Through a unity statement and petition, medical students on Wednesday sought for the postponement of physician licensure exam (PLE) due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the country.
The Philippine Medical Students’ Association (PMSA) took it to Facebook to share their sentiments about the medical practitioners’ call, emphasizing the significance of the students’ health more than anything else.
According to Joyce Brillantes, PMSA National Vice Chairperson, while physicians aspire to save lives, their own should not also be at risk as only then could they perform their duty and achieve their purpose.
“Unquestionably, the health and safety of the PLE takers must be prioritized. Pushing the 4-day face-to-face PLE as COVID-19 cases are soaring and our health system is stretched thin runs contrary to the “first, do no harm” principle every doctor swears by in their oath. Joining the health system to serve as new doctors should not be at the expense of their lives,” Brillantes stated.
Brillantes further noted that most of the PLE takers, who have no means to rent lodging facilities, fear that they would not only test positive for COVID-19 but also infect their families due to exposure after returning home.
The PSMA’s vice chair and spokesperson Simon Sarmiento both stressed that PLE takers would moreover have to pay for RT-PCR testing and transportation should the exam be postponed at a later time, citing the incident of Social Workers Licensure Exam which was postponed just 2 days before its actual schedule.
As of this writing, the group’s unity statement garnered a total of 1,278 individuals and 40 organizations signatories. The PSMA also filed a formal petition to the Board of Medicine of the Professional Regulation Commission on Wednesday, August 25.
The PSMA believes that the pouring statements expressed by many medical students is an enough cue to strengthen and make their call louder.
Martin Magadia, a general physician who took the PLE last 2020 is one of those individuals who said that the exam should not be taken lightly as it is twice challenging now that a pandemic seems to pull the trigger on their head anytime.
“Huwag na natin ulitin ang nangyari sa amin. Hindi birong kumuha ng pagsusulit na para bang may baril na nakatutok sa ulo mo ang COVID-19. Paano pa ngayong mas mabagsik na Delta variant na ang nasa Pilipinas? Hindi “supply” ng healthcare workers ang problema kundi ang proteksyon at aksyon mula sa gubyerno para pigilan ang paglala ng pandemya na ito. Mas marami tayong magagawa para sa Pilipinas kung buhay tayo,” Magadia wrote on his Twitter account during the PMSA’s social media rally.
“Please postpone the PLE. Kung yung bakuna nga nadedelay, yung hazard pay nadedelay, siguro naman kaya niyo rin i-delay ang PLE di ba? (if the vaccination and hazard pay can be delayed, isn’t it also possible for PLE to be delayed as well?) Asking nicely for our young colleagues,” Carlo Trinidad, another physician, has reiterated.
The PLE is expected to be held on September 11, 12, 18, and 19 across different sites in National Capital Region, Cebu, Iloilo, Baguio, Tuguegarao, Lucena, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, Zamboanga, Legaspi, and Tacloban.