
DUMAGUETE CITY -- The province of Oriental Negros is offering 10 scholarships for the Silliman University College of Medicine in answer to the exodus of physicians-turned-nurses to the United States.
Governor George Arnaiz announced the availability of the scholarships in a press conference last week.
There are four students who have availed themselves of the scholarship and are now in their first year. Each student gets free tuition, board and lodging and an allowance of P2,500 per month.
Under the terms of the scholarship, the doctors will serve the province for eight years after graduation. They should also pay back the expenses of the provincial government should they discontinue their studies.
Arnaiz said there are many vacancies for doctors in the province's four community hospitals.
When informed that the province will lose three more doctors who will be flying to the United States soon to work as nurses, Arnaiz said "that's a big problem."
Six doctors-turned-nurses had already left the province earlier this year for greener pasture.
Dr. Ely Villapando, provincial health officer, told reporters earlier that the Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital, with only a 250-bed capacity, is attending to between 350 and 380 patients at any given time and needs 80 doctors. It only has 43.
Of the 43 doctors, only seven are not enrolled in nursing.
Source: Pal, A.V. "Scholarships offered to fill need for docs." Inq7.net. First posted 05:32am (Mla time) Sept 19, 2005. 9-19-2005. http://news.inq7.net/regions/index.php?index=1&story_id=50650