Clarification from CHED On the Validity of a One-Year Pre-Medicine Course in the Philippines and Related Laws on the Matter

1. Is a one year (1-year) Pre-Medicine degree like BS/AB authorized in the Philippines as a pre-requisite to the Doctor of Medicine program? Is this valid?

Answer: NO.The Philippine Medical Act of 1959 (RA 2382 as amended, June 20, 1959), still a valid law- mandates a full bachelor's degree course (e.g., BS BIOLOGY; AB/BS PSYCHOLOGY) as a pre-medical course to the Doctor of Medicine program.

Prior to the implementation of the K-12 program (before SY 2018-2019) and consistent with Executive Order 285, s. 2000 (Governing the Entry and Stay of Foreign Students in the Philippines), the crediting of the senior high school taken in other countries like India, and subject to the relevant policies and standards of the Commission, may be allowed.

Specifically, Section 6 of the Philippine Medical Act of 1959 states thus:

"Section 6. Minimum required courses Students seeking admission to the medical course must have a bachelor of science or bachelor of arts degree or their equivalent and must have taken in four years the following subjects with their corresponding number of units: xxx"

However, with the implementation of the K-12 basic education in the Philippines, the Philippines is now in parity with other countries in terms of the duration of basic education and crediting of the senior high school is no longer possible, unless the Commission on Higher Education approves a shorter, integrated Medical degree program consistent with law and regulation.

2. Can they get a degree in just one year from a school in the Philippines even if they studied in India and are eligible to enroll in medicine proper? Is this true?

Answer: NO. Again, the Philippine Medical Act of 1959 is clear:

"Section 6. Minimum required courses Students seeking admission to the medical course must have a bachelor of science or bachelor of arts degree or their equivalent and must have taken in four years the following subjects with their corresponding number of units: xxx"

Moreover, Section 7 of the same law states:

"Section 7. Admission requirements. The medical college may admit any student to its first year class who has not been convicted by any court of competent jurisdiction of any offense involving moral turpitude, and who presents (a) a certificate showing completion of a standard high school course, (b) a record showing completion of a standard preparatory medical course as herein provided, xxx

Nothing in this Act shall be construed to inhibit any college of medicine from establishing, in addition to the preceding, other entrance requirements that may be deemed admissible".

3. In every advertisement, hoarding boards, and in their websites, they have mentioned that they are fully approved by CHED. Has CHED approved a one-year BS in India, followed by a one-year BS in the Philippines and then followed by Medicine Proper?

Answer: NO. The Commission on Higher Education has not approved nor authorized a 1-year pre-medicine course as this would be illegal or contrary to the pertinent provisions of the Philippine Medical Act of 1959 as already explained above as well as to the pertinent Policies, Standards and Guidelines (PSGs) of specific degree programs such as the AB Psychology or BS Biology programs which are popular pre-medicine courses.

No such authorization has been given to any educational institution to operate a 1-year pre-medicine program as all medical institutions are bound by the Philippine Medical Act of 1959.