Amendment to Hospital Residency Law

The decree orders amendments to address the finding that Republic Act No. 1243 (enforced for the last 22 years at the time) has been unresponsive to the needs of government service envisioned by the New Society.
The decree requires inclusion of provisions to utilize graduates of residency training in the government service where they are most needed to prevent brain drain of medical manpower.
The decree expands training scope so that, with progress in medical science, other disciplines are included in training programs.
The rules apply to teaching and training hospitals under the Department of Health and the Department of National Defense.

Section 1 provides that all appointees to vacancies in different teaching or training hospitals under the Department of Health and the Department of National Defense in various disciplines are known as Resident Trainees.
Section 1 covers appointees to vacancies and fixes the title “Resident Trainees” for them in the defined setting.

Section 2 provides that physicians undergoing training in teaching and training hospitals under the Department of Health and the Department of National Defense are not covered by Republic Act 5901 (the 40-Hours a Week Law).
Section 2 applies the exemption to physicians while undergoing training in the covered hospitals.
The decree’s training scope operates within the teaching and training hospitals under the Department of Health and the Department of National Defense.

Section 3 provides that training programs embrace the following disciplines and training lengths:
Orthopedic Surgery — 4 years.
General Surgery — 4 years.
General Medicine — 4 years.
Ob.-Gyn. — 4 years.
Pediatrics — 4 years.
E.E.N.T. — 4 years.
Neurology & Psychiatry — 4 years.
Radiology & Radiotherapy — 4 years.
Urology — (1 yr. General Surgery; 3 yrs. Urology) totaling 4 years.
Pulmonary Diseases — 4 years.
Anesthesiology — 3 years.
Pathology — 3 years.
Rehabilitation — 3 years.
General Practice — 2-A12 years.
Tropical Medicine — 2 years.
Clinical Pathology — 2 years.

Section 4 provides that supervision and control of the training programs are under the Department of Health and the Department of National Defense.
Section 5 requires the Department of Health and the Department of National Defense to draw up a program to assimilate and utilize the graduates of these training programs in the government medical service.
Section 5 directs how the graduates must be utilized—through a program for assimilation and utilization in government service.

Section 6 requires the Secretary of Health and the Secretary of National Defense to promulgate the necessary rules and regulations to implement the decree.
Section 7 provides that all laws, decrees, orders, rules, and regulations inconsistent with the decree are repealed, modified, or amended accordingly.
Section 7 establishes a compliance effect for inconsistent issuances by requiring their repeal, modification, or amendment in line with the decree.