The Association of Philippine Medical Colleges (APMC) released APMC Advisory 2025-04, an addendum to its earlier Advisory 2025-03, to further clarify the internship pathway available to Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) who wish to undergo clinical training in the Philippines.

Addressed to Deans of Medical Schools and Directors of APMC-accredited hospitals participating in the National Internship Program, the advisory reiterates that FMGs are not required to enter the APMC National Internship Matching Program. Instead, medical schools may directly assist their foreign graduates in completing the required postgraduate clinical training.

Clarifying the Postgraduate Internship Option for FMGs

According to the Manual of the National Internship Program, specifically page 27, foreign graduates of medical schools are exempt from the mandatory postgraduate internship required of local graduates. However, medical schools are expected to support FMGs by providing opportunities for clinical training within their base hospital after the completion of clerkship. This training is formally recognized as Postgraduate Training.

APMC emphasized that this provision enables medical schools with FMGs to independently conduct postgraduate internship training programs tailored to their graduates, while still using the APMC Postgraduate Internship curriculum as a general framework.

FMGs Not Required to Join National Internship Matching

The advisory explicitly states that FMGs do not need to participate in the APMC National Internship Matching Program. Instead, each medical school may establish and implement its own postgraduate internship training program for its foreign medical graduates.

This change streamlines the process for FMGs and ensures that medical schools retain control over the training pathway of their own graduates, allowing for a more efficient and direct transition into postgraduate clinical practice.

For the Guidance of All Medical Schools

The advisory was issued and signed by Dr. Alberto B. Roxas, MD, FPCS, FPSCRS, Executive Director of APMC, who reiterated that the provisions of Advisory 2025-03 dated August 13, 2025 remain valid.

Medical schools and accredited training hospitals are encouraged to review the updated guidelines and provide appropriate support to FMGs under their institutions.