College Dilemma

[euphoria89]

Hello. I'm from the Philippines and i'm choosing between UST and DLSU.

I'm still a high school senior by the way...

My course in UST is Nursing for pre-med while for DLSU i'm accepted in their 6-yr medicine Human Biology course.


I really want to take up residency in the USA. Is this option even possible?
Should I take the short cut with DLSU or choose the longer but more prestigious medical school (UST)?

My real questions: Which medical school could give me greater chances of being accepted for residency in the USA: UST or DLSU? Same?

I read in the latest results that 85% of students from UST passed the PLE while only 65% from DLSU passed. However, the top notcher was from DLSU-D.

Thanks for your guidance.

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[chocopinipig]

Human bio is a very intensive course. Both options you have chosen sounds fine to me. You can practice or train (residency) in the United states with either course. I do not know the status of DLSU with regards to some states in the US but i think it is approved in almost all states as is with UST.

If you manage to finish human bio thats a sure fire way of getting into medicine at DLSU. (but probably not at UST or other medical schools, although i could be wrong with this idea).

If you choose nursing you still need to face competition from other graduates for the slot in medicine. But you get the advantage of having a fall-back course should you somehow change your mind about getting into medicine while still in the pre-med years. Remember the medicine proper 4 years plus 1 year internship. Residency training 4 to 5 years, fellowship training an additional 2 years ( you finish the entire medical training "package" so to speak by the time you reach 30 years old) Wag ka maniwala sa mga sinasabi 4 years lang ang med. thats just the classroom part. The training in total takes a lot longer than that.

If you have good grades in highschool and believe you can maintain it into nursing college, you can get into UST medicine easily. Aside from being a fall-back course you can apply as a nurse in the US and while working perhaps earn your way to getting the USMLE.

goodluck

 

[euphoria89]

Yes, human biology is a rigorous course. I went to the orientation of the College of Science in DLSU and they said that it's 2 yrs but we won't have any summer vacation at all. They accept 60 students for hum-bio based on their entrance exam. Yes, taking human biology means I would have to go to DLSU medicine. Our third year would also be our first year of medicine in their med school in Cavite.

I really want to live in the US that's why I opted for nursing as pre-med. I just want to have the option of having my residency in the US. If I take nursing, I would opt to study medicine here since med in the US is extremely expensive.

I did pass UP (Biochemistry) but I'm opting not to go for that since my courses in UST and DLSU would seem to be more advantageous.

My grades in high school are good and I believe I could maintain it.

My mom wants me to go to DLSU but my dad says (before) that UST is better since I'd be able to take nursing that way. I'm torn.

Thanks for your reply

 

[marblesmd]

Enjoy the full college experience. Don't skip it because you're rushing to take up medicine, you have the rest of your life for that. Medicine is a never-ending process of learning and most of all, a vocation.

Good Luck!

 

[tantrum]

I would go for UST Nursing because of the fallback option. But both choices are good for pre-med. Matching for US residency is getting extremely competitive nowadays (some with good scores don't even get an interview) especially if you need a visa (j1 or H1). The US is the only option for foreign grads to do residency (UK is now closed for non EU members). Nursing can give you a "backdoor" option.

 

[euphoria89]

What's a J1 / H1?

I do have a US Visa... Does UST give better preparation for incoming doctors? Any opinions?

Thanks

 

[tantrum]

What's a J1 / H1?

I do have a US Visa... Does UST give better preparation for incoming doctors? Any opinions?

Thanks

If you are not a US citizen or permanent resident ("green card")-this is a big advantage, the only way you can train there is via J1(exchange visitor visa) or h1B (temporary worker visa).

No philippine school will prepare you for USMLE (the US licensure exams to train there). You have to prepare independently.

 

[euphoria89]

Well I noticed that there are some certain schools which have a higher passing percentage than others when it comes to the Physician Licensure Exam here (Philippines) like UP, UST and the other "top medical schools". Are these statistics not a testimony of a medical school's training for medicine students?

I don't know if the students of UST are really smarter than the ones in DLSU-D (not meaning to offend anyone) or if their training is better.


Results: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/examresults/20070221_physician02212007.pdf

 

[hentaisocrnmdph]

I suggest you take up nursing
Advantages:
- back up/ fall back plan
- competency in higher medical/ clincal fields (especially in UST- they offer one of the best nursing education in the Philippines)
- double degree (RN, MD)
- youll be studying in UST (they pretty much specialize in the health sciences courses, much more than DLSU)
- loyalty increases your chances of getting in in their medicine program

Disadvantages
- longer time to study (4 years pre med, 4 years proper, 1 year internship)

 

[euphoria89]

I've heard that before a nursing student could work in the US, s/he was to work here for 3yrs first. Is this true?

I really don't think I need a fall back. I really have my mind set on becoming a doctor.

 

[tantrum]

Well I noticed that there are some certain schools which have a higher passing percentage than others when it comes to the Physician Licensure Exam here (Philippines) like UP, UST and the other "top medical schools". Are these statistics not a testimony of a medical school's training for medicine students?

Although it is politically incorrect to say but they really have better students as more students try to get to these schools and these schools can choose the top candidates.

I've heard that before a nursing student could work in the US, s/he was to work here for 3yrs first. Is this true?

I really don't think I need a fall back. I really have my mind set on becoming a doctor.

There is no 3 year work requirement (the Phil gov't rely on dollar remittances) yet.
You might need one as 10 years from now things will be much different and if things get worse you'll never know. You don't plan this things as you are still very young.

 

[chocopinipig]

i agree. Don't ever think you don't need a fall back.
I know you are passionate about becoming a physician and feel you don't need a fall back BUT consider these questions:

Why are the intelligent doctors nowadays SHIFTING into nursing?

Why are the established good doctors LEAVING the country?

something must be TERRIBLY TERRIBLY WRONG and they decided to change profession..

LEARN from the present. GET a fallback
It will HELP you in the end should something go wrong along the long winding road to completing medicine.

Take the advice from a real doctor who has seen everything.... thats us.

 

[euphoria89]

Yes, I guess you two have a point.

Well what do you think of Nursing as a pre-med (that could be fallbacks) then?

I'm in Biochemistry in UP but it seems I wouldn't enjoy it. I would have checked Molecular Biology but the application for UP was really early and I had no idea about some pre-medical courses.

Thank you doctors