The PRC was mandated to enforce the laws regulating the various professions. RA2382: govern the (a) standardization and regulation of medical education; (b) the examination for registration of physicians; (c) the supervision, control and regulation of the practice of medicine in the Philippines.
The PMA is the primary medical association of the Philippines, covering medical practitioners and component medical groups from the entire country. Essentially, all medical doctors' medical associations are under the PMA. This includes the 8 specialty divisions and societies ( Philippine Society of Pathologist Inc, Philippine Obstetrical and Gynecologic Society, Philippine Society of Anesthesiologist, Philippine College of Physicians, Philippine College of Surgeons, Philippine Academy of Family Physicians, Philippine Pediatric Society, Philippine College of Radiology and other specialty societies.
The PMA also has affiliated Societies that include Philippine Academy of Medical Specialists, Inc. (PAMS) and Philippine Society of Medical Specialists, Inc. (in Government Service) (PSMSI).
The PSMSI, are doctors in government service (doctors employed in the naval, military, police, and LGUs), with different sub-specialty societies; Diabetology, Orthopaedics, Pathology and Psychiatry. (http://psmsi.org/about.html#services)
The PSMSI petitioned PRC to recognize its society through the Board Resolution of Medicine No. 25 Series of 2015, entitled “Recognition of Specialty Societies and Specialty Boards, and Certification of Specialists”. On March 14, 2016 Professional Regulatory Board of Medicine (PRBOM) responded with “This is to inform though all concerned that the PRBOM is already reconsidering the inclusion of other specialty areas of practice in addition to those that are currently existing and recognized. It is earnestly anticipated that this initiative will pave the way for the recognition of other specialty and subspecialty societies outside of PMA’s eight (8) lead societies, without however compromising the rule on homogeneity as earlier articulated.” Signed by Miguel L. Noche Jr., Chairman of PRBOM.
PSMSI (in government service) announced on July 29, 2019 that they will be conducting a certifying and a re-certifying board examination to fulfill the requirement of the PRC for the following specialties (anesthesia, internal medicine, OB-gyne, pediatrics and surgery). This is scheduled on September 21, 2019.
The PCP and all of our component societies have objected to this move by PSMSI because we believe that there should be no duplication in the certifying function of the eight(8) specialty divisions for medical specialists as stated in the PRC BOM admin resolution no. 25 which designated PCP as the only certifying body for Internal medicine.
With the current PRC regulation and the distinguished track record of excellence by these eight (8) specialty divisions, there is no need to create or conduct a questionable certification process since all members of the specialty societies are already under the supervision of PMA and its established subspecialty societies.
