Question & AnswerQ&A (PRC BOARD Resolution NO. 153)
A candidate who fails the medical licensure examination for the third time is required to take a refresher course prescribed by the Board of at least one year in a recognized medical school before being allowed to take subsequent examinations.
Board Resolution No. 173 required candidates who failed three times to enroll in the 4th year of the medical course and to submit a certificate of completion signed by the Dean when applying for the licensure examination.
The revision was necessary due to the non-availability of medical schools to implement the one-year refresher course as prescribed in Board Resolution No. 173.
The refresher course content is the same as the undergraduate medical curriculum emphasizing areas relevant to the development of the basic physician, including Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics, OB-Gynecology, Preventive Medicine, and other fundamental medical subjects.
Candidates must undergo physical and psychiatric evaluations to determine and correct any underlying disorders that may prevent them from benefiting from the course.
The course emphasizes information input through lectures and readings, explaining basic principles and concepts, abundant practice tests with immediate feedback, and repeated retesting of earlier learned principles.
The course is spread over one calendar year divided into 4 quarters of 10 weeks each for instruction, 2 weeks for examinations, and 10 weeks for breaks, totaling about 1200 instruction hours.
Medicine and Surgery receive 180 hours each, Pediatrics 120 hours, OB-Gynecology and other basic medical sciences 84 hours each, and Legal Medicine 48 hours.
A simulated board examination is given after each quarter, and candidates who fail undergo remedial work and individualized instruction to address weaknesses.
Only examinees who submit a certificate of completion from the Dean of the medical school of the refresher course shall be allowed to take the examination.
Board Resolution No. 153 completely rescinded Board Resolution No. 173 dated June 17, 1988.
It took effect in the examinations scheduled in the year 1991 after approval by the Commission.