As the enrollment period for incoming freshmen at Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU) – Main Campus concludes today, July 8, applicants are still completing the final steps of the process, which now reincludes the mandatory submission of a medical certificate, as ordered by the Office of the University Registrar at the start of the enrollment period.
This new requirement instructs incoming freshmen to proceed to the university’s Medical Clinic for the submission of medical laboratory results, including Complete Blood Count (CBC), Chest X-ray, and Urinalysis, for review by the university physician, ensuring that students with medical conditions receive the appropriate medical attention.
“If results are available, student may submit the medical lab results (CBC, XRAY, and Urinalysis) to the medical clinic for medical examination,” the Office of the University Registrar wrote in a Facebook post.
Once cleared, students are issued a medical certificate, which becomes part of their final requirements, alongside the Free Higher Education (FHE) form and program-specific admission documents to be submitted to their respective departments and the Registrar’s Office.
Dr. Sonia T. Enrile, Director of the Student Affairs and Services Office (SASO), stated in an interview that the submission of medical results is stipulated in the Student Handbook, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the university community’s physical health.
“First, it is actually one of the requirements for all incoming first year students as it is stipulated in the Student Handbook. Second, for the physical health safety of the students, faculty, non teaching personnel, and all the employees. Once we know that one of the incoming freshmen has a medical condition, they will be advised for medication management to protect others from being afflicted,” she explained.
Dr. Enrile further elaborated that the documentation of medical records is part of the university’s compliance with accreditation and International Organization for Standardization (ISO) certification requirements.
“During accreditation, ISO certification, etc., they’re requesting the profile of students medical records which we usually fail to present because we don’t have such students’ medical documents except for those having their OJTs which are already fourth year students,” Dr. Enrile added.
Reinforcing this policy, she emphasized, not only aligns with institutional standards but also strengthens the university’s commitment to the overall well-being of its community.
Meanwhile, James Paul Aquiatan, an incoming Bachelor of Science in Architecture (BSArch) freshman, shared his experience during the medical certification process, describing it as smooth and organized.
“The medical test process was smooth and organized. The clinic gave out priority numbers, which helped manage the flow of students. The university physician even prescribed medicine for students who had medical concerns,” he expressed.
Aquiatan also recommended that the university provide a more comprehensive checklist of requirements, especially for submitting photocopied medical lab results, to further streamline the process and ensure a seamless experience for all.
The enrollment period for incoming first-year students started on June 25 and is set to conclude today, July 8, while enrollment for waitlisted applicants is scheduled from July 15 to 18.
Article by Carl Anthony Dotingco