In a bid to entice more young people into the medical profession, the provincial government of Negros Oriental plans to widen the scope of its medical scholarship program.
Provincial Legal Officer Atty. Ronnel Depalubos said Gov. Pryde Henry Teves aims to expand the coverage of the scholarship program to include other allied medical courses such as Nursing, Medical Technology, Midwifery, and Physical Therapy.
The provincial government currently offers scholarships for those who study Medicine at Silliman University.
Depalubos said this program has been institutionalized through an Ordinance which also requires the scholars to render two years of service for every year they were enrolled in Medicine as a scholar of the provincial government.
He said the Governor also wants to introduce some amendments to the legislation.
“Silbi sa four years (nila pag-eskwela), eight years sila mo-serve. Pero gusto na usbon ni Governor Teves kay ang iyang ganahan apil na ang specialization. (In the four years they spent in school as a scholar, they have to render eight years of service. Governor Teves wants to change that because he wants to include their specialization course),” he said.
Depalubos pointed out that ff a scholar graduates from medical school by the age of 25, he or she will be able to take a specialization by the time he or she reaches 33 years old due to the said clause.
He noted that it is somehow late to study specialization at that age.
“Gusto ni Governor Teves na idugang gud diretso sa specialization kay luoy pod kaayo ang atong mga doktor na general physician na dili sila maka-specialize kay i-assign pa gud sila bukid kaayo. Sila ma jud ibutang sa community hospital. Unsaon man nila pag-specialization? (Gov. Teves wants them to take the specialization course right away because it would be hard for our doctors who are general physicians to study specialization courses when they are assigned in the hinterland community hospitals),” he added.
If the amendments will be applied, Depalubos said doctors taking specialization courses will also be given allowance while studying for three years, and their community service will be limited to five years.
The provincial government plans to talk with Ace Dumaguete Doctors Hospital for a residency training program for different specializations, aside from the Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital. (Oliver Lemence)
