Ramon Jason M. Javier | Enfu Keith C. Shoda | Christianne D. Cabanos | Christian Protacio G. Betita
Introduction In a healthcare system that has been specialty-centric for decades, the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act would try to refocus on primary health care (PHC) to better navigate the entire healthcare delivery system of the country. This paper determined the perception of clinical clerks on the relevance of UHC and PHC on the practice of medicine in the Philippines. Methods Clinical clerks rotating in Community Medicine were surveyed and focus group discussions were conducted to elicit the viewpoints of the students. Thematic analysis of the responses was subsequently performed. Results Majority of the 247 student-respondents viewed UHC and primary health care (PHC) as relevant, however, some did not see the need to shift the focus of care from a specialty-centric orientation to that of a PHC approach. Medical students still dream of becoming specialists, and the idea of general medicine practice was not very popular among them. There were negative perceptions on essential healthcare at the community setting, given the inadequacy of medical facilities and technology, medications, and healthcare services in the locality. Conclusion Sociopolitical factors remained important determinants of health, which often resulted in service delivery inequities, making access to health difficult for the marginalized and indigent. Given the efforts of the government to champion UHC amid the advances in modern medicine often localized in urban areas in the country, PHC was viewed to be relevant albeit not a priority for future Filipino doctors.
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