MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) announced Wednesday, July 1, 2020, that it would allow medical schools to admit this coming school year students who did not take the National Medical Admission Test (NMAT).
The NMAT is a prerequisite for admission into medical schools and was postponed last March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a statement, CHEd Chairman J. Prospero De Vera III said the new policy would only apply to school year 2020-2021.
According to De Vera, the decision was prompted by the concerns of parents and students about how to proceed into the medical program without the NMAT.
“With the various HEIs [higher education institutions] set to open classes starting August, the CHed decision should settle the concerns of students, parents, and HEIs offering medical education,” the statement said.
There are currently 56 HEIs nationwide that are authorized to offer a Doctor of Medicine course.