Be A Physician For Free

Sounds improbable but true. You can be a doctor for free under the Medical Scholarship Program (Pinoy MD: Doktor para sa Kapwa Pilipino).
This is in line with the Priority Program of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to entice more Filipinos to take up medicine to serve their fellow Filipinos since those accepted as scholars will be required to render two years of service to the government for every year of study/scholarship. This will also answer the need for more Filipino doctors, since the trend now is for students to take up nursing and go abroad to work.
According to the DOH, the scholarship package includes tuition fees, miscellaneous/laboratory fees, living subsidy, lodging allowance, transportation allowance, book and uniform allowance.
For one to be accepted to the scholarship program, he/she must be a bachelor’s degree holder with at least 35 units in science subjects. The applicant must also have a general weighted average of 2.50 or its equivalent or better. Likewise, the applicant must be less than 35 years of age upon admission to the program.
The combined family income of the applicant must not be more than P30,000 monthly or not more than P360,000 a year. He or she must belong to any of the following sectors – indigenous people, barangay health worker or their children or government employee or their children. An NMAT percentile score of at least 40 and above is required. The applicant must be of good moral character, physically and mentally fit.
Applicants who have not yet taken the NMAT are advised to coordinate with the Center for Educational Measurement and to take the NMAT on December 10, 2006.
Interested applicants may contact the DOH Center for Health Development through telephone number 033-321-3284 or 321-06007 for requirements. Deadline for submission of requirements is November 29, 2006. (PIA6) /MP mailto:madyaas_pen@yahoo.com