To: Bureau Directors
Regional Directors
Presidents of State Colleges and Universities
Heads of Private Schools, Colleges and Universities
Deans of Medical Schools

1. Pursuant to its functions as defined in Sec. 5 (a) of R.A. No. 2382, as amended, otherwise known as the Medical Act of 1959, the Board of Medical Education (BME), after consultation with the Association of Philippine Medical Colleges (APMC), has decided to require a uniform admission test, called the National Medical Admission Test (NMAT), to be successfully hurdled by all college graduates seeking admission into the medical schools in the Philippines, beginning the school year 1986-87.
2. The NMAT, an aptitude test, is considered as an instrument toward upgrading the selection of applicants for admission into the medical schools and is calculated to improve the quality of medical education in the country. The cutoff score for the successful applicants, based on the scores on the NMAT, shall be determined every year by the Board of Medical Education after consultation with the Association of Philippine Medical Colleges. The NMAT rating of each applicant, together with the other admission require¬ments as presently called for under existing rules, shall serve as a basis for the issuance of the prescribed certificate of eligibility for admission into the medical colleges.
3. Subject to the prior approval of the Board of Medical Education, each medical college may give other tests for applicants who have been issued a corresponding certificate of eligibility for admission that will yield information on other aspects of the applicant’s personality to complement the information derived from the NMAT.
4. For purposes of assuring and ensuring the validity, reliability, integrity and confidentiality of the test, the Center for Educational Measurement (CEM) has been authorized to administer the affairs and activities related to the operation of the NMAT. The CEM is an independent and estab-lished non-profit educational testing agency whose involvement and experience in testing started with the first national college entrance examination in 1969, followed by the development of the first National College Entrance Examination (NCEE), and other tests for admissions, academic diagnosis, and career guidance.
5. The first NMAT to be administered for all applicants for admission into the medical colleges beginning the school year 1986-87, will be held in Manila and Cebu City in December, 1985. Application forms for the examination may be obtained from the medical schools, the CEM, the APMC, and the MECS’ Regional Offices.
6. Each applicant for the NMAT shall be charged the amount of P200.00 in Money Order or Check which shall be payable to the Center for Educational Measurement (CEM).
7. Further inquiries on the administration of the NMAT including the requirements of the application and preparation for the test, may be addressed to:
   The NMAT
   Center for Educational Measurement
   6th Floor, Concorde Condominium
   Corner Salcedo & Buenavidez Streets
   Legaspi Village, Makati, Metro Manila
   Tel. Nos. 86-89-11 to 86-89-17
8. No applicant shall be issued the requisite Certificate of Eligibility for Admission (CEA), or admitted for enrollment as first year student in any medical college, beginning the school year 1986-87, without the required NMAT qualification as called for under this Order.
9. It is desired that this Order be given widest publicity possible to all concerned parties or sectors.

(SGD.) JAIME C. LAYA

Reference: None
Allotment: 1-3-4—(D.O. 1-76)

To be indicated in the Perpetual Index under the following subjects:
Course of Study, COLLEGIATE
EXAMINATION
GRADUATES
LEGISLATION
SOCIETY or ASSOCIATIONS

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