MANILA, Philippines – The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) finally announced the schedule of March 2020 postponed Physician board exam (PLE) and rescheduling of licensure exam for the recent medical graduates.
PRC has approved the recommendation of the Professional Regulatory Board of Medicine (PRBOM) that the March 2020 batch which took the Part I of the PLE last March 8-9, 2020 will take the Part II on September 20-21, 2020.
This was also approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases through its Resolution No. 58 dated July 23, 2020.
PRC and IATF cited the urgent need for physicians as conveyed by the Department of Health (DOH) to meet the requirements of the Public Health Emergency.
The PRBOM has further recommended that the recent medical graduates who constitute the second batch of examinees this year will be scheduled to take their licensure examination in November 2020.
UPDATE: PRC reschedules regular September 2020 PLE Physician board exam
PRC said they will present detailed preparations for this examination before the IATF.
The second batch is advised to wait for the announcement on the conduct of the November 2020 examination.
In the July 14 virtual discussion with the House of Representatives, PRBOM said they are currently studying the specific sites of the examinees of postponed March 2020 PLE.
"What we wanted at this time is for the examinees to write down their intention where they are going to take their exam. NCR is 1,236 examinees for the second part of the exam. We were thinking that for these examinees, we may be able to transfer them to get their exam on their sites [regional]. They are supposed to express it out until July 31," Dr. Clarita C. Maaño of the PRC Board of Medicine said.
Appeal of March 2020 PLE examinees
Ed Robert Arnard, a representative from 1,485 examinees of March 2020 postponed PLE admitted that their "excitement to finally fullfill their dreams and to serve Filipino people with pride and dignity was replaced with the feelings of uncertainty and anguish."
"While we are one with the nation in fighting the COVID-19, we the March 2020 PLE examinees feel we could not fully and legally aid our citizens as we are halted from our licensure examinations," Arnard said.
"We humbly appeal from your good office to grant us the freedom and support to help the Philippines by allowing the advancement of the postponed March 2020 PLE as scheduled in September 20 and 21 with due safety measures set by the IATF. Only then we would be able to join the frontliners in full confidence and without the fear of discrimination," he expressed.
Compared with the September batch, the March regular schedule is less in number.
"Our smaller sample size can be used as an opportunity to observe and establish new normal in conducting future licensure examinations," he said.
Arnard also stressed that some of the examinees are stranded in Metro Manila and all of them are in high hopes that PLE will push through this September.
"We have a letter sent to the PRC, with over 700 plus signatories out of 1,485 examinees who wish to really push through PLE on September 20 and 21."
PRC issues on conduct of licensure exams
In the same panel discussion, PRC Chairman Teofilo Pilando Jr. discussed concerns and challenges being faced by the regulating agency.
Pilando cited there are nine examinations set for September 2020 and emphasized the following concerns:
— The Summit Express
PRC has approved the recommendation of the Professional Regulatory Board of Medicine (PRBOM) that the March 2020 batch which took the Part I of the PLE last March 8-9, 2020 will take the Part II on September 20-21, 2020.
This was also approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases through its Resolution No. 58 dated July 23, 2020.
PRC and IATF cited the urgent need for physicians as conveyed by the Department of Health (DOH) to meet the requirements of the Public Health Emergency.
The PRBOM has further recommended that the recent medical graduates who constitute the second batch of examinees this year will be scheduled to take their licensure examination in November 2020.
UPDATE: PRC reschedules regular September 2020 PLE Physician board exam
PRC said they will present detailed preparations for this examination before the IATF.
The second batch is advised to wait for the announcement on the conduct of the November 2020 examination.
CONDUCT OF PART II OF THE PHYSICIAN LICENSURE EXAMINATION FOR THE MARCH 2020 BATCH ON SEPTEMBER 20-21, 2020 AND THE...
Posted by Professional Regulation Commission on Thursday, July 23, 2020
In the July 14 virtual discussion with the House of Representatives, PRBOM said they are currently studying the specific sites of the examinees of postponed March 2020 PLE.
"What we wanted at this time is for the examinees to write down their intention where they are going to take their exam. NCR is 1,236 examinees for the second part of the exam. We were thinking that for these examinees, we may be able to transfer them to get their exam on their sites [regional]. They are supposed to express it out until July 31," Dr. Clarita C. Maaño of the PRC Board of Medicine said.
Appeal of March 2020 PLE examinees
Ed Robert Arnard, a representative from 1,485 examinees of March 2020 postponed PLE admitted that their "excitement to finally fullfill their dreams and to serve Filipino people with pride and dignity was replaced with the feelings of uncertainty and anguish."
"While we are one with the nation in fighting the COVID-19, we the March 2020 PLE examinees feel we could not fully and legally aid our citizens as we are halted from our licensure examinations," Arnard said.
"We humbly appeal from your good office to grant us the freedom and support to help the Philippines by allowing the advancement of the postponed March 2020 PLE as scheduled in September 20 and 21 with due safety measures set by the IATF. Only then we would be able to join the frontliners in full confidence and without the fear of discrimination," he expressed.
Compared with the September batch, the March regular schedule is less in number.
"Our smaller sample size can be used as an opportunity to observe and establish new normal in conducting future licensure examinations," he said.
Arnard also stressed that some of the examinees are stranded in Metro Manila and all of them are in high hopes that PLE will push through this September.
"We have a letter sent to the PRC, with over 700 plus signatories out of 1,485 examinees who wish to really push through PLE on September 20 and 21."
PRC issues on conduct of licensure exams
In the same panel discussion, PRC Chairman Teofilo Pilando Jr. discussed concerns and challenges being faced by the regulating agency.
Pilando cited there are nine examinations set for September 2020 and emphasized the following concerns:
- availability of the examination venues
- exam personnel
- ever changing dynamic changes in the situation as defined by IATF
— The Summit Express
