DOH medical scholarship up for grabs in the Visayas

CEBU – The Department of Health (DOH) said it has reopened its scholarship program for medical courses in partner schools in Cebu and the Visayas.

Registered nurse Mario Natividad of DOH said two courses are open for the scholarship program - medicine and midwifery - and these are being offered in three schools in the region. For medicine course, two slots are available at the University of Cebu Medical Center (UCMED) in Mandaue City and four slots at the Southwestern University in Urgello in Cebu City. For midwifery, it is offered at the University of Bohol in Tagbilaran City.

“This means that DOH is offering all in free education, the scholar will not pay for anything while enrolled in the program,” Natividad said.

The requirements to avail of the scholarship, Natividad said, will depend on those set by the partner schools. For those who are accepted in the Medicine scholarship program, they are entitled to receive more than P30,000 which include allowances for books, uniform, miscellaneous, transportation, lodging, living subsidy, and an annual premium for Philhealth.

For midwifery, the scholar is entitled to a book allowance worth P10,000 for every semester and uniform allowance at P2,500 annually. Aspiring scholars will have to apply directly to the partner school which has their own set of requirements, he said.

After graduation, the scholars will have to take the Professional Licensure Examination within the year. If they fail to pass, the scholar will have to shoulder the expenses for the succeeding licensing exam.

Natividad said the scholars are also required to render a “return of service”. “For every year of the scholarship program, multiply that by two and that is the required return of service obligation years,” he said.

“They shall render first three years in Public Health Care Services through the Doctors to the Barrio Program. The remaining years shall be in government service, either in national or local public health institution, academe, residency training, and research and development,” he added.

Natividad said the aim of the program is to draw more medical professionals to work in the public health sector to address the inequitable access to quality health care services prioritizing the depressed, hard to reach communities, the marginalized and vulnerable population in the country.