October 13, 2007 | 12:00am
The dialogue of “Desperate Housewives” TV show stated “Can I just check those diplomas because I just want to make sure that they are not from some med school in the Philippines” discrediting Philippine medical schools has spawned a lot of controversy ranging from “racial slur to denigration of the skills of the Fil-Am doctors.” Apparently the TV dialogue was written based on the ignorance and lack of ethical education of the screen writer and his producer on the lengthy process by which licensed Filipino doctors become licensed American doctors.
Even before the independence of the Philippines from the USA in 1946, Philippine medical schools have already been serving the national interest of the Philippines for several decades by educating and training selected Filipino students to become doctors to serve humanity by taking care of the health of tens of millions of Filipinos.
Our medical schools and our Filipino doctors are good and we have nothing to apologize for. The Filipino doctor has to undergo 9 years of formal and hands on university education, at least 3 years of medical residency and must pass the Philippine government exams before the doctor is licensed to practice medicine in the Philippines.
A lot of the licensed Filipino doctors however would like to expand their knowledge and seek greener pastures by migrating as medical professionals to the USA. The license issued by the Philippine government to practiced medicine in the Philippines is not acceptable to the US government. The Filipino doctor must now take the US government required (previously ECFMG) USMLE 1 & 2 exams plus an oral exams in the US. If the Filipino doctor passes all the qualifying exams, he must still undergo hands on training by applying as a medical resident for a period of three (3) years in an American hospital to learn about the American medical health care system. After the Filipino doctor completes his residency, he must again take US USMLE3 and to be able to practice medicine in America. At the end of educational and training process of around 12 to 15 years, and after passing all the American government exams to secure a license, the Filipino doctor is now transformed into a licensed American doctor.
We are proud to be Filipinos. We are proud that several millions of our countrymen are working abroad to earn an honest day wage to support their families and also help the Philippine economy to compete and to survive. We are proud of Manny Pacquiao, a world boxing champion who has shown the fighting spirit of the Filipino to excel against all odds. We are proud of the Fil-American soldiers who died in Iraq in the performance of their duties to their country, USA and the free world. We are proud of the Fil-American doctors who were born and educated in the Philippines for serving humanity in their adopted country, America . . .
America is a nation of migrants and I believe that the long term strength and vitality of USA is vastly fortified by the multi-cultural, multi-racial mix of its citizenry. ABC, considering its international communications power, must responsibly consider the culture, views and contribution of the community of migrants to America in its program and their informative or entertaining dialogues. — DENG WENCESLAO, JR., Chairman, Advocacy Committee
