MAASIN CITY- The medical scholarship program of the provincial government of Southern Leyte is starting to pay-off as some medical scholars now become professional doctors after passing the medical board examination in 2018.
One of them is Dr. Lezgard John Gonzales, 27, who now works as a professional doctor at the Salvacion Oppus Yniquez Memorial Provincial Hospital (SOYMPH). He is now among the roster of physicians at the provincial hospital since December 2018.
According to Dr. Gonzales, as a beneficiary, he is bound to follow the scholarship program agreements with the provincial government to serve two years for every year of financial assistance accorded to him as a medical scholar.
“I have to serve six years at the provincial hospital since I have been a medical doctor scholar for my last three years in the proper medicine when the provincial government started to enlist me among the scholars of the program,” Gonzales said.
Dr. Gonzales is a graduate of Nursing as his pre-medical course.
Gonzales added that once a medical scholar became professional doctor, he/she is immediately employed at the provincial hospital and be one of the regular employees at the SOYMPH and enjoy fringe benefits.
The medical scholarship program is the long-term solution crafted by Rep. Roger Mercado during his stint as governor to solve the scarcity of practicing medical doctors serving at the provincial hospital and other district hospitals run by the provincial government.
(LDL/ESG/PIA-8 SOUTHERN LEYTE)
