CORDILLERA’S FIRST: BSU gets CHED nod to open medical school

According to CHED, BSU is among five state universities and colleges (SUCs) nationwide that were granted approval to offer a Doctor of Medicine program after meeting evaluation and compliance requirements. The initiative is part of the government's efforts to address the country's physician shortage and expand access to medical education beyond major urban centers.

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Aspiring physicians in the Cordillera may soon be able to pursue their medical education closer to home after the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) approved the Doctor of Medicine program of Benguet State University (BSU) for Academic Year 2026–2027.

The approval makes BSU the first state university in the Cordillera Administrative Region to offer a Doctor of Medicine program, a milestone expected to help address the region’s healthcare needs and contribute to the development of a stronger local healthcare workforce.

The Doctor of Medicine program is a four-year professional degree designed to prepare future physicians through classroom instruction, laboratory training, clinical exposure, and hospital-based internships.

Graduates of the program must also pass the Physician Licensure Examination before they can legally practice medicine in the Philippines.

According to CHED, BSU is among five state universities and colleges (SUCs) nationwide that were granted approval to offer a Doctor of Medicine program after meeting evaluation and compliance requirements. The initiative is part of the government's efforts to address the country's physician shortage and expand access to medical education beyond major urban centers.

CHED noted that the Philippines currently has only 7.92 physicians for every 10,000 people, below the World Health Organization's recommended minimum of 10 physicians per 10,000 population.

Education and health sector officials expect the new medical program to encourage more Cordilleran students to pursue medicine and eventually serve communities in the region, particularly in geographically isolated and underserved areas.

Also granted approval to offer Doctor of Medicine programs were Visayas State University, Eastern Samar State University, University of Eastern Philippines, and Cotabato State University in partnership with the Cotabato Regional Medical Center.