15 medical schools face closure for low passing rate

MANILA, Philippines - At least 15 medical schools in the country face possible closure for having very few graduates who pass the licensure examination, the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) reported yesterday.

Data from the PRC showed that of the 34 medical schools nationwide, almost half or 15 of them have had low passing rate in board exams for the past six years.

The PRC, however, declined to identify the 15 medical schools pending inspection of members of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the PRC’s Board of Medicine (BOM).

BOM member Dr. Jose Cueto said the 15 medical schools posted lower passing rates than the national passing average of 55.8 percent, and are therefore considered “poorly performing” schools.

One of these medical schools even had only one successful examinee out of the 18 who took the board.

But even with some poorly performing medical schools, Cueto pointed out that the passing rate in the physicians’ licensure exam has been increasing, courtesy of the efforts of the PRC and the BOM.

“We will prioritize these poorly performing schools in our inspection and give them time to improve their passing rate. If we see that there is no improvement at all, the BOM will make the appropriate recommendation,” Cueto said.

He added that the PRC can only recommend, but it’s the CHED which has the authority to revoke the permit to operate or order the closure of those non-performing schools, if necessary.