Joey M.D.

In an unprecedented and controversial move, the UP College of Medicine (the state’s subsidized premier medical school) through its UPCM College Council, approved overwhelmingly the proposed Return Service Mechanism for its UPCM graduates during the council’s March 11, 2008 meeting. (See the details of this new UP Medicine Admission Policy here).

Truthfully, I did not know about this before. My thoughts?

• Since UP Med students are “iskolars ng bayan” and their education is partially funded by the taxpayer’s money, it is only right that they do a certain amount of service to “pay off their debts”. Alternatively, they can choose to reimburse the actual cost of the government subsidy, plus interest, if they choose not to do service.
• The service is not really that bad. 3 years is not a very long time. Heck, I’m not a UP graduate, it’s been xxx number of years since my graduation from internship, and I’m still here, except for a couple of out of the country trips, one of which was a convention. Even residency or fellowship training in a government institution may be considered as as part of the return service. So if a UP Med Grad takes a 3 year residency program in PGH, tapos na ang obligasyon niya!
• Even private practice, as long as it is within the Philippines, is also considered. So even if you trained in a non-government hospital and then went on to set up a clinic anywhere in the Philippines, then stayed for you could still be considered as having done your return service obligation. If you’re lucky, your practice would have already been established after 3 years and you would not even want to leave.
• Since the 3 years obligation can be done anytime within 10 years after graduation, you can even train outside the country as long as you come back and practice here.
• It’s not just about practicing as a doctor. You can also choose to participate as a researcher, a public health worker, or an educator.

I don’t really think it’s something new. I’ve heard that graduates of Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila are required to do something similar in Ospital ng Maynila. You actually have a lot of choices on how to fulfill it, and a lot of time to do it. You can even just pay your tuition in full if you really, really do not want it.

However, would that solve the problem of health care in the Philippines? I do not think that this will ultimately result in better health care, but it’s a good start. At least, this program will try to ensure that there will be enough MDs, hopefully, to serve the people’s health care needs, assuming that the enrollment in UP Medicine is about the same every year. But, these other things have to be addressed by the government:

• availability of life saving medicines in government hospitals
• hospitals and health care centers in the rural areas, especially in far flung communities
• primary health care, health education and health promotion

That’s just from the top of my head. I’m sure there are lots more. All of these need MONEY. The question is — Is the government willing to allot a bigger portion of the budget for health care? Is the government also willing to give a more generous stipend to doctors who want to serve in the far flung areas, away from family and friends for the love and service of their fellow men? Your answer is as good as mine.

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This is my contribution to TBR 17: Mandatory Return of Service for Professionals: Closing the Pandora’s Box?, hosted by Bone MD himself.