medicine as the
Bohol Island State University (BISU) School of
Medicine announced on Thursday, June 8,
2023 that it is accepting applications for the
first batch to the medicine program.
A post on the official BISU page said
applicants may submit their applications in-
person, at the Guidance Office, School of
Medicine Building, BISU Main Campus, CPG
Avenue, Tagbilaran City, Bohol; or submit
online through the link: https://bit.ly/SOM-
Online-Submission
Applicants must be Natural-born Filipino
Citizen; Baccalaureate Degree Holder; with a
General Weighted Average (GWA) of 2.0 or
85% (Bachelor’s Degree); with a National
Medical Admission Test (NMAT) score of 40
or higher taken not more than 2 years prior to
the application; Must be of good character
(Good Moral Certificate issued from previous
school); must have no record of conviction or
crime involving moral turpitude (Police or NBI
clearance); Must have passed all the
admission requirements including interview
and other selection criteria; and willing to be
deployed for a Return of Service.
Requirements for the initial screening include
the Filled-up Application Form; Diploma or
Certificate of Graduation; Official NMAT
Result; Certificate of General Weighted
Average; Certificate of Good Moral Character;
and 2×2 ID photo with name tag and white
background.
The Commission on Higher Education through
Chair Dr. Prospero De Vera issued a press
release last May 29, 2023 on the national
agency’s approval of BISU’s medicine
program.
He said the expansion of medical education
will “facilitate the implementation” of Republic
Act No. 11509 or “An Act Establishing a
Medical Scholarship and Return Service
program for Deserving Students.”
RA 11509 or more popularly known as the
Doktor Para sa Bayan Law, supported by
Chatto in Congress, 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.
“This is the primary objective of establishing a
medical school in Bohol,” Chatto stated as he
explained that the discussions became
serious during the onset of the COVID
pandemic where the lack of doctors and
medical specialists in the province became
apparent.
The move supports efforts to advance a
strong health care system with the
modernization of Gallares Hospital and its
linkage with the BISU School of Medicine.
It was around this time in 2021 when Chatto
initially consulted with university presidents on
the establishment of a medical school, a
challenge that BISU took on with Chatto
supporting the province’s only state university
throughout the process.
BISU has set the application and entrance
examination period on June 8-30, 2023.
Applicants will go through an interview and
when accepted, a confirmation and enrollment
as well as general orientation before classes
begin on August 14, 2023.
For concerns regarding the application,
applicants may contact Dr. Marvie P. Hamel
Darbandi through Email Address:
som@bisu.edu.ph or Contact No.: 0963-2220-
845.