Are you aspiring to be a doctor but you have no money for tuition fee?
Good news. Just this week, I heard that the current government has allocated ₱317.1-million student financial assistance fund for 2017 through the efforts of CHED and DBM.(You probably heard it too.) After seeing the word “student”,which means attention is also drawn towards the education aside from the budget allocated to military and defense, I could not help but be delighted knowing that there is a also a good vision towards the support of doctor “wannabes” in our country.
I am not sure how will they choose the scholars to win the golden MD ticket but they said It is for the incoming and currently enrolled medical students beginning academic year 2017-2018.(Does that mean all of them?Wow! I wish this will be sustained.) These are the requirements they need to satisfy in order To qualify for the assistance fund:
1. Pass the admission requirements of the SUC
2. Enroll in an authorized Doctor of Medicine program of the SUC
3. Maintain a general weighted average of at least a passing grade(imagine that, they said it is just passing grade,if you know what I mean)
4. Carry a regular academic load and complete the degree within the period allowed in the university
The vision is not only limited to subsidize the tuition of medical students but also to facilitate their residency and practice in this country. CHED Commissioner Prospero De Vera De Vera said student-grantees will also have to render one year of service in the country for every year of cash grant received as part of their public service responsibility. It is not surprising to know that there are paybacks. Doctors after graduation and post graduate internship usually still stay in the Philippines to practice (unless they really have plans to go abroad right after. )
The fund will be divided among eight SUCs:
- University of Northern Philippines
- Mariano Marcos State University
- Cagayan State University
- Bicol University
- West Visayas State University
- University of the Philippines-Leyte
- Mindanao State University
- University of the Philippines-Manila
INTROSPECTION:
With this movement of the admin, we can see that there is an encouragement for young Filipinos to care for the health of the nation– to become doctors. Indeed, a healthy citizenry,which includes us, is important in nation-building as we become part of the productive workforce. I just hope the educational system per state university will not be substandard and that there will be no corruption so the budget will be properly allocated.
MEDICINE IS FOR THE RICH AND INTELLIGENT
Some people hold the mentality that medicine are just limited for the rich, and “can afford” Even if the medicine tuition fee is sky high, it is surprising to know that there are still many applicants in medicine schools every year. There are people, company and community groups who are generous enough to offer sponsorship and scholarships. Good for them.
Sometimes there are those family who are not really poor but it is just that their money is not that enough to send their child to medicine. Some would be able to start but not able to sustain medicine. The Tuition fee subsidy is already a big help. Considering that there are also other things that need to be paid for such as books, uniforms, supplies for the various requirements. (Need not to mention the laptop, internet and medical kits). I hope that soon there will be more schools that will be under this .
MEDICINE IS FOR THE INTELLIGENT
Lucky are those who are able to get academic scholarships although they have to maintain a high grade to persuade their benefactor that they deserve the assistance. (This is one of the times you need to take care of your grades. See GC KA BA? for a related article.) I believe the geniuses won’t find this difficult. Lucky are those who are able to get some sponsorship with just a passing mark. The question now is what if the aspirant is just an average student or does not have grades that are high enough? If he does not know anyone even if he exhaust all his effort to find one? Will he just sulk in the room and cry?
With the added dilemmas of long-term return of investments, better paying opportunities abroad, personal problems,complex lifestyle and financial burden associated with med school and the real world of medicine, a college graduate who wants to be a doctor will most likely not be able to pursue his or her life dream.But because of this opportunity, there will now be a big hope.A big hope for the country’s future as well.
(I remember the time I was searching for medical schools that cost less than the others. I remember myself walking along Taft avenue from Vito cruz up to central station just to look for a school who would allow me to take a subject just to complete the units required for the school I am applying for. I remember how I went to different schools in valenzuela, fairview, in UN ave, Sta.mesa and intramuros just to know the qualifications for scholarship, submit the admission requirements, and attend my interviews. I remember how I went after work just to take the qualifying exams.)
news source: http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2017/06/16/CHED-free-tuition-medical-students.html