The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) approves five state universities across the Philippines to operate Doctor of Medicine programs.

According to the commission, the initiative aims to address the critical shortage of medical doctors in the Philippines. 

Following CHED’s approval, the five state universities are authorized to operate the first and second years of the mentioned program.

“The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has approved the applications of five State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) to operate the first and second-year levels of their respective Doctor of Medicine programs, effective Academic Year (AY) 2026-2027,” according to the commission

The approved institutions authorized to offer Doctor of Medicine programs include:

• Visayas State University 
• Eastern Samar State University 
• University of Eastern Philippines 
• Benguet State University 
• Cotabato State University - Cotabato Regional Medical Center School of Medicine

Based on the data provided by CHED, the physician-to-population ratio in the Philippines is currently 7.2 per 10,000 people. The commission flagged this figure as critical, as it doesn’t meet the World Health Organization’s (WHO) international minimum standard of 10 doctors per 10,000 people.