PLM gets the approval of CHED to hold limited face-to-face classes for medical courses

By Beatriz Bernales

May 4 2021 - The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has given the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM) permission to reopen face-to-face classes for selective and selected medical courses.

Photo Source: Pamantasan Ng Lungsod Ng Maynila

Last February, PLM started an online consultation with students, parents, faculty, and practicing doctors at the Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center (OMMC) to gauge stakeholders' reactions to the concept of returning to hands-on learning.

For students who can fulfill their rotation duty at Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center (OMMC), the university assured that they would also provide RT-PCR testing and prioritization for COVID-19 vaccination.

In April, CHED officials paid a visit to the PLM campus to assess the school's preparations, especially its readiness for health standards in the classroom.

PLM President Emmanuel Leyco received the certificate of authority containing a grant for the reopening of the Pamantasan's Medicine, Nursing, and Physical Therapy programs on May 4.

The authority to hold selective face-to-face classes during the COVID-19 pandemic, as to include in Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2021-001, will be in effect until the first semester of the academic year 2021-2022.

“We thank CHED for allowing our medical students to return to hands-on learning. This will allow PLM to do its part in reinforcing the health care frontlines and ensures that our future doctors and nurses will be equipped with the proper training as they join our brave health workers in healing fellow Filipinos, ” President Leyco said.

Medical students will be able to progress smoothly toward their hands-on medical clerkship, which is required for their graduation from the College of Medicine, thanks to CHED’s supportive response to its acceptance of the PLM program.

According to PLM, the College of Nursing and the College of Physical Therapy are finalizing their plans on which laboratory courses will be provided for selective face-to-face classes.

As CHED approves PLM's reopening of small face-to-face classes, PLM’s faculty members are assured that the students returning to their classes will be treated with the utmost care and security.