After years of planning and research, the region’s first state-funded medical school that will provide free education to aspiring doctors has now been approved by the Central Visayas Development Council. Cebu Normal University in partnership with Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical is now allowed to handle all academic aspects of the degree while the hospital will provide the training, instructions, and teaching support to the students.
CNU-VSMMC
As per proposed by the RDC-7’s Social Development Council, this medical school will be called as the Cebu Normal University-Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (CNU-VSMMC) College of Medicine. This will offer a Doctor of Medicine Program with Masters in Public Health Governance to deserving students in the region.
In return for this free education, the graduates will be asked to render five years of services to government health centers, especially the rural health units before they can start a private practice.
SDC Chairperson, Evelyn Castro, believes that this will finally address the shortage of doctors of in the rural areas of the provinces, as well as of the region.
CNU-VSMMC now endorsed to the Commission on Higher Education
Now that the proposal for the Cebu Normal University-Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (CNU-VSMMC) College of Medicine has been approved by the Central Visayas Development Council, it will now be endorsed to the Commission on Higher Education for approval and implementation.
CNU-VSMMC Location
Cebu Normal University-Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (CNU-VSMMC) College of Medicine will occupy the current location of the Medical Center’s Cancer Center – which is located inside the VSMMC Compound in Cebu City.
Castro added that the soon-to-be graduates of CNU-VSMMC College of Medicine will not only be made health care experts but also “transformative leaders in health governance with competencies in leadership and governance, health systems development, community ownership and participation, primary health care concepts, and research.
