Physician licensure exams to proceed in September

The National Kidney and Transplant Institute sets up a tent which was converted into a receiving area for medical workers to screen possible COVID-19 patients in Quezon City on April 2, 2020.
The STAR/Miguel de Guzman

MANILA, Philippines — The government’s coronavirus task force has allowed the physician licensure examinations to push through this year, Malacañang said Friday.

The examination, which is the last leg of the March tests, was tentatively scheduled on September 20 and 21.

“The conduct of the examination will be held under observance of the strict protocols set by the Department of Health,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said.

The physician licensure examination was initially scheduled on March 8, 9, 15 and 16. But the two latter dates of the test was postponed due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

Early in July, the Commission on Higher Education also allowed medical schools to admit students who have not taken the National Medical Admission Test for the academic year subject to their regular admission requirements.

Some 9,000 applicants were supposed to take NMAT this year but the examination was postponed last March after community quarantine measures was enforced in the country to slow the transmission of COVID-19.

Demand for medical professionals has seen an increase as the country continues to grapple the health crisis that has so far infected over 74,000 people in the Philippines.

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