Elective In the Philippines

[McCloskers]

Hello!
Im a fourth year medical student at Queen's Belfast, Northern Ireland. Im planning on doing my elective in the Philippines during july/august 2010. Not really sure how to go about arranging it- do I contact university faculties or the hospitals directly? I'd be very grateful for any info at all from philippinos or anyone who has done an elective there.
Im not exactly sure what area id like to do it in yet- maybe general medicine or emergency medicine, maybe endocrinology.
Do most of the larger hospitals have accommodation that someone like myself could avail of or would I need to arrange my own?
Any tips would be appreciated- thanks!!

ryan.

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[kittycrinkles]

perhaps you can use google to find the websites of the med schools you wish to inquire from? you would usually have to arrange for the accomodations.

for UP, i believe the guidelines for applying are found here.

good luck!

 

[McCloskers]

Thanks very much for the advice and information Kittycrinkles. I got information and contacts about UP from an american doctor aswell. However another member, Saipan, has actually suggested that getting to see patients in Philippines General Hospital will be pretty tough. I'd maybe prefer somewhere where I might get more experience without the competition for patients. Thanks again though! I think I may have to do a thorough google search on this!

 

[Saipan]

However another member, Saipan, has actually suggested that getting to see patients in Philippines General Hospital will be pretty tough.

Any hospital that has tons of interns and clerks means that there will be competition for space in the operating room. A pushy clerk can always find a spot. But it sure is easier to get into the OR for that one special operation in a hospital with ten clerks and interns on duty over one with thirty or forty on duty. Generally speaking I've found that I get a more personal experience in a hospital with a smaller number of clerks and interns.

On the other hand, being a clerk without any interns sucks. And being on duty alone is quite lonely.

Ask your prospective schools and hospitals about numbers of clerks and interns, keeping in mind that they might not be on the same rotation with you.

Also, try to develop an idea of the special things you might want to see. Are you looking for a modern OR environment or do you want to see diseases like Dengue that are uncommon in Ireland (Hey!!! How about that rabies case last year. Wasn't that at Queens?).

Will you choose a hospital that caters to the rich or the poor?

Your answers to these questions will help you choose the appropriate rotation.

 

[McCloskers]

Any hospital that has tons of interns and clerks means that there will be competition for space in the operating room. A pushy clerk can always find a spot. But it sure is easier to get into the OR for that one special operation in a hospital with ten clerks and interns on duty over one with thirty or forty on duty. Generally speaking I've found that I get a more personal experience in a hospital with a smaller number of clerks and interns.

On the other hand, being a clerk without any interns sucks. And being on duty alone is quite lonely.

Ask your prospective schools and hospitals about numbers of clerks and interns, keeping in mind that they might not be on the same rotation with you.

Also, try to develop an idea of the special things you might want to see. Are you looking for a modern OR environment or do you want to see diseases like Dengue that are uncommon in Ireland (Hey!!! How about that rabies case last year. Wasn't that at Queens?).

Will you choose a hospital that caters to the rich or the poor?

Your answers to these questions will help you choose the appropriate rotation.

I've been thinking about doing it in a more disadvantaged area but over the last few days i've thought it might be useful to do it in a modern environment instead. Would it be possible to do a 3 week placement in a modern hospital and 3 in a more basic set-up?

Yeah! waoh Saipan you certainly know your facts! We had a case of rabies in the Royal Victoria Hospital, Queen's last year- sad situation really, think she was about 35. I think the woman had been in Africa working (?).

What are the differences between hospitalas catering for rich and poor? Are the rich hospitals private and the poor ones funded by the state? I think i'd prefer to work in state-funded hospital to be honest.

 

[kittycrinkles]

In the Philippines, the private hospitals have the better facilities and updated technology (for diagnostics) than the government-funded hospitals. I am not sure about experience with patients, but from those who have been clerks/interns in private hospitals, you have less freedom to interact with patients.

Training hospitals which allow more patient exposure would be your best bet if you want to see lots of cases that are more common here than in Ireland.

 

[Saipan]

I've been thinking about doing it in a more disadvantaged area but over the last few days i've thought it might be useful to do it in a modern environment instead. Would it be possible to do a 3 week placement in a modern hospital and 3 in a more basic set-up?

Yes. Use the information I sent you last week. They can accomodate you.

Yeah! waoh Saipan you certainly know your facts!

I'm just a humble contributor who tries to stick to the facts. I leave the pointless speculation and the anecdotal nonsense to others.

What are the differences between hospitalas catering for rich and poor? Are the rich hospitals private and the poor ones funded by the state? I think i'd prefer to work in state-funded hospital to be honest.

Yes. Do both. Give yourself a full experience of third world medicine. There's no reason to limit yourself. Both will be full of learning experiences that go way beyond just medicine.

 

[LocutusofBorg]

If you want to see modern medical care, stay in Ireland for goodness sakes!!! A mid-range hospital in Europe is the equivalent of a top-notch facility in the Philippines.

However, you CAN see many interesting things in the Philippines on the lower end of income scale. For that, you really need to arrange something with a government hospital (especially a city hospital!), or a lower-end private hospital there. Do you want to see how to make a face mask out of a sheet of notebook paper? Have you seen someone perform cyst removal without a scalpel, using only a needle and scissors? Do you know how to dilute betadine in a way that lowers cost but maintains sterility? These are the things which you can learn in these settings, and they are absolutely useless if you plan to exclusively practice in the West. However, if you plan to do international medicine, Peace Corps, or something like that - Philippines is a gold-mine of invention for treatment with minimal supplies and at a minimal cost to the patient. But you won't learn these things at UP.

 

[McCloskers]

If you want to see modern medical care, stay in Ireland for goodness sakes!!! A mid-range hospital in Europe is the equivalent of a top-notch facility in the Philippines.

However, you CAN see many interesting things in the Philippines on the lower end of income scale. For that, you really need to arrange something with a government hospital (especially a city hospital!), or a lower-end private hospital there. Do you want to see how to make a face mask out of a sheet of notebook paper? Have you seen someone perform cyst removal without a scalpel, using only a needle and scissors? Do you know how to dilute betadine in a way that lowers cost but maintains sterility? These are the things which you can learn in these settings, and they are absolutely useless if you plan to exclusively practice in the West. However, if you plan to do international medicine, Peace Corps, or something like that - Philippines is a gold-mine of invention for treatment with minimal supplies and at a minimal cost to the patient. But you won't learn these things at UP.

Thanks alot, that was quite interesting. I think im a bit indecisive- im not sure I want to practice in the West for my entire career yet im also unsure if I really want to do overseas work. I definitely won't be staying in Ireland or the UK for my elective.

I've had some contact with a number of universities. Thanks to Saipan I got in touch with Angeles University Foundation. However after making a number of phonecalls I still couldn't get hold of the dean Dr. Anita Sanchez. I managed to get her email however but have yet to hear a reply.
I also emailed De La Salle university and they emailed back with quite an enthusiastic response so all is not lost...........
In the middle of a few busy busy placements (paeds, obs and gobs) so im going to sort it all out in a few weeks when im less busy! thanks again for your comments and tips-greatly appreciated!

 

[McCloskers]

I need help!! I've been offered a place at Cebu Doctors' to do Obs and Gynae for my elective. However CIM have also offered me a place to do a Community and Family Health Medicine rotation. It seems Cebu Doctors' work mostly in their private hospital and only on request in Cebu City Medical Center. However, CIM seem to do a lot of work in Cebu City Medical Center and some other rural clinics. CIM are unable to let me do any Obs and Gynae.

My wishes for my elective are:

1. Do at least a few weeks of Obs and Gynae
2. Work in government funded/more disadvantaged hospitals and rural clinics for most of my elective.
3. Get hands on practive

So my dilemma is what should I do? I have 6 weeks in the Philippines but I don't want to just divide my time between the Universities if avoidable. Might be seen as rude?
Is there anyone here at these universities who could advise me what do to or give me some tips on what happens on rotations in these universities. Any help would be brilliant!!

 

[LocutusofBorg]

Cebu doc has the best (in my opinion) hospital in Cebu. But the best of Cebu is the equivalent of mediocre in the western world! You might get the same sort of experience rotating in a poorer irish hospital...

CIM has great doctors, but their own hospital, and the hospitals they tend to rotate in (except for Chong Hua) are terribly under funded. You will get lots of autonomy and learn lots of third world medicine with a CIM rotation, I think. I also subjectively think CIM draws higher quality students than Cebu Doc, so you might find yourself learning a lot from your fellow clerks...

Id definitely go with CIM for the entire 6 weeks.