CHED launches simulation-based medical program at Iloilo university

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has launched a simulation-based medical education project at the West Visayas State University (WVSU) in Iloilo City to produce more world-class doctors with advanced skills in patient care and emergency response.

Unveiled on Friday, the SBE Laboratory at the WVSU offers a realistic and immersive training that mimics real-life patient scenarios and equips students with knowledge, skills and confidence required to deliver high-quality patient care.

“President Marcos instructed the CHED to ensure that our medical schools continue to produce world-class doctors who can practice the profession all over the world including underserved communities,” CHED chairman J. Prospero de Vera III said.

Through the Doktor para sa Bayan Law, there are now 22 public universities that offer scholarships to medical students, who will serve in remote communities after finishing the program.

CHED’s LAKAS or leading the advancement of knowledge in agriculture and sciences program provided the University of the Philippines-Manila, Mindanao State University-Gensan and the WVSU with state-of-the-art equipment that optimized simulation-based education, training, collaboration and research from 2022 to 2024.

CHED provided the WVSU a total of P54.59 million for the procurement of the equipment, which gave students and faculty members an opportunity to experience a highly realistic medical environment.

WVSU president Joselito Villaruz said simulation-based education enhances medical education in the country and  allows students to practice in a fault-free environment.

“Students get to learn through simulators before they apply (what they learned) to patients. It makes a lot of difference in terms of patient safety,” Villaruz said.