Choosing a med school in the Philipines - help!

[LocutusofBorg]

Hi all,

I am an American pre-med, ready to start sending applications to med schools. I am non-competitive for US programs, and therefore, I am looking abroad.

I understand that as a FMG, I will have a hard time getting US residencies no matter where I graduate from. However, my goals for my medical school education are: 1) To borrow as little cash for my med school education as possible, and 2) to go to a school that is eligible for accreditation in all 50 states of the USA. Therefore, I have the following questions:

1) Is it a reasonable assumption that if California recognizes a school, then most other states will as well?
http://www.medbd.ca.gov/Applicant_Schools_Recognized.htm#P

2) I don't care about how well a medical school "prepares me" for the USMLE, because after graduation, I intend to take time off to study for it and kick major ass. I do care that the school is not entirely a money-laundering operation, and that professors actually TEACH, rather than simply test and give assignments. In other words, I don't care about the "system" that a school follows, nor do I care about the IMG stigma. I simply want a good education, that would make me a knowledgeable, competent physician.

3) Without violating the first two criteria, what would be the CHEAPEST Filipino schools to attend?

4) In regard to question number 3, I really don't care about location, quality of life, etc etc. Give me a village with great instructors in it, and I'll go!

Hope someone here knows the answers to my questions, or someone with a similar mindset wants to team up with me in doing this research. Thanks!

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[ROA12]

Hello. I'm applying to both US and Philippine med schools for the upcoming year. Here are my two cents...

I think one of the best assets that Philippine medical schools have over other foreign schools is that they have been around for a really long time, and Filipino doctors (and Asian doctors in general) have definitely established a great reputation in the States without much stigma.
With that being said, since you are an American, you may be in for a culture shock, especially if you aren't Filipino-American. Although the Philippines is the most westernized country in Asia (English is widely spoken, all courses taught in English, predominantly Christian, American style malls, movies, entertainment etc...), you have to remember that it is a developing country, therefore, you will be around much more corruption and poverty than you may be used to here in the States.

If you're truly committed to the Philippines and have the dedication, I would recommend a school around the Metro Manila area. Most medical schools in the country are recognized by all 50 states' medical board, however, the Manila schools will have some Americans students enrolled. Cost really shouldn't be an issue, $2000-$3000 a semester at the most. Unless you're going for something cheaper, you may have to venture out to other parts of the country. Some schools have a one-time "Foreign fee" that ranges from $5000-10000, but check individually with the school.

From the research I've been doing, I recommend these schools: University of the East, Fatima College of Medicine, University of the Philippines, University of Santo Tomas, Far Eastern University, St. Luke's (their hospital is better than some American hospitals), and De La Salle University. 👍 These really offer the best medical education in Manila, and have a ton of doctors in residency and in practice here in the States = great networking!

Good Luck

 

[aspirant.]

Hi all,

I am an American pre-med, ready to start sending applications to med schools. I am non-competitive for US programs, and therefore, I am looking abroad.

I understand that as a FMG, I will have a hard time getting US residencies no matter where I graduate from. However, my goals for my medical school education are: 1) To borrow as little cash for my med school education as possible, and 2) to go to a school that is eligible for accreditation in all 50 states of the USA. Therefore, I have the following questions:

1) Is it a reasonable assumption that if California recognizes a school, then most other states will as well?
http://www.medbd.ca.gov/Applicant_Schools_Recognized.htm#P

According to a friend, and to some anecdotal experiences, yes. 🙂

2) I don't care about how well a medical school "prepares me" for the USMLE, because after graduation, I intend to take time off to study for it and kick major ass. I do care that the school is not entirely a money-laundering operation, and that professors actually TEACH, rather than simply test and give assignments. In other words, I don't care about the "system" that a school follows, nor do I care about the IMG stigma. I simply want a good education, that would make me a knowledgeable, competent physician.

I believe all medical schools in the Philippines are serious in what they do -- to teach their students to become competent doctors. All medical schools in the Philippines are assessed by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) on a yearly basis. CHED proposes for closure to those schools that did not meet their assessment standard criteria, one of which is the percentage of passing in the local board examination, and awards medical schools that have met the highest standards. Currently, three schools in the Philippines have been awarded as CENTER of EXCELLENCE by the Commission on Higher EDucation (CHED) and these are: The University of the Philippines (UP), Velez College - Cebu Institute of Medicine (CIM) and University of Santo Tomas (UST). Despite the very short list, medical schools offering QUALITY medical education do exist. Among the most well-known are: Pamantasan ng Lunsod ng Maynila (Manila), Far Eastern University (Manila), University of the East (Manila), De La Salle University (Provincial-Cavite), Cebu Doctor's University (Provincial-Cebu), Mindanao State University (Provincial-Iligan City), Angeles University Foundation (Province-San Fernando, Pampanga) and St. Louis University (Provincial-Bagiuo City).

Therefore, it is safe to assume that medical schools in the Philippines are not here just for the "money" and are worth attending. Compared to other Asian countries, Philippine medical schools charge cheaper.

3) Without violating the first two criteria, what would be the CHEAPEST Filipino schools to attend?

I would have recommended you to go to the University of the Philippines Medical School because it is the cheapest amongst all the medical schools in the whole Philippines. And, without overstating, it is far and beyond the BEST medical school in the entire Philippines. In fact, its reputation exists beyond Southeast Asia. An unpublished ranking report by the WHO ranked UP Medical School 3rd in Asia, only bettered by a school in Japan and China. However, getting into UP Medical School would be a big trouble for you because UP is extremely selective; they only accept the top 160 applicants from the more than 3-4 thousand applicants every year. Almost all admitted students were at least cum laude graduates and members of honor societies. UP also require all its applicants to have a score of at least 90% in the National Medical Aptitude Test (NMAT), the local equivalent of MCAT. And in its entire history, UP has never accepted applicants who scored just above the neck of the cut-off score. Many applicants with 98% NMAT are still rejected. But if you think you have what it takes to go to UP, then, by all means, pursue it. You will never be wrong in going there: top quality education + affordable tuition rate. That's really hard to beat. On the other hand, if you think UP is not the best "fit" for you, then you can try at the following schools:

(Very Selective / Highly Competitive)
**UST - University of Santo Tomas (Metro Manila, Expensive)
PLM - Pamantasan ng Lunsod ng Maynila (Metro Manila, Affordable)
**CIM - Cebu Institute of Medicine (Provincial-Cebu, mid-range tuition)
UE - University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Medical Foundation (Metro Manila, expensive)


(Selective)
FEU - Far Eastern University (Metro Manila, Expensive)
Cebu Doctor's University (Provincial-Cebu, mid-range tuition charges)
MSU - Mindanao State University (Provincial-Iligan, very Affordable)


(Moderately Selective)
St. Luke's Medical School (Metro Manila, expensive)
DLSU - De La Salle University (Provincial-Cavite, expensive)
Fatima Medical University (Metro manila, mid-range tuition charges)

4) In regard to question number 3, I really don't care about location, quality of life, etc etc. Give me a village with great instructors in it, and I'll go!

with this in mind, I strongly recommend that you go to Mindanao State University (MSU) in Iligan City. Why?
1. tuition rate is unbelievably cheap; less than US$100 per semester.
2. The standard of living is cheap; if you have US$200 per month, you'll live comfortably well.
3. Food is great.
4. Residential places/accommodation are plentiful (and cheap)
5. People are respectful and friendly
6. Iligan is a modern city with modern shopping malls, theaters, pubs, etc...
7. Very supportive faculty
8. very high passing rate in the Medical Board Examination.


Other medical Schools worth Attending are Cebu Institute of Medicine in Cebu City and Xavier School in Cagayan de Oro City. The reasons: safe places to live in, high quality education, high passing in medical board exams and supportive faculty members.

If you need assistance in applying to med school in the Philippines, you can pm me. Good luck!

 

[RaaMD]

great post!

 

[bakekang]

If the criteria are affordable tuition, good teaching quality, high passing in the medical board exam, good location, etc... these are the schools that qualify:

Cebu Institute of Medicine
Mindanao State University
Pamantasan ng Lunsod ng Maynila
Cebu Doctor's University
Xavier University
Angeles University Foundation

 

[LocutusofBorg]

You guys are great.... excellent advice.

I doubt I'll get into the really selective schools -- my GPA is ~3.0 (probably 3.1 by the time I'm ready to apply).

Mindanao State University sounds like exactly what I'd want! Wonder if they would take me... It doesn't appear like they have a website, how would I find out about their selection criteria, and how to apply?

Also I notice that a lot of Filipino schools require 15 credits of bio, is that the general case, or only the most competitive ones?

Another question: Are all these schools 4 year programs?

As far as lifestyle in the Philippines, I am not Filipino, but I'm sure I could handle it. I wasn't born in the States, and I also traveled a bit in Mexico (outside the tourist traps). I wouldn't care if I am the only American student in the classroom, as long as the coursework is in English.

 

[LocutusofBorg]

I looked on the map and Iligan is located in South Philippines. I heard there was some civil unrest there. While I don't care about living in poor conditions, I DONT particularly want to get kidnapped or be the scapegoat American. In terms of the POLITICAL climate, how safe is Mindanao State University?

 

[LocutusofBorg]

According to http://www.inq7.net/exam/phys_08172006.pdf only ONE student from Mindanao (Iligan) took the Physician Licensure Exam, and he failed.

What gives?? On what basis was this school recommended as one of the better schools?

 

[aspirant.]

You guys are great.... excellent advice.

I doubt I'll get into the really selective schools -- my GPA is ~3.0 (probably 3.1 by the time I'm ready to apply).

In my understanding, 3.0-3.1 in US grading system is equivalent to 85-86% or 2.00-1.9 in Philippine collegiate grading system. Given that is correct, this is how your application will go:

UP College of Medicine -- is super high reach for your current stat. Forget UP, if I were you. Your time is better spent applying to other medical schools where your stat matches their target market. But if you want to do it just for the heck of experience, try to score 99% in the NMAT to compensate for the short GPA requisite. And prepare yourself very well for the interview portion. It would also help if you get a recommendation by either a local congressman or mayor because UP reserves a few slots (maybe 4-6 slots each year) for "regional applicants." The arrogant UP students call this, "backdoor" entry.

UST -- slight reach. Meaning, you have a chance. Your stat may perhaps belong to the lower 25-30% bracket. Just do well in the NMAT. If you score 90%, your chances increase.

MSU-Iligan -- Match. You have a good chance especially if you score at least 85-88% in the NMAT, but of course, the higher the better. MSU has slots for applicants from other countries too, aside from a slot reserved for students from outside of Mindanao.

PLM (manila) -- reach.
Fatima (Manila) -- match
UE -- reach
FEU -- match
Angeles University Foundation -- Match
CIM -- reach
Cebu Doctor's -- match - reach
Xavier (Cagayan de Oro) -- match

Mindanao State University sounds like exactly what I'd want! Wonder if they would take me...

If you'll give it a try, I seriously think you have a good chance of grabbing a slot there.

It doesn't appear like they have a website, how would I find out about their selection criteria, and how to apply?

website of MSU-IIT: http://www.msuiit.edu.ph/
website of MSU-Main in Marawi City: http://www.msumain.edu.ph/
website of MSU-Main forum: http://www.msumain.edu.ph/forums/

The reason for providing the Main/Marawi campus link is because the College of Medicine is under the Main campus, which is in Marawi City, but lectures and trainings are done in Iligan City for the whole duration of the program. The two cities are separated by about 30 kilometers, but transportation -- to and fro -- is abundant. I also provided the link of the school forum so you can direct your questions to their students and alumni.

Also I notice that a lot of Filipino schools require 15 credits of bio, is that the general case, or only the most competitive ones?

Actually, all medical schools in the Philippines require that. But that does not limit to Biology subject only. Biology, Zoology, Botany, Chemistry, Biochemistry -- will all do. Each of these subjects has a 5-unit load. So, if you have already taken any 3 from the list, you have already complied the requirement.

Another question: Are all these schools 4 year programs?

All medical schools in the Philippines offer medical program for 5 years. The 1-year internship is now integrated in the curriculum: 4-yr classroom lecture and 1-yr internship.

As far as lifestyle in the Philippines, I am not Filipino, but I'm sure I could handle it. I wasn't born in the States, and I also traveled a bit in Mexico (outside the tourist traps). I wouldn't care if I am the only American student in the classroom, as long as the coursework is in English.

Lectures in all medical schools in the Philippines are conducted in English. All books they're using in med school are written in English. Everybody in UP can speak fluent English. I guess the same goes for UST, MSU, PLM and CIT students. The only difference is that, UP students are more particular about accent (twang) and grammar.

 

[aspirant.]

I looked on the map and Iligan is located in South Philippines. I heard there was some civil unrest there. While I don't care about living in poor conditions, I DONT particularly want to get kidnapped or be the scapegoat American. In terms of the POLITICAL climate, how safe is Mindanao State University?

He he he ... Don't worry, you'll live just fine in Iligan City.

Way back in 1990, my grandfather was appointed as a judge in Iligan City, so our family went into migration. My parents were really scared about the idea because the news in circulation at that time were all unfavorable to Iligan. When we got there, there was no crime. the streets are clean. the people are friendly. The whole place was peaceful. My parents have never left the city since then.

2 years ago, my sister tied the knot with her AMERICAN boyfriend. When they travelled to Iligan for their honeymoon, they never left Iligan since. The couple bought a house there and decided to stay for good.

That brother-in-law of mine has joined an association where other foreiners, mostly Americans, can get together every once in a while.

Aside form their group, there's also a group of "international" people from the the Middle East, India, Korea, Jordan, China and Pakistan.

how safe is Mindanao State University?

It's way safer than most schools in Metro Manila.


Here's Iligan City's official website: http://www.iligan-city.gov.ph/

 

[aspirant.]

According to http://www.inq7.net/exam/phys_08172006.pdf only ONE student from Mindanao (Iligan) took the Physician Licensure Exam, and he failed.

What gives?? On what basis was this school recommended as one of the better schools?

Local medical board exams are conducted twice a year -- July/August and December/January. I believe MSU grads usually take the exams during the second schedule (December/January). But even then, very few MSU grads take the board exams because there has been a declined of Filipino students attending med school. This is due in part to the popularity of BS Nursing. Many Filipino doctors went to nursing schools so they can go abroad where Nursing is in-demand. There's even a joke: Medicine is the prerequisite to Nursing. He he he ...

The decline in the number of Filipinos wanting to study medicine is a phenomenon plaguing all Philippine medical schools today, not just MSU.

 

[marblesmd]

Local medical board exams are conducted twice a year -- July/August and December/January.

It's August and February.

Not all medical schools have a 5-year program. UP and St.Luke's have that, but most still stick to the 4-year program. Foreign students are not required to take the internship program, unless you want to have a Philippine medical license, then it's a prerequisite.

 

[aspirant.]

^ really? I always thought all medical schools have integrated lectures and interships in their curriculum. Thanks for the info, marblesmd, and pardon the wrong info. That, i think would make the Philippines a more attractive place to study medicine.

 

[bleudsky]

All medical schools in the Philippines offer medical program for 5 years. The 1-year internship is now integrated in the curriculum: 4-yr classroom lecture and 1-yr internship.

not really. most medical schools offer the program for 4 years, not 5. the first 3 years consist of the formal lectures. the last year (4th year) is the clinical clerkship program. this is the time where u begin to handle actual patients, start honing your skills (from history taking to iv/ngt insertions, etc), start to apply what you learned during your 1st 3 years. lectures/conferences are still present, depending on the rotation/service/rotation you're into. then they give you your medical degree (MD). the internship program (5th year) is separated coz it gives you the freedom on the hospital where you wanna take/spend it.

from my understanding there are only 2 schools which give the 5 year curriculum- UP PGH & St Luke's.

 

[bleudsky]

I wouldn't care if I am the only American student in the classroom, as long as the coursework is in English.

during your 1st 3 years, language won't be a problem but when you enter clerkship (4th year, which is a pre-requisite to earn a medical degree), you will be speaking to your patients (& their relatives) using the native tongue, especially when you go to "outside rotations" (these are hospitals outside of your teaching hospital) since most of them are not highly educated.

 

[marblesmd]

Here's another thing to consider when choosing medical schools here in the Philippines, especially for foreigners:
Choose one where the school has affiliate hospitals in the US where you can take some department/clinical rotations (eg. IM, Surgery) during your 4th year of med school instead of taking it here, so you'll also be exposed to the clinical scenario there. It'll be an important part of your application for residency since program directors look for US clinical experience, especially for IMGs. You'll have to call the medical schools for more info on this. Some of our Fil-Am batchmates did this.

 

[LocutusofBorg]

thanks for all the help guys! From what it looks, I can say that except for streamlined USMLE prep, the Carribean isn't any better than the Philippines. The fact that education is 4 years, is awesome!

In terms of clinicals, I think I can learn Tagalog in 3 years. By the way, do large numbers of Filipinos still speak Spanish? I speak Spanish fluently. Also, if we only get 1 year of clinicals in the Philippines (after 3 years coursework), will this negatively affect eligibility for US residencies? How does this work out?

In terms of NMAT preparation... When are they administered in 2007 (are there any before October 2007)? If I wish to get in Fall, 2007, when is my last opportunity to take the NMATs? I REALLY don't want to take it this October, when I haven't even prepared for it! Speaking of preparation, I took the MCATs in August, so the MCAT stuff is fresh in my brain... will this help me on the NMATs? Is there material on the NMATs not found on the MCATs and vice versa?

Finally.. do US pre-med pre-reqs translate directly into Filipino ones? In other words, if I had completed 1 year physics, 1 year Bio, 1 year gen chem, and 1 year orgo, is that enough?

Last but not least... What loans can I get for my education? Im assuming Staffords don't apply to Foreign schools... are there private loan companies that can give me a student rate?

 

[LocutusofBorg]

Here's another thing to consider when choosing medical schools here in the Philippines, especially for foreigners:
Choose one where the school has affiliate hospitals in the US where you can take some department/clinical rotations (eg. IM, Surgery) during your 4th year of med school instead of taking it here, so you'll also be exposed to the clinical scenario there. It'll be an important part of your application for residency since program directors look for US clinical experience, especially for IMGs. You'll have to call the medical schools for more info on this. Some of our Fil-Am batchmates did this.

Is there a list of Filipino schools with US affiliates available? Which ones do you know for certain have these programs available?

 

[ROA12]

-My pre-med advisor at my college somewhat frowns upon Caribbean schools especially with all the bad press and negativity they get. Personally, I think they are a great option as long you stick with the established schools, and stay away from the shady ones.

-A 3.1 GPA is more than competitive for Philippine Med schools (except for Univ. of the Phil., and possibly UST). In most cases, they will only care whether you have a bachelors degree with all required science units completed, and your NMAT. I've even heard that some of the better schools are accepting students with NMAT scores lower than their "cutoff." Enrollment is declining steadily in most med schools. If you are a foreigner and show that you're really interested in a particular Philippine med school, you should have no problem gaining admission. You have nothing to worry about.

-Many provinces, towns, streets, and last names in the Philppines are of Spanish origin, however, it is primarily only spoken amongst the small population of affluent Filipino-Spanish families, and is not spoken widely in public.

-Loans are available, you can fill out the FAFSA for the University of Santo Tomas and Fatima. I'm not sure about the other schools.

Good Luck

 

[marblesmd]

Is there a list of Filipino schools with US affiliates available? Which ones do you know for certain have these programs available?

UERM, Fatima, St.Luke's. I'm not sure about UST and other schools. You'll have to inquire from your schools of choice regarding this.

 

[marblesmd]

thanks for all the help guys! From what it looks, I can say that except for streamlined USMLE prep, the Carribean isn't any better than the Philippines. The fact that education is 4 years, is awesome!

In terms of clinicals, I think I can learn Tagalog in 3 years. By the way, do large numbers of Filipinos still speak Spanish? I speak Spanish fluently.

No. The government has abolished the requirement to learn Spanish as part of the curriculum in college a few decades ago. However, people from the Visayas (not sure if it's Iloilo) have a native dialect called Chabacano which is similar to Spanish.

Also, if we only get 1 year of clinicals in the Philippines (after 3 years coursework), will this negatively affect eligibility for US residencies? How does this work out?Afaik, it does not affect eligibility except for some states (like CA) that require a certain number of units/clinical hours to be completed prior to appying for residency. You can check the St.Luke's threads in this forum for more info.

In terms of NMAT preparation... When are they administered in 2007 (are there any before October 2007)? If I wish to get in Fall, 2007, when is my last opportunity to take the NMATs? I REALLY don't want to take it this October, when I haven't even prepared for it!
You must take the NMAT (in April or December in the Philippines) 1 yr prior to your intended start of entry to med school. So if you intend to start in June 2007, you should take it this October in the US. Application started as early as September for some schools. Interviews start in November. Release of lists of qualified applicants starts in March and enrollment starts in April.

 

[LocutusofBorg]

Afaik, it does not affect eligibility except for some states (like CA) that require a certain number of units/clinical hours to be completed prior to appying for residency. You can check the St.Luke's threads in this forum for more info.
Will this affect my ability to become licensed by California after I had completed a residency in another state?

You must take the NMAT (in April or December in the Philippines) 1 yr prior to your intended start of entry to med school. So if you intend to start in June 2007, you should take it this October in the US.
Do they have mid-year admissions like the Carribean? For instance, can I start November 2007?

Thanks!

 

[Saipan]

All schools start in June. You may not start mid-year.

You have to take the NMAT before starting school. The last date to take the NMAT for 2007 admission is April 2007. Lots of people who sat the NMAT in April 2006 subsequently started med school in June 2006.

You do NOT have to take it one year in advance. Some schools close their admissions early and hence require an NMAT score from an earlier sitting. That is an individual school policy, not a general requirement. Check with the schools that interest you.

Entry to Filipino medical schools is generally non-competitive. Take the NMAT as soon as it is convenient for you. You really don't need much preparation. Review the practice questions that come with your NMAT package. Reviewing your MCAT material will not help you.

Chabacano is spoken by a small number of people in Cebu, Zamboanga, and Cavite. A few people speak Spanish, but it is not generally understood or spoken even though Filipino languages have many Spanish words.

There is no list of schools with US afiliates. Again, check with the schools that interest you.

 

[bleudsky]

thanks for all the help guys! From what it looks, I can say that except for streamlined USMLE prep, the Carribean isn't any better than the Philippines. The fact that education is 4 years, is awesome!

In terms of clinicals, I think I can learn Tagalog in 3 years. By the way, do large numbers of Filipinos still speak Spanish? I speak Spanish fluently.

we hardly speak spanish anymore but our language is derived from it.

as for your other queries, i have no idea. sorry.

 

[bleudsky]

UERM, Fatima, St.Luke's. I'm not sure about UST and other schools. You'll have to inquire from your schools of choice regarding this.

FYI, UST has a policy that it allows its students to take Clerkship rotations outside the Philippines.

Here are the requirements:
1. Satisfactory completion of the 3-year basic courses (no failure in any subject)
2. GWA of at least 2.5 in the 3 year basic course
3. Duly matriculated student of the UST Faculty of Medicine & Surgery
4. Letter of intent for the UST student
5. Approval by the Director of Clinical Clerkship & by the Office of the Dean
6. Letter of acceptance from the Medical director/Dean of the teaching university hospital in the US
7. Submission of evaluation reports on the service rotation taken in the US based hospital
8. Upon submission, the student's documents will be forwarded to the Office of the Dean & the Office of the Registrar for approval
9. Health & mal practice insurance

clinical rotations that may be taken in foreign medical schools are the minor ones (including elective rotations) - anesthesiology, dermatology, family medicine, infectious diseases, laboratory med, legal med, neurology-psychiatry, ophthalmology, ENT, radiology, rehabilitation medicine. your rotation should be duly accredited by both the foreign (US training) and UST hospitals.

clinical rotations that MUST be taken at the UST Hospital (Clinical Division) are the major rotations - medicine, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics-gynecology (including jose fabella memorial hospital), community medicine in bulacan.

 

[LocutusofBorg]

UERM, Fatima, St.Luke's. I'm not sure about UST and other schools. You'll have to inquire from your schools of choice regarding this.

Called St. Lukes last night, and they told me that their program is 5 years, not 4. That pretty much destroys the benefit of rotations in the US.

 

[morgagni]

hi im a graduate of the university of the philippines college of medicine (UPCM).

regarding my school, yes, it's true. it's very tough to enter. especially for foreigners. every year, only 160 among the thousands of applicants are accepted. in our class, there were 2 summa cum laudes, 12 magna cum laudes, and 60+ cum laudes, mostly with pre-med degrees from the university of the philippines system also. there were, i think, only 8 who came from other universities/colleges. so it's not true that UP only accepts those with "laudes." it's also not true that only those with >90 in the NMAT got accepted. sometimes it depends on one's "connections." definitely, the most commonly utilized and the most effective "connection" is having a UP-philippine general hospital (UP-PGH) attending for a father/mother. =)

UP is also well-respected throughout the international medical community. our graduates have taken their residency in well-known training hospitals, such as cleveland clinic, SUNY, albert einstein in philadelphia, NYMC in montefiore, cook county in chicago, university of illinois, henry ford in detroit, michigan state university, etc. we also produced graduates whose names are now familiar to every doctor and medical student - like dr. gustilo (gustilo-anderson classification of open fractures) and dr. rotor (rotor syndrome).

however, being a state university, UP prioritizes local applicants over foreign ones. yet every year, 1-3 applicants who are citizens of other countries are lucky enough to be accepted. regarding the tuition fee, from 1st year to 4th year, i only paid an incredible 11,529.50 pesos (US$228) per semester! during our 5th year - our internship - we didn't pay any tuition fees, we got free meals at the mess hall (you can eat there three times a day for 365 days!), and we even had free accommodations at the interns' dorm.

moreover, UP consistently shows the best performance in the licensure exams. in the most recent board exam which had a national passing rate of 55.3%, UP got a passing rate of 97%. this was followed by cebu institute of medicine with 88%, pamantasan ng lungsod ng maynila (PLM, literally means university of the city of manila) with 86%, and then the university of santo tomas (UST) with 84%.

the following are other medical schools with their board exam ratings:
st. louis university (baguio, the summer capital because of its cool climate; also called a university town because it is home to various universities and colleges) - 75%
mindanao state university (mindanao) - 69%
xavier university (mindanao) - 69%
st. luke's (quezon city, in metro manila) - 68%
far eastern university (quezon city?, in metro manila) - 66%
university of the east (manila) - 55%
de la salle university (cavite, suburb of manila) - 50%
our lady of fatima university (valenzuela, in metro manila) - 42%
angeles university foundation (pampanga) - 38%
manila central university (caloocan, in metro manila)- 29%
university of perpetual help (las piñas, in metro manila) - 18%

i hope these statistics will guide you in choosing the right medical school. good luck!


rey

 

[LocutusofBorg]

UP got a passing rate of 97%. this was followed by cebu institute of medicine with 88%, pamantasan ng lungsod ng maynila (PLM, literally means university of the city of manila) with 86%, and then the university of santo tomas (UST) with 84%.

the following are other medical schools with their board exam ratings:
st. louis university (baguio, the summer capital because of its cool climate; also called a university town because it is home to various universities and colleges) - 75%
mindanao state university (mindanao) - 69%
xavier university (mindanao) - 69%
st. luke's (quezon city, in metro manila) - 68%
far eastern university (quezon city?, in metro manila) - 66%
university of the east (manila) - 55%
de la salle university (cavite, suburb of manila) - 50%
our lady of fatima university (valenzuela, in metro manila) - 42%
angeles university foundation (pampanga) - 38%
manila central university (caloocan, in metro manila)- 29%
university of perpetual help (las piñas, in metro manila) - 18%

i hope these statistics will guide you in choosing the right medical school. good luck!


rey

I called PLM last night, and they do not accept foreigners. BASTARDS!🙂

I noticed you put UERM like 8th on your list. Do you think that's representative of the school's reputation? A lot of people in other threads have been listing it in top 3! WHats your opinion?

Finally, which of these schools, besides the FEU, employ the "sieve" strategy to achieve their ranking? In other words, I want to go to the school with the best quality of education, not the one that places their standards higher than the quality of academic instruction, in order to increase the quality of their graduating student pool by attrition. In other words, I want a school that is not only tough, but is really good at teaching the required material, and doesn't have an enormous drop out rate.

Thanks!

 

[ricksakti]

Yeah... how come poeple on this thread did not consider UERM as top five universities? Any specific reason. I am interested in going to UERM...

 

[hentaisocrnmdph]

UERM was not included probably because of the drawback with their curriculum. The percentages are of the board exams I think. I think the curriculum with the draw back was the problem based curriculum. Now, they are implementing it on a 35% PBL and 65 traditional. Its an okay school really- it should be ranked in the top 5 in the sense that among the greater metro manila area, its education and graduates do well.

 

[Chimdiya]

According to a friend, and to some anecdotal experiences, yes. 🙂




I believe all medical schools in the Philippines are serious in what they do -- to teach their students to become competent doctors. All medical schools in the Philippines are assessed by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) on a yearly basis. CHED proposes for closure to those schools that did not meet their assessment standard criteria, one of which is the percentage of passing in the local board examination, and awards medical schools that have met the highest standards. Currently, three schools in the Philippines have been awarded as CENTER of EXCELLENCE by the Commission on Higher EDucation (CHED) and these are: The University of the Philippines (UP), Velez College - Cebu Institute of Medicine (CIM) and University of Santo Tomas (UST). Despite the very short list, medical schools offering QUALITY medical education do exist. Among the most well-known are: Pamantasan ng Lunsod ng Maynila (Manila), Far Eastern University (Manila), University of the East (Manila), De La Salle University (Provincial-Cavite), Cebu Doctor's University (Provincial-Cebu), Mindanao State University (Provincial-Iligan City), Angeles University Foundation (Province-San Fernando, Pampanga) and St. Louis University (Provincial-Bagiuo City).

Therefore, it is safe to assume that medical schools in the Philippines are not here just for the "money" and are worth attending. Compared to other Asian countries, Philippine medical schools charge cheaper.




I would have recommended you to go to the University of the Philippines Medical School because it is the cheapest amongst all the medical schools in the whole Philippines. And, without overstating, it is far and beyond the BEST medical school in the entire Philippines. In fact, its reputation exists beyond Southeast Asia. An unpublished ranking report by the WHO ranked UP Medical School 3rd in Asia, only bettered by a school in Japan and China. However, getting into UP Medical School would be a big trouble for you because UP is extremely selective; they only accept the top 160 applicants from the more than 3-4 thousand applicants every year. Almost all admitted students were at least cum laude graduates and members of honor societies. UP also require all its applicants to have a score of at least 90% in the National Medical Aptitude Test (NMAT), the local equivalent of MCAT. And in its entire history, UP has never accepted applicants who scored just above the neck of the cut-off score. Many applicants with 98% NMAT are still rejected. But if you think you have what it takes to go to UP, then, by all means, pursue it. You will never be wrong in going there: top quality education + affordable tuition rate. That's really hard to beat. On the other hand, if you think UP is not the best "fit" for you, then you can try at the following schools:

(Very Selective / Highly Competitive)
**UST - University of Santo Tomas (Metro Manila, Expensive)
PLM - Pamantasan ng Lunsod ng Maynila (Metro Manila, Affordable)
**CIM - Cebu Institute of Medicine (Provincial-Cebu, mid-range tuition)
UE - University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Medical Foundation (Metro Manila, expensive)


(Selective)
FEU - Far Eastern University (Metro Manila, Expensive)
Cebu Doctor's University (Provincial-Cebu, mid-range tuition charges)
MSU - Mindanao State University (Provincial-Iligan, very Affordable)


(Moderately Selective)
St. Luke's Medical School (Metro Manila, expensive)
DLSU - De La Salle University (Provincial-Cavite, expensive)
Fatima Medical University (Metro manila, mid-range tuition charges)





with this in mind, I strongly recommend that you go to Mindanao State University (MSU) in Iligan City. Why?
1. tuition rate is unbelievably cheap; less than US$100 per semester.
2. The standard of living is cheap; if you have US$200 per month, you'll live comfortably well.
3. Food is great.
4. Residential places/accommodation are plentiful (and cheap)
5. People are respectful and friendly
6. Iligan is a modern city with modern shopping malls, theaters, pubs, etc...
7. Very supportive faculty
8. very high passing rate in the Medical Board Examination.


Other medical Schools worth Attending are Cebu Institute of Medicine in Cebu City and Xavier School in Cagayan de Oro City. The reasons: safe places to live in, high quality education, high passing in medical board exams and supportive faculty members.

If you need assistance in applying to med school in the Philippines, you can pm me. Good luck!

I am from Nigerian and I already have a Bachelors degree in Biochemistry. I want to enrol in Xavier University Philipines at the nearest starting date. My folks can handle my funding. What I want to know is whether all enrolment dates for 2006 are all gone and isnt it possible for them to waive NMAT for international students cos I dont plan to enter Philipines until I am sure I am going there for medschool. Cant just go there to write NMAT and sit around waiting for their desicion. Can you guys help me out here? Any ideas?

 

[LocutusofBorg]

Yea flying back and forth will be tough for you🙁

Why Xavier? Just curious. I was looking at it as well, I heard the city where it's located is quite nice...

 

[maia]

in the most recent board exam which had a national passing rate of 55.3%, UP got a passing rate of 97%. this was followed by cebu institute of medicine with 88%, pamantasan ng lungsod ng maynila (PLM, literally means university of the city of manila) with 86%, and then the university of santo tomas (UST) with 84%.

rey

hi!

the list seem to be missing this "little" school.
thought i'd plug this in

www.medskul.com or
http://www.wvsumedaa.com/

---no. 5 ranked during the August 2006 Medical Licensure Exams
(has been in the top 5 in the previous years)

--80% passing rate last August.

FOR THOSE INTO RESEARCH:
the school is strongly research oriented and some students researches have been sent for competition (some won the top prizes in the last few years) in fora abroad

Public Health:

--very active in public health as the current national president for the philippine chapter for Asian Medical Students Association was chosen from this school

in regarding the UP connection, the professors of the college (esp the older ones) graduated from UPCM

--over the years there have been fil-am, europeans and indians who have studied/currently studying in the college

--for other info, you can ask any member in the website forum and you'll get a quick reply

 

[isko_elbi]

hi!

the list seem to be missing this "little" school.
thought i'd plug this in

www.medskul.com or
http://www.wvsumedaa.com/

---no. 5 ranked during the August 2006 Medical Licensure Exams
(has been in the top 5 in the previous years)

--86% passing rate last August.

FOR THOSE INTO RESEARCH:
the school is strongly research oriented and some students researches have been sent for competition (some won the top prizes in the last few years) in fora abroad

Public Health:

--very active in public health as the current national president for the philippine chapter for Asian Medical Students Association was chosen from this school

in regarding the UP connection, the professors of the college (esp the older ones) graduated from UPCM

--over the years there have been fil-am, europeans and indians who have studied/currently studying in the college

--for other info, you can ask any member in the website forum and you'll get a quick reply

there are lots of good and competitive medical schools in visayas and mindanao (including west visayas college of medicine). if only i were a resident of visayas or mindanao, i would have decided to get into these schools (cim, wvsu, etc.). but the problem is, i live in luzon and i don't think my parents would allow me to study there. sayang no. hehehe. 😀

 

[chocopinipig]

advice from a graduate of medical school in the philippines...
From what i understand you are not a filipino-american and you've never been to the philippines.. under such circumstances i would advise to :

Stick to good performing schools with good "technical" practice in terms of educating their students.

As one of my professor said.." THERE ARE schools that train their students to pass the board exam.. but they don't teach them enough to be good doctors"
follow the ranking in the recent board exam but BE WARNED, the Regulatory Comission ranks them according to the number of examinees first, then they do the ranking! eg...all schools with less than 100 examinees..ranked as top 1 to say 3rd place. Then all schools with more than 100...then rank them accordingly.

Stick to the more "expensive" schools. In the long run, the education they give will give you more benefit when you return to the states.

Schools with excellent reputations so far but with only 4 years of training are the following🙁 in no particular order and by personal choice)
University of santo tomas Manila area
Far eastern university Manila Area
St louie univerisity Baguio area
De la Salle university Cavite area
University of the East Manila area
Cebu institute of medicine Visayas islands
Western Visayas State university Visayas islands
Xavier Cagayan/Mindanao island

YOU Being an american citizen and not even a fil-am, (and with no nearby relatives) i do believe YOU NEED TO STAY IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH THE AMERICAN EMBASSY. And i do advise you to stay away from Mindanao island for all security purposes.

Under such circumstances I would advise you to choose the schools within the metro manila area. UST, FEU, La Salle, UE.

Language learning: you have 3 years to learn the language. You will be interacting with patients on the 4th year. Everybody here can understand english but you need to grasp the basic language. It would help if you have other non-tagalog speaking fil-am friends and learn together(or even those who can speak the language just a bit).

Cost: that would depend on the loan that you got i suppose but REMEMBER, stick to areas/schools that are familiar with handling foreigners. And yes, the higher the cost, they better they train you. Training means enabling you to think and analyze the problem first hand rather than having you memorize a series of steps which you would eventually forget. Stick your choices to the 4 schools i mentioned for now and you'll do fine in the end. Provided you manage to graduate from med school.

and just in case somebody reacts quite badly to this post. I apologize but this is the only advice that i am most comfortable with.

 

[maia]

advice from a graduate of medical school in the philippines...
From what i understand you are not a filipino-american and you've never been to the philippines.. under such circumstances i would advise to :

Stick to good performing schools with good "technical" practice in terms of educating their students.

As one of my professor said.." THERE ARE schools that train their students to pass the board exam.. but they don't teach them enough to be good doctors"
follow the ranking in the recent board exam but BE WARNED, the Regulatory Comission ranks them according to the number of examinees first, then they do the ranking! eg...all schools with less than 100 examinees..ranked as top 1 to say 3rd place. Then all schools with more than 100...then rank them accordingly.

Stick to the more "expensive" schools. In the long run, the education they give will give you more benefit when you return to the states.

Schools with excellent reputations so far but with only 4 years of training are the following🙁 in no particular order and by personal choice)
University of santo tomas Manila area
Far eastern university Manila Area
St louie univerisity Baguio area
De la Salle university Cavite area
University of the East Manila area
Cebu institute of medicine Visayas islands
Western Visayas State university Visayas islands
Xavier Cagayan/Mindanao island

YOU Being an american citizen and not even a fil-am, (and with no nearby relatives) i do believe YOU NEED TO STAY IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH THE AMERICAN EMBASSY. And i do advise you to stay away from Mindanao island for all security purposes.

Under such circumstances I would advise you to choose the schools within the metro manila area. UST, FEU, La Salle, UE.

Language learning: you have 3 years to learn the language. You will be interacting with patients on the 4th year. Everybody here can understand english but you need to grasp the basic language. It would help if you have other non-tagalog speaking fil-am friends and learn together(or even those who can speak the language just a bit).

Cost: that would depend on the loan that you got i suppose but REMEMBER, stick to areas/schools that are familiar with handling foreigners. And yes, the higher the cost, they better they train you. Training means enabling you to think and analyze the problem first hand rather than having you memorize a series of steps which you would eventually forget. Stick your choices to the 4 schools i mentioned for now and you'll do fine in the end. Provided you manage to graduate from med school.

and just in case somebody reacts quite badly to this post. I apologize but this is the only advice that i am most comfortable with.

very good advice.
I'd like to add though that PRC ranking is not necessarily a good measure of quality training. Quality training will be measured once you go out there in the wards or work with graduates of other schools. Then you'll see. 🙂

 

[HarryPotterMD]

Ang taray ng mga sagot ... pang-MissU.

Oh ito pa ang addendum ko ha ... Individual differences !! That accounts for nearly over half of your personal success after MD !!

Talent pa rin in the end !!! And ...... PERFORMANCE !!!

Hindi pu-puwede yung tahimik .. kailangang mag-spuk ka sa residency interview mo ! You need to shine like a new penny !! The credentials on paper should match the personality !!

O di ba Kuya Boy ??

 

[SoFUnKyITsFrEsH]

I lived in California my whole life. I'm currently attending LA Mission College and I plan on transfering to Mount Saint Mary's College. My parents are planning on moving to the Philippines after I graduate. I'm actually thinking of going to med school out there when they move. Do you know of any med schools in Pinas that will allow me to work in the US after I finish? Basically, I want to know if going to school in a foreign country is okay for those who plan on moving back to the US.

 

[HarryPotterMD]

I lived in California my whole life. I'm currently attending LA Mission College and I plan on transfering to Mount Saint Mary's College. My parents are planning on moving to the Philippines after I graduate. I'm actually thinking of going to med school out there when they move. Do you know of any med schools in Pinas that will allow me to work in the US after I finish? Basically, I want to know if going to school in a foreign country is okay for those who plan on moving back to the US.

Funky .... sama ko sa yo pagbalik mo sa US ? (Just kidding)

O heto ha, advice ng lola mo.

First, there are too many variables to consider before you actually get an answer to your question(s).

Pero as a reductionist that I am, here is what I gather as to what your objectives are:
1) You want to study here
2) You want to practice in the US

But, you don't know:
1) Which school will help you achieve (2) above, or
2) If there is any school at all, that will help you achieve (2) above

The answers are easy. Yes there is (are) school(s) you can go to in the Phil, and will put you close to your objective (2). How close ? This is where too many variables will come in.

But before we get to that part, let's do the school thing first:

Go to the WHO (World Health Organization) site, they have a list of recognized medical schools in the whole damn world. If you want to practice in California, you want to send an email to the California State Board of Examiner as to which schools in the Phil. they recognize. Chances are, the same (or mostly) schools that WHO recognizes, your State will recognize as well. Why ? Because each State doesn't do assessment and verification of every school in every country in the whole damn world. That is not practical and possible. It is also not their job to accredit, assess, and set criteria which medical school in which country meets the MINIMUM global standard for health care education. The FAIMER (Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research) also publishes up-to-date medical schools in every country. The US medical schools uses the FAIMER list of medical schools in the world. There are about 30 medical schools in the Philippines FAIMER lists.

So do that part first, then you will have narrowed down your choices.

Which one of these will you choose ?

Because your objective is to go back to the States and practice there, your concern should encompass:
- quality of teaching, at a minimum!!
- does the medical school allow foreign students to seek clerkship rotations in the US
- USMLE prep help, although this one you can forgo, because you can always avail yourself of various USMLE Review Preps that are market-driven !!
- the city or region in the Phil. you are comfortable to live in as well as language and dialects in that region that you may already have a grip on (Tagalog?)

That's pretty much it.

As to whether you will get to practice in the US, that's another story in the bag. Remember though, whichever school you go to in the Phil, you will still be a FMG or Foreign Medical Graduate. When you compete to enter the US for Residency Training, you will compete with thousands of people coming from different countries in the world and in that pool, no preference is given to which school you went to. What they consider though:
- Your scores in the USMLE Step 1,2,3 (any retakes ? how long is the time period gap between your Steps)
- Recommendations from your preceptors, supervisors, professors, etc.
- Your transcript of record of course
- Your Student Performance Record (not similar to Transcript that contains grades only) that has qualitatitive evaluations from your medical school.
- You must do very well in your clinical clerkships
- Your interview performance when you apply for your Residency Training
- Your own Personal Letter ... LoL Big deal yan ha !! hindi yan minor

Now, those are some (if not all) of the things they pay attention to when looking at individual applicants.

Ilang taon ka na Funky ? Saan ka sa States ? Anong pre-med mo ? LoL
Restaurant tayo pagdating mo dito ha .... hehehehe

O ayan, galing sa lola mo lahat yan.

Park muna lola mo ha.

OB-GYN wanna-be

 

[bleudsky]

very good advice.
I'd like to add though that PRC ranking is not necessarily a good measure of quality training. Quality training will be measured once you go out there in the wards or work with graduates of other schools. Then you'll see. 🙂

aside from that, it will show your work ethics, on how u deal with patients and how u handle all different levels of stress - from physical to psychological stress.

i gotta run- code blue!

 

[princesslexxie]

i just grad from BS Nursing last April.. will be taking the NMAT on December 06... planning to go to medschool SY 07-08... had 2 undergrad years from BS Chemistry... had zoo1, biology, chemistry and biochem subjects.. im planning to go to either UST or FEU... and im so worried about enrolling BOtany and Comparative Anatomy (not in my previous curriculum) just to complete the requirements from either school. DO I STILL NEED TO ENROL THESE SUBJECTS? OR CAN I ENROLL EVEN WITH JUST MY BS NURSING DEGREE AND 2 UNDERGRAD YEARS IN BS CHEM (which gave me more than 20 units of Chem)? PLEASE HELP ME... I WANNA SPARE A SEMESTER TO REVIEW FOR MY NMAT. THANKS A LOT!

 

[HarryPotterMD]

i just grad from BS Nursing last April.. will be taking the NMAT on December 06... planning to go to medschool SY 07-08... had 2 undergrad years from BS Chemistry... had zoo1, biology, chemistry and biochem subjects.. im planning to go to either UST or FEU... and im so worried about enrolling BOtany and Comparative Anatomy (not in my previous curriculum) just to complete the requirements from either school. DO I STILL NEED TO ENROL THESE SUBJECTS? OR CAN I ENROLL EVEN WITH JUST MY BS NURSING DEGREE AND 2 UNDERGRAD YEARS IN BS CHEM (which gave me more than 20 units of Chem)? PLEASE HELP ME... I WANNA SPARE A SEMESTER TO REVIEW FOR MY NMAT. THANKS A LOT!

Princess .... save yourself one semester, both the time and the effort!! You don't need BOTANY and COMP ANA to apply !

Iniba na ang admission policies dito sa Philippine medschools, specifically, those that relate to the specific prerequisite courses. Pero ha, some schools require (like in CIM) specific science courses. Pero since you are eyeing for UST & FEU, here are their prereqs:


UST

In addition to the Bachelor's degree, applicants must have earned credits in the following subjects which may either be within or in addition to the baccalaureate degree requirement (Minimum Subject Requirements as of March 31, 2001).
A. Biology-15 units
B. Chemistry-10 units
C. Mathematics-9 units
D. Physics-5 units
E. Social Sciences-12 units


FEU


1. Graduate of a bachelor’s Degree in Arts and Science.

2. Applicants must have earned the minimum number of credits on the following subjects:

Biology --------------------------- 15 units
Chemistry ------------------------ 10 units
Mathematics ---------------------- 9 units
Physics ----------------------------- 5 units
Social Science ------------------- 12 units

3. The applicant must have finished their bachelor’s degree and all the required subjects listed in the item number 2 at the end of the school year preceeding the year of application.


So, you are eligible to apply Princess.

Are you Fil-am or Filipino citizen or resident alien here ? -- because there are foreign fees in the amount of $6,000 for FEU and $10,000 for UST, if you are not citizen nor resident here.

Punta ka na dito Princess mas murang mag-aral dito. LoL Mas masaya pa!!
hehehe 😍 😍

Galing sa lola mo lahat yan.


OB-GYN wanna-be

 

[squash22]

uy harrypotter md! need help!

balak ko din sa ust and feu pero kulang kulang units ko. chem at anatomy ko tig-limang units lang. basta mga kulang kulang talaga. kelangna ko pa ba mag aral para madagdagan units ko?
balak ko mag med sa 2008 kasi mag boboard exam pa ako sa nursing sa dec at nclex next yr plus nmat pa. nalilito ako kung kelangna ko pa ikumpleto ung units ko.

and last na question: san sa pasong tamo pede kumuha ng nmat form? papakuha na sana ako this week kahit na sa april pa ako mag tetest. hehehe excited eh.

salamat 🙂

 

[princesslexxie]

Princess .... save yourself one semester, both the time and the effort!! You don't need BOTANY and COMP ANA to apply !

Iniba na ang admission policies dito sa Philippine medschools, specifically, those that relate to the specific prerequisite courses. Pero ha, some schools require (like in CIM) specific science courses. Pero since you are eyeing for UST & FEU, here are their prereqs:


UST

In addition to the Bachelor's degree, applicants must have earned credits in the following subjects which may either be within or in addition to the baccalaureate degree requirement (Minimum Subject Requirements as of March 31, 2001).
A. Biology-15 units
B. Chemistry-10 units
C. Mathematics-9 units
D. Physics-5 units
E. Social Sciences-12 units


FEU


1. Graduate of a bachelor’s Degree in Arts and Science.

2. Applicants must have earned the minimum number of credits on the following subjects:

Biology --------------------------- 15 units
Chemistry ------------------------ 10 units
Mathematics ---------------------- 9 units
Physics ----------------------------- 5 units
Social Science ------------------- 12 units

3. The applicant must have finished their bachelor’s degree and all the required subjects listed in the item number 2 at the end of the school year preceeding the year of application.


So, you are eligible to apply Princess.

Are you Fil-am or Filipino citizen or resident alien here ? -- because there are foreign fees in the amount of $6,000 for FEU and $10,000 for UST, if you are not citizen nor resident here.

Punta ka na dito Princess mas murang mag-aral dito. LoL Mas masaya pa!!
hehehe 😍 😍

Galing sa lola mo lahat yan.


OB-GYN wanna-be

THANKS.... I'm a pinay po! 🙂 i studied here (all the way!😀 )... thanks for the reply... 😀 i also wanna ask if these count:

for bio: zoo1 (5 units). bio1 (3 U), anaphysio (5 U), micropara (3 U) = 16 units
for soc sci: rizal, eco, consti, asian civilization = 12 units
* no prob with chem -- had 20 U of it


and is it true that it's difficult to get admitted in UST than any other private medschools? thanks

 

[princesslexxie]

oo

uy harrypotter md! need help!

balak ko din sa ust and feu pero kulang kulang units ko. chem at anatomy ko tig-limang units lang. basta mga kulang kulang talaga. kelangna ko pa ba mag aral para madagdagan units ko? ACCDG TO MOST SCHOOLS' REQUISITES, YOU NEED TO ENROL MORE CHEM AND BIO SUBJECTSbalak ko mag med sa 2008 kasi mag boboard exam pa ako sa nursing sa dec at nclex next yr plus nmat pa. nalilito ako kung kelangna ko pa ikumpleto ung units ko.

and last na question: san sa pasong tamo pede kumuha ng nmat form? papakuha na sana ako this week kahit na sa april pa ako mag tetest. hehehe excited eh.

** take the mrt -- baba ka MAGALLANES STATION,if ur coming from North, baba ka stairs then turn right (may building na giniba sa baba ng station, turn right ka sa corner na un... take a jeep (or cab), then the building before WalterMart and across Don Bosco, un ung Citiland... 24th floor ung CEM office. 500 for registration. 1300 ung testing fee (upon completion of app. form)

ask ko din, pano ka nagapply for NCLEX exam? i didnt attend any review center classes kaya mejo clueless ako sa process ng nclex, cg and the like...

salamat 🙂

 

[bleudsky]

i just grad from BS Nursing last April.. will be taking the NMAT on December 06... planning to go to medschool SY 07-08... had 2 undergrad years from BS Chemistry... had zoo1, biology, chemistry and biochem subjects.. im planning to go to either UST or FEU... and im so worried about enrolling BOtany and Comparative Anatomy (not in my previous curriculum) just to complete the requirements from either school. DO I STILL NEED TO ENROL THESE SUBJECTS? OR CAN I ENROLL EVEN WITH JUST MY BS NURSING DEGREE AND 2 UNDERGRAD YEARS IN BS CHEM (which gave me more than 20 units of Chem)? PLEASE HELP ME... I WANNA SPARE A SEMESTER TO REVIEW FOR MY NMAT. THANKS A LOT!

you can try what i did 5 years ago (been too long eh? hehe!):

bring a copy of your transcript of records (photocopy is fine) then show it to the admissions committee and ask for evaluation of your transcript. they will tell you immediately if u still need additional units, or not. then, they'll give u back ur copy of transcript.

worked for me. 🙂

fortunately for me, i didn't took any additional units. (my pre-med was PT).

 

[bleudsky]

and is it true that it's difficult to get admitted in UST than any other private medschools? thanks

nope. get an NMAT score of 65 & above plus good college grades (meaning, no failures nor re-takes)

 

[HarryPotterMD]

O heto ang enrollment trend sa pilippine med schools:
Legend:
1) Schools Quota
2) 2001-2002
3) 2004-2005
4) Increase Shortfall of AY 2004- (%)
5) 2005 enrollment from quota (%)

Angeles University Foundation 150 72 30 -58% -80%
Bicol Christian College of Medicine 160 25 19 -24% -88%
Cebu Doctors College of Medicine 200 120 99 -18% -50%
Cebu Institute of Medicine 260 118 77 -59% -70%
Cagayan State University 80 33 19 -42% -76%
Davao Medical School Foundation 160 88 100 1% -38%
De La Salle University - HSC 200 257 117 -54% -42%
Far Eastern University 360 379 248 -35% -31%
Iloilo Doctors College of Medicine 160 78 20 -74% -88%
Lyceum Northwestern 160 57 19 -67% -88%
Manila Central University 210 148 54 -64% -74%
Mindanao State University 80 42 54 29% -32%
Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila 160 160 135 -16% -16%
Remedios T. Romualdez Mem'l Found. 80 73 30 -59% -62%
Saint Louis University 160 112 64 -43% -60%
South Western University 210 138 78 -43% -63%
St. Luke's College of Medicine 120 128 76 -41% -37%
UERM-MMC 360 309 200 -35% -44%
University of Sto. Tomas 410 421 440 5% 7%
University of the Philippines 167 160
University of Visayas 160 80 40 -50% -75%
Virgen Milagrosa University Foundation 160 68 24 -65% -85%
West Visayas State University 160 99 100 1% -38%
Xavier University 100 55 63 15% -37%
Zamboanga Medical School Foundation 80 30 33 1% -59%

Source: Association of Philippine Medical Colleges

 

[DrMcSteamy]

I heard that UERM is also implementing the 5-year curriculum starting 2007. is this true?

 

[LocutusofBorg]

I heard that UERM is also implementing the 5-year curriculum starting 2007. is this true?

I hope not. Where did you hear this?