Passing the USMLE from Filipino med school

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mconnell

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How difficult is it to pass the USMLE if you attend a Filipino medical school? I understand I will have to study independently, is that correct? Will it be difficult to obtain a residency in the US (I am a US citizen, born and raised)? Specifically a residency in IM (looking to do a cardiology fellowship).
Thank you for any information you can provide.

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mconnell said:
How difficult is it to pass the USMLE if you attend a Filipino medical school? I understand I will have to study independently, is that correct? Will it be difficult to obtain a residency in the US (I am a US citizen, born and raised)? Specifically a residency in IM (looking to do a cardiology fellowship).
Thank you for any information you can provide.

I don't think you will have a hard time passing the USMLE.
Medical books used in the philippines ALL come from the US so in terms of how we approach the subjects is basically the same.
From Biochemisty, physio etc...to the clinical science subjects... Harrisons internal medicine, neurology,..etc... the approach to educating the student is just as what an american book would have stated.

more advantage when being educated in the philippines includes:
1. more cases of infectious diseases rarely seen in the US
2. part of clerkship rotation includes assisting a LOT!!! of vaginal births
3. you get to do a lot of minor procedures, whether surgical, IV administration, catheter insertion, peritoneal dialysis, stuffs handled more by nurses in the US but these are essentially medical skills a doctor should also have.

in having to "study independently"? i don't quite understand what you mean.
You will probably have a problem with using the local language.

Although English is widely used and understood, not everyone can converse with you in english fluently(im taking about the patients). if you are a filam and once knew the local language, you won't have any difficulty "relearning" it.

But otherwise you have 3 years of medical school to learn the local language.

Most of my classmates who took the USMLE passed, and currently waiting for the 3rd step exam. Choose your school wisely though, as it may help you a lot in getting a higher grade in the MLE.
 
mconnell said:
How difficult is it to pass the USMLE if you attend a Filipino medical school? I understand I will have to study independently, is that correct? Will it be difficult to obtain a residency in the US (I am a US citizen, born and raised)? Specifically a residency in IM (looking to do a cardiology fellowship).
Thank you for any information you can provide.
If you study from Day 1 reviewing for the USMLE, it will not be difficult (USMLE is not an impossible exam if you study). You will get what you put in it. Get First Aid (latest eidtion in US) , Kaplan reviewers (videos are even available in the Philippines), Goljan reviewers. Just make sure you pass your subjects. You are an American and you are familiar how they make questions there (in the US). Caribbean schools are USMLE-oriented but they also have to do the same amount of studying. The reason a lot of local Filipinos are having a hard time is that even if the books are the same , the style of their local tests are different. Just do parallel reviewing while studying your coursework. As an American citizen, you have a big advantage as a lot of hospitals there won't interview you if you do not have a "green card". As long as you pass all the steps, you can get into residency.
As for Internal Medicine, it's not difficult to get into IM if you apply widely (a lot of varied programs) especially those that are IMG-friendly.
Cardiology fellowship will depend on your IM residency performance. If you do very well in your IM residency, and can get a lot of wonderful LOR's from your attending then you can get into Cardiology (there are so many IMG's in Cardiology- I know at least 4 in my class who got into Cardiology). If you can't get into Cardiology the first try, being Board- Certified in IM will help, if you decide to apply again and get to know some cardiology attendings in some hospitals.
 
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chocopinipig said:
Choose your school wisely though, as it may help you a lot in getting a higher grade in the MLE.

What school(s) are you speaking of? Any recommendations?
 
mconnell said:
What school(s) are you speaking of? Any recommendations?
I actually disagree with this. If you study well consistently and gearing up your review for USMLE at all times, you can score well from any school. The reason a lot of students from certain schools like UP and UST or even UERM score well is that these are already good students since undergrads (self-selection). The other reason is that most Filipinos take their USMLE Step 1 after graduation and after an additional 1 year internship and they review longer.
 
tantrum said:
I actually disagree with this. If you study well consistently and gearing up your review for USMLE at all times, you can score well from any school. The reason a lot of students from certain schools like UP and UST or even UERM score well is that these are already good students since undergrads (self-selection). The other reason is that most Filipinos take their USMLE Step 1 after graduation and after an additional 1 year internship and they review longer.

I agree with tantrum. For the USMLE, it is totally student dependent. I do agree that some Philippine medical schools train you better than others for the Philippine Board Exam, I do not think this holds true for fil-am students taking the USMLE. The top schools in the Philippines are well known because they have a high percentage of students passing the Philippine board. They train each student to do well and pass the Philippine boards, NO school trains students specifically for the USMLE (unlike carribbean schools). So each student has to study for med school exams and at the same time grasp the concepts necessary to pass the USMLE. So if you are motivated most of the Philippine schools are good enough. However, you have to watch for state licensing because some Philippine schools are not accredited in some states, such as California and Texas, but thats another thread!
 
As you can see from this list of California-approved schools, very few Phil. schools are not approved www.medbd.ca.gov/Applicant_Schools_Recognized.htm#P

Newer medical schools like Silliman, San Beda are not yet included as none of their graduates have been "grandfathered" or presented themselves for evaluation. Even the relatively new St. Luke's is approved.
OTOH, some of the schools are extinct or about to be closed.
 
tantrum said:
As you can see from this list of California-approved schools, very few Phil. schools are not approved www.medbd.ca.gov/Applicant_Schools_Recognized.htm#P

Newer medical schools like Silliman, San Beda are not yet included as none of their graduates have been "grandfathered" or presented themselves for evaluation. Even the relatively new St. Luke's is approved.
OTOH, some of the schools are extinct or about to be closed.

That's what I meant about some Philippine schools have not been approved in California. Texas does not have Fatima on its list of accredited schools and maybe some other Philippine schools. Got to FSMB.org to check out each state licensing requirements before you enroll in a particular school. You might be very surprised after you graduate that you may not be able to go back to you home state.
 
Texas is a tough state to get a license. Among Caribbean schools, only Ross was in their list. Most of the established and older schools are approved. They call this list Schools which do not need substantial proof of equivalence. They also have the TX Medical Jurisprudence exam (computer-based but you have to go to a Prometric center in the US) and a personal interview prior to get a full license.
 
chocopinipig said:
I don't think you will have a hard time passing the USMLE.
Medical books used in the philippines ALL come from the US so in terms of how we approach the subjects is basically the same.
From Biochemisty, physio etc...to the clinical science subjects... Harrisons internal medicine, neurology,..etc... the approach to educating the student is just as what an american book would have stated.

more advantage when being educated in the philippines includes:
1. more cases of infectious diseases rarely seen in the US
2. part of clerkship rotation includes assisting a LOT!!! of vaginal births
3. you get to do a lot of minor procedures, whether surgical, IV administration, catheter insertion, peritoneal dialysis, stuffs handled more by nurses in the US but these are essentially medical skills a doctor should also have.

in having to "study independently"? i don't quite understand what you mean.
You will probably have a problem with using the local language.

Although English is widely used and understood, not everyone can converse with you in english fluently(im taking about the patients). if you are a filam and once knew the local language, you won't have any difficulty "relearning" it.

But otherwise you have 3 years of medical school to learn the local language.

Most of my classmates who took the USMLE passed, and currently waiting for the 3rd step exam. Choose your school wisely though, as it may help you a lot in getting a higher grade in the MLE.

Great post.
 
Hye..this is aruna from india..i need a big help from you..actually my aim is to become a urologist..i lost my mom and dad at very small age..am an orphan..my uncle spends my fee..After i completed my high school i joined a medical college then i met with an accident when i was studying 2nd year MD..THE N i discontinued my college and..i went through a surgery and now iam alright..so now i have a plan of coming to philippines for doing my MD there...And my aim is to clear USMLE..i have no one to guide me .. please help me ..i want you to suggest the best university in philippines which will help me to complete my MD and mainly my USMLE successfully..my options are OUR LADY FATIMA,MANILA and CEBU DOCTORS ,CEBU Suggest the best one either in the options or anyother best college in philippines plss..waiting for your reply..
 
Hello Aruna!
I am considering studying medicine in the Philippines this year. I am in the process of applying now.
When are you starting? Maybe we can study together and plan for the USMLE togehter...


Hye..this is aruna from india..i need a big help from you..actually my aim is to become a urologist..i lost my mom and dad at very small age..am an orphan..my uncle spends my fee..After i completed my high school i joined a medical college then i met with an accident when i was studying 2nd year MD..THE N i discontinued my college and..i went through a surgery and now iam alright..so now i have a plan of coming to philippines for doing my MD there...And my aim is to clear USMLE..i have no one to guide me .. please help me ..i want you to suggest the best university in philippines which will help me to complete my MD and mainly my USMLE successfully..my options are OUR LADY FATIMA,MANILA and CEBU DOCTORS ,CEBU Suggest the best one either in the options or anyother best college in philippines plss..waiting for your reply..
 
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