BukSU Officially Launches First Doctor of Medicine Program in Bukidnon

Bukidnon State University (BukSU) formally opened the province’s first medical school on August 7, 2026, with 32 students entering the inaugural Doctor of Medicine class of its College of Medicine (COM).

The Doctor of Medicine program received approval from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) after the university completed curriculum development, faculty recruitment, facility preparation, and regulatory requirements. The four-year program combines classroom instruction with clinical training in Bukidnon.

BukSU’s COM is headed by Dean Dr. Ruth S. Beltran. The college has 50 faculty members, including six regular faculty members, 38 contract-of-service faculty members, and six guest lecturers.

BukSU President Dr. Joy M. Mirasol said the College of Medicine was established to educate physicians through instruction, research, and extension while serving communities in Bukidnon and other parts of the country.

“Our College of Medicine is founded on a vision of excellence in medical education for sustainable development and a mission of developing competent, compassionate, and socially accountable physicians through instruction, research, and extension,” said Mirasol.

Responding to healthcare needs

Department of Health (DOH) data cited in BukSU’s proposal for the COM indicate a continuing demand for physicians in Bukidnon and Northern Mindanao.

According to the data, the country has an estimated shortage of around 70,000 medical doctors. Region X has a deficit of 4,020 physicians, while Bukidnon has about 120 doctors serving a population of 1.5 million, or one physician for every 12,855 residents.

Bukidnon 2nd District Representative Jonathan Keith T. Flores authored House Bill 378 to support the establishment of BukSU’s COM.

“Let us produce doctors whose greatest achievement will not be the titles they earn, but the lives they touch; not the honors they receive, but the hope they give. Let us produce great physicians and healers for humanity,” said Flores.

Pioneering class

The inaugural class of 32 students adopted the batch name Kadasig, from the Cebuano word dasig, which means courage, determination, and perseverance. The students chose the name to carry these qualities throughout medical school and into their careers as physicians.

“To be a pioneer is not simply to arrive first. It is to accept the privilege of beginning. The courage of walking without a complete map. And the responsibility of leaving a better path for those who will follow,” said Dr. Maria Eufemia Chan Yap, a member of the PhilHealth Board of Directors, who served as keynote speaker during the inauguration program.

Leonides K. Mosqueda Jr., a provincial scholar, said joining the first class is a privilege after the efforts that made the program possible.

“It is a huge privilege to be part of the pioneering batch in medicine. A lot of things had to go right for me to be here, and I am excited to learn alongside my peers.”

Sheryl Denn Porras Bahian said the opening of the province’s first medical school creates opportunities for students from Bukidnon who aspire to become physicians.

“Being one of the students in Bukidnon’s first medical school at this institution is a great privilege and an opportunity for us to grow, learn, and create opportunities for other students who aspire to become doctors,” said Bahian.

Four-year medical program

BukSU’s Doctor of Medicine is a full-time, four-year degree. Students complete at least 1,440 hours of instruction during each of the first three years. The fourth year consists of a 12-month clinical clerkship in a Level III Department of Health-classified base hospital with accredited residency training programs. The curriculum totals 6,400 hours.

“Medical education must never focus only on developing brilliant minds. It must also cultivate honest hearts, disciplined characters, and a commitment to ethical practice,” said CHED Commissioner and BukSU Board of Regents Chair Dr. Desiderio R. Apag III.