DAVAO CITY (September 3) — For aspiring doctors in Mindanao, the road to medical school is about to get shorter.
The University of the Philippines (UP) Mindanao will formally launch its School of Medicine (SoMed) on Sept. 4, expanding access to medical education in the region and laying the groundwork for a new pool of locally trained physicians.
Its pioneering class of 40 students began lessons on Aug. 17. Most are from Mindanao, while others come from the National Capital Region and the Visayas. They are expected to graduate in 2031.
Dr. Maria Fatima Quianzon-Manuel, SoMed college secretary, said the launch will introduce the school’s vision, curriculum, direction, and educational approach.
“The launching will formally introduce what UP Mindanao School of Medicine is—its vision, direction, curriculum, and educational approach,” Manuel said during the Wednesdays Media Forum on Sept. 2.
For now, the school will operate at the former Philippine Baking Institute in Ecoland. The site will serve as its temporary home for five years while UP Mindanao develops a permanent facility at its main campus in Mintal.
The fledgling medical school has four full-time faculty members and a dean, supported by part-time lecturers. It has also acquired several plastinates, with more medical equipment expected to arrive soon.
Beginning Academic Year 2026–2027, the Doctor of Medicine program will use a five-year curriculum based on the Organ System Integrated approach adopted from the UP Manila School of Health Sciences.
The program will offer 35 slots to qualified applicants with a bachelor’s degree in science or health sciences and an NMAT score of at least 90. The application fee is P1,500, while average annual tuition is about P105,000.
The school’s creation follows UP Mindanao’s efforts to build stronger links with local health institutions. In 2024, the university signed a memorandum of agreement with hospitals, including the Southern Philippines Medical Center, to support the medical program and provide a base hospital for clinical training.
As its first students begin their journey, UP Mindanao’s School of Medicine is positioning itself as more than a new academic program. It is a bid to train doctors closer to home—and help address Mindanao’s continuing need for health professionals.
