Republic Act No. 5946: An act to amend certain sections of republic act numbered twenty-three hundred and eighty-two, otherwise known as "the medical act of 1959" as amended by republic act numbered forty-two hundred and twenty-four.

REPUBLIC ACT No. 5946

AN ACT TO AMEND CERTAIN SECTIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT NUMBERED TWENTY-THREE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-TWO, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS "THE MEDICAL ACT OF 1959" AS AMENDED BY REPUBLIC ACT NUMBERED FORTY-TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FOUR.

Section 1

Sections three, four, five, six, seven and nine of Republic Act Numbered Twenty-three hundred and eighty-two, as amended by Republic Act Numbered Forty-two hundred and twenty-four are hereby further amended to read as follows:

Sec. 3. Composition of the Board of Medical Education. The Board of Medical Education shall be composed of the Secretary of Education or his duly authorized representative, as chairman; the Secretary of Health or his duly authorized representative; the Director of the Bureau of Private Schools or his duly authorized representative; the chairman of the Board of Medical Examiners or his duly authorized representatives a representative of the Philippine Medical Association; the Dean of the College of Medicine, University of the Philippines; a representative of the Council of Deans of Philippine Medical Schools; and a Representative of the Association of Philippine Medical Colleges, as members.

The officials acting as chairman and members of the Board of Medical Education shall hold office during their incumbency in their respective positions.

"Sec. 4. Compensation and traveling expenses. The Chairman, members and Secretary of the Board of Medical Association shall be entitled to twenty-five pesos per diem for every meeting provided the number of meetings authorized with per diem shall not exceed four times a month and traveling expenses in connection with their official duties as herein provided.

"Sec. 5. Functions. The functions of the Board of Medical Education shall be:

(a)To determine and prescribe requirements for admission into a recognized college of medicine;

(b)To determine and prescribe requirements for minimum physical facilities of colleges of medicine, to wit: buildings, including hospitals, equipment and supplies, apparatus, instruments, appliances, laboratories, bed capacity for instruction purposes, operating and delivery rooms, facilities for outpatient services, and others, used for didactic and practical instruction in accordance with modern trends;

(c)To determine and prescribe the minimum number and minimum qualifications of teaching personnel, including student-teachers ratio;

(d)To determine and prescribe the minimum required curriculum leading to the degree of Doctor of Medicine;

(e)To authorize the implementation of experimental medical curriculum in a medical school that has exceptional faculty and instrumental facilities. Such an experimental curriculum may prescribe admission and graduation requirements other than those prescribed in this Act;

Provided, That only exceptional students shall be enrolled in the experimental curriculum.

(f)To accept applications for certification for admission to a medical school and keep a register of those issued said certificate; and to collect from said applicants the amount of twenty-five pesos each which shall accrue to the operating fund of the Board of Medical Education;

(g)To select, determine and approve hospitals or some departments of the hospitals for training which comply with the minimum specific physical facilities as provided in subparagraph (b) hereof; and (h) To promulgate and prescribe and enforce the necessary rules and regulations for the proper implementation of the foregoing functions.

Sec. 6. Minimum required course. Students seeking admission to medical course must have a bachelor's degree in science or arts.

The medical course leading to the degree of doctor of medicine shall be at least four years and shall consist of the following subjects:

Anatomy Physiology Biochemistry and Nutrition Pharmacology Microbiology Parasitology Medicine and Therapeutics Pathology Gynecology Ophthalmology, Otology, Rhinology and Laryngology Pediatrics Obstetrics Surgery Preventive Medicine and Public Health Legal Medicine, including Jurisprudence, Medical economics and Ethics Provided, That the Board is hereby authorized to modify or add to the subjects listed above as the needs and demands of progress in the medical profession may require.

"Sec. 7. Admission requirements. The medical college may admit any student who has not been convicted by any court of competent jurisdiction of any offense involving moral turpitude and who presents (a) a record showing completion of a bachelor's degree in science or arts;

(b)a certificate of eligibility for entrance to a medical school from the Board of Medical Education;

(c)a certificate of good moral character issued by two former professors in the college of liberal arts; and (d) birth certificate. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to inhibit any college of medicine from establishing, in addition to the preceding, other entrance requirements that may be deemed admissible.

For the purpose of this Act, the term "College of Medicine" shall mean to include faculty of medicine, institute of medicine, school of medicine or other similar institution, offering a complete medical course leading to the degree of Doctor of Medicine or its equivalent.

Every college of medicine must keep a complete records of enrollment, grades, graduates, and must publish each year a catalogue giving the following information:

1.Date of publication 2. Calendar of academic year 3. Faculty roll indicating whether on full time or part time basis 4. Requirements for admission 5. Grading system 6. Requirements for promotion 7. Requirements for graduation 8. Curriculum and description of course by department 9. Number of students enrolled in each class in the preceding year.

Sec. 9. Candidates for board examinations. Candidates for Board examinations shall have the following qualifications:

(1)He shall be a citizen of the Philippines or a citizen of any foreign country who has submitted competent and conclusive documentary evidence, confirmed by the Department of Foreign Affairs, showing that his country's existing laws permit citizens of the Philippines to practice medicine under the same rules and regulations governing citizens thereof;

(2)He shall be of good moral character;

(3)He shall be of sound mind;

(4)He shall not have been convicted by a court of competent jurisdiction of any offense involving moral turpitude;

(5)He shall be a holder of the degree of Doctor of Medicine or its equivalent conferred by a college of medicine duly recognized by the Government; and (6) He must have completed a calendar year of technical training known as internship the nature of which shall be prescribed by the Board of Medical Education undertaken in hospitals and health centers approved by the board."

Section 2

This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Enacted into law without executive signature on June 21, 1969.

For information and research only, and not legal advice. This text may not reflect later amendments. For certified copies, refer to the Official Gazette or the issuing agency.

In plain language

Section 1

Section 2