MANILA: Notwithstanding the increasing need for healthcare workers, young Filipinos getting into the medical and nursing careers are having a tough time finding a guaranteed, reliable, impartial, and rewarding positions in the country’s healthcare system, according to a recent study conducted by researchers from Ateneo de Manila University and the University of the Philippines-Manila.
The study underscores a disturbing irony —even as the Philippines is confronted by a serious lack of health professionals, with less than eight doctors per 10,000 people, far below the international standard of 10, the route for fresh graduates is peppered with complications and impediments. More than 127,000 nursing positions remain empty, mostly in the countryside and shorthanded private infirmaries, yet systemic problems keep countless capable professionals from getting into these roles.
Researchers talked to dozens of young doctors and nurses, many of whom stated feeling lost and not supported as they entered the workforce.
“I finished my MD from one of the best schools in the country,” said a municipal health officer sent to a far-flung area in the country. “But when I worked here, it was an entirely different ballgame. We weren’t trained to deal with local government, procurement, or even community engagement. I wasn’t prepared—but this is the reality of how things work.”
The study cited a divide between medical training and real-world requirements. Existing medical instruction profoundly accentuates hospital-based care, frequently ignoring the competencies necessary for community-based health work, local government collaboration, and the execution of national health programs.
Further complicating the situation are current hiring challenges. Local government units (LGUs) are constrained by budget guidelines that limit expenditure on salaries to just 45% of their yearly budget allocations. This frequently compels a nurse to spin numerous roles – clinical upkeep, public health tasks, even records administration—with no added compensation.
“The 45% cap on personnel services really prevents us from hiring,” acknowledged one provincial health official. “You’ll see a nurse working the ward, then handling public health programs, and still managing admin work.”
For fresh graduates, this usually signifies limited job security, provisional contracts, and very few prospects for personal growth and career development. Many are willing to assist in the public sector but are hampered by severe civil service requirements or unappealing employment terms. In the private sector, many facilities can’t match government remuneration, producing a talent drain as workers pursue higher salaries overseas.
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“The nurses we lost are our best nurses,” stated one hospital manager. “It’s painful to see the most experienced ones go. We’re left with the inexperienced or the nearing-retirement.”
Facilities are also having a hard time meeting new requirements under the Universal Health Care (UHC) Law. Some hospital clinics report spending over ₱50,000 just to conform to training and certification benchmarks, only to be refunded with as little as ₱2,000 by government agencies.
Regardless of these findings, the researchers claim that a healthcare career is still worth getting into, as long as major changes are carried out. They recommend:
- Offering scholarships tied to return service agreements;
- Revamping curricula to emphasise community health and government service;
- Relaxing restrictive hiring policies;
- And providing robust support and mentorship for early-career health workers.
With the healthcare system strained and future generations of professionals in jeopardy of being driven out before they can make a difference, the study strongly recommends addressing these systemic barriers and investing in the people who power the country’s health.
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