The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) on Tuesday, Aug. 15, clarified that the Bulacan State University College of Medicine (BulSU-COM) in the College of Science at its San Rafael Campus cannot accept students since its application for the said program is still under evaluation.
In a statement signed by CHED Chairman J. Prospero De Vera III, the Commission informed the public that “BulSU has no CHED-approved Doctor of Medicine program and cannot accept students this 1st semester of 2023-2024.”
De Vera explained that CHED is “still in the process of evaluating the application” of BulSU for the Doctor of Medicine Program.
“As a fact, the institution has just been subjected to ocular inspection last June 19, 2023 and was given until July 31, 2023 to correct the noted deficiencies during the evaluation,” De Vera said.
De Vera furthered that BulSU requested from CHED Regional Office III (CHEDRO-3) an “extension on the submission of its compliance documents.”
The institution was given until Aug. 11, 2023, to submit its full compliance.
“The submitted compliance documents will still be referred to the Technical Panel for Medicine, the advisory arm of the Commission, for their appropriate action and recommendation,” De Vera said.
De Vera stressed that approval and issuance of the Government Authority to operate higher education programs such as Doctor of Medicine is “incumbent” upon the authority of the Commission en banc.
“Hence, HEIs shall not be allowed to admit students without prior approval and authority granted by the Commission,” De Vera said.
“The university can accept students only after the evaluation of their facilities, faculty, curriculum and training hospital and upon approval of the CHED commission en banc,” he added.