LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — The Benguet State University (BSU) will soon begin producing physicians after receiving approval to offer a Doctor of Medicine program starting in Academic Year 2026–2027.

BSU will become the first state university in the Cordillera region to establish a medical school.

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) approved BSU, along with Visayas State University, Eastern Samar State University, University of Eastern Philippines, and Cotabato State University.

The approval followed an evaluation conducted by CHED’s Office of Programs and Standards Development and the Technical Panel for Medicine. The universities were found to be fully compliant with the minimum requirements under CHED Memorandum Order No. 18, Series of 2016.

According to CHED, the approval forms part of a broader government initiative to expand medical education programs in state universities and colleges to address the country's shortage of physicians.

The commission noted that the Philippines currently has a physician-to-population ratio of 7.92 doctors per 10,000 people, below the minimum standard of 10 doctors per 10,000 population set by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The initiative is also aligned with the Doktor para sa Bayan Act, which aims to increase the number of healthcare professionals by expanding access to medical education in underserved areas, including Samar, Leyte, the Cordillera region, and Central Mindanao.

With the addition of the five new medical schools, CHED said the government has now established at least one state university offering a Doctor of Medicine program in every region of the country, except the newly created Negros Island Region.