THE COMMISSION on Higher Education has approved the Doctor of Medicine Program of Samar State University, making it the 20th public medical school nationwide.

“The expansion of medical education in Samar will facilitate the implementation of Republic Act No. 11509 or the Doktor Para sa Bayan law as there is no state college or university in Eastern Visayas where poor but deserving students can become doctors,” CHED Chairman Prospero De Vera III said.

Under Doktor Para sa Bayan Law, the country aims to increase the number of doctors who will serve in far-flung areas by establishing a Medical Scholarship and Return Service program for deserving students in SUCs or in partner private HEIs in regions where no SUCs offer a medical course.

SSU President Marilyn Cardoso expressed her gratitude for having been approved to offer a medicine course and said it was a significant milestone for the University.

“As SSU President, I am filled with immense pride, joy, and gratitude that the University has finally been granted authority by CHED to offer the Doctor of Medicine program. The program is the first of its kind in the Island of Samar and represents a significant milestone in our history as a University,” Cardoso said.

“The program is more than just an addition to our academic offerings, it represents SSU’s commitment to rewriting the narrative of Samar; to transform the healthcare landscape; and to ensure that the peoples of Samar and beyond will have access to world-class medical training and care. It is a testimony of our shared aspirations turning into reality,” she added.