2025 mid-year performance of medical schools in board examination

By Dr. Rex Casiple

The performance of schools offering medical or health-related programs in the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) licensure examinations is presented in this study.

The licensure examinations covered are the Philippine Nurse Licensure Examination, Physician Licensure Examination, Medical Technologist Licensure Examination, Licensure Examination for Midwives, Pharmacist Licensure Examination, and the Physical Therapist Licensure Examination.

In May 2025, 6,935 of the 10,770 examinees nationwide, or 64.4%, passed the Philippine Nurse Licensure Examination (PNLE) given by the Board of Nursing. Central Philippine Adventist College (CPAC) in Murcia, Negros Occidental, with a 96.36% passing rate, ranked number 7 among higher education institutions (HEIs) with 50 to 99 examinees and at least 85% passing percentage. Jonna Erosa Espina Villanueva of Iloilo Doctors College ranked number 4 among the successful examinees who garnered the ten highest places in the said examination. Region 6 produced 286 passers out of 416 takers, or a 68.75% passing rate.

Meanwhile, 1,901 of the 3,827 examinees nationwide, or 49.67%, passed the March 2025 Physician Licensure Examination given by the PRC Board of Medicine. Krisha Marie Gan Badillo of West Visayas State University and Klarence Razon Alovera of Iloilo Doctors College of Medicine ranked numbers 5 and 10, respectively, among the top ten examinees. Region 6 recorded 116 passers out of 171 takers, or a 67.84% passing rate.

In March 2025, 6,147 of the 7,659 examinees nationwide, or 80.27%, passed the Medical Technologist Licensure Examination given by the Board of Medical Technology. Region 6 produced 487 passers out of 575 takers, or an 84.7% passing rate.

The PRC announced that 1,975 out of 3,444 examinees nationwide, or 57.35%, passed the April 2025 Licensure Examination for Midwives given by the Board of Midwifery. Niecel Marie Escobio Dotimas of IMAP Foundation School of Midwifery ranked number 2 among the top ten examinees. Region 6 produced 51 passers out of 84 takers, or a 60.71% passing rate.

Likewise, the PRC reported that 1,150 out of 1,907 examinees nationwide, or 60.3%, passed the April 2025 Pharmacist Licensure Examination given by the Board of Pharmacy. Franz Matthew Owen Gonzales Legarde of the University of San Agustin ranked number 10 among the top ten examinees. Region 6 recorded 202 passers out of 289 takers, or a 69.9% passing rate.

Finally, the PRC Board of Physical and Occupational Therapy announced that 416 out of 630 examinees nationwide, or 66.03%, passed the June 2025 Physical Therapist Licensure Examination. Region 6 produced 28 passers out of 42 takers, or a 66.67% passing rate.

In total, there were 18,524 passers out of 28,230 takers nationwide, or a 65.62% passing rate in the six health-related programs. At the regional level, there were 1,170 passers out of 1,577 takers, or a 74.19% passing rate. Across all six medical or health-related programs—nursing, medicine, medical technology, midwifery, pharmacy, and physical therapy—Region 6 or Western Visayas posted a higher passing rate compared to the national level. This means around 74 out of every 100 graduates in the region’s health-related programs qualified to practice in their respective professions, compared to about 65 out of 100 nationwide.

The results indicate a need to review, revise, and improve health-related curricula in the country. Enrolling in medical or health-related programs in Western Visayas is recommended for incoming freshmen students.