What are the top 3 med schools in the Philippines as of "NOW"?

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^ 90%?! bago yan ah!

the advantage is that you have a (fixed) hospital for internship. unlike others, you have to think where you'll have it then when may 1 comes, you start to have doubts if you made a good decision. also, you are not guaranteed coz they put you on "wait list" when slots are filled up immediately. you wait when somebody quits or changes his/her mind.

oh well, just my opinion. :)
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Internship in st.luke's costs around P18,000 when i heard, in some hospitals internship is absolutely free, and interns even get paid;). They are given monthly stipend, i just don't know how much exactly.
 
yep that's true. i never paid anything for my internship (except for the P1500 to APMC). it's an added bonus if your hospital pays for the blazers that you use, since in some institutions they just give you your monthly allowance, & meal allowance. stipends depend on every hospital.
 
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hi, here's my top 3 :)
1. UPCM
2. UST
3. UERM
 
i think your personality will determine what school you'll want to end up in...

UP-PGH -if you're the altruistic, hardworking, highly-cerebral individual who's willing to commit to serve the general public
UERMMMC - if you want the PBL-type aka unorthodox (during my time, it was still PBL), laid-back atmosphere of med school, with none-too-strict professors and numerous extra-curriculars (sm centerpoint as your playground). i'm a graduate there, mind you, and PBL has taught me to think outside the box. enough said.
UST - if you like the traditional style of pedagogy, century-old style of revalida, quasi-pseudo ivy-league campus, excellent facilities with wintermint-smelling cadavers and social hierarchy (must admit, they are the most cono from all med schools in manila)
as for the ff: FEU, DLSU, SLMC, Fatima - sorry, have limited exposure to their alumni so really can't say much

really doesn't matter which school you'll end up in. it all depends on how serious and focused you are and how much you really want to learn. becoming a physician entails life-long hardwork and emotional stress. first year is just the beginning and it gets harder each year because human lives are in your hands. personal life can get you off-track most of the time. hope you can handle it!
 
I hear CIM is a good school.

That and many of my relatives graduated from there.
 
PLM / UP - Medical school(s) with the highest board passing rate though somebody wonders why they don't top the board exam - someone responded, they're the best but they're just giving chance to others. Another volunteered, they're just simply shy. And we thought all along that they are assertive. At least that's what they're telling people.
State schools...therefore, prioritizes native students with best credentials and influential sponsors before accepting foreign applicants. Has a low tuition fee as it is subsidized by the government. All clerical and internship rotations at PGH - for UP only. Not the best facilities. Non-sectarian - (even atheists, communists, nazis, rebels, terrorists, radicals are welcome). Good reputation. Also, for those with a strong sense of nationalism ( oops...This school is rumored to be the top exporter of Filipino MD's to basically anywhere in the world in general and the US in particular). Fraternity membership could help.

UST - Oldest Medical School in the Country. It's even more antique than Harvard Medical School - no kidding. Also produced board topnotchers. Also has the highest tuition fee (I think - correct me if I'm wrong) Run by Catholic friars - beware if you're a pagan much worse if you think like Galileo. Atheists, communists, nazis, rebels, terrorists and radicals need not apply. Expels students not only due to poor grades but also because of immorality (with regards to priest(s) and bishop(s) involved - I don't think it applies to them as they are not students). hehehe. Good Reputation. Has an NMAT requirement. Good Facilities. Good board performance rating.

UERM - don't really know. They have their own world - I think they're the only one still embracing the PBL scam... I mean scheme. Good reputation though. One of the guys who gave us a hard time in the medical boards came from this school. Hope they are not as arrogant as he was balding. They say that it also has a high expelling rate.

FEU - Best Medical School in Fairview, Quezon City. Good Facilities. High Expelling Rate - forces you to think or sink. Reputable faculty. Good facilities. When it's your first time to apply the interviewer is gonna ask: CASH or BUST? Those wanting full scholarship need not apply (Just go to UP, UST or better yet FATIMA). Fraternity membership can be lethal especially for first year students.

Fatima - Best Advertised School as they claim to consistently produce individuals who top the medical boards since 2002 (So maybe they are not shy). NO NMAT Requirement. Good Facilities. No extracurricular activities in this school. No student council. Fair tuition fee (if you're not one of the upper 20% of the class - beware). It's NO PLAY BUT ALL PAY. Free tuition with board and lodging and ALLOWANCE FOR BOOKS to those who are lucky to qualify - no wonder the other schools are losing talented students. Is that their secret? Will gladly accept any student and will never expel anybody as long as he/she is physically, morally, intellectually, socially and most especially FINANCIALLY capable of answering all the endless wretched remedials and removals. One told me they have the best forced board review. And I heard you have to be MOCKED (board) before they let you take the REAL thing. Another secret? I can't blame that policy. Good Reputation - though controversial, intriguing, mysterious and surprising.

Nevertheless,

My own School - Simply THE BEST AMONG THE REST.



***I hereby certify that all of the above statements are purely hearsay except the last. HA HA HA
 
joseph76 said:
FEU - Best Medical School in Fairview, Quezon City. Good Facilities. High Expelling Rate - forces you to think or sink. Reputable faculty. Good facilities. When it's your first time to apply the interviewer is gonna ask: CASH or BUST? Those wanting full scholarship need not apply (Just go to UP, UST or better yet FATIMA). Fraternity membership can be lethal especially for first year students.
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i can definitely relate to the " it forces you to think or sink" :)
 
joseph76 said:
PLM / UP - Medical school(s) with the highest board passing rate though somebody wonders why they don't top the board exam - someone responded, they're the best but they're just giving chance to others. Another volunteered, they're just simply shy. And we thought all along that they are assertive. At least that's what they're telling people.
State schools...therefore, prioritizes native students with best credentials and influential sponsors before accepting foreign applicants. Has a low tuition fee as it is subsidized by the government. All clerical and internship rotations at PGH - for UP only. Not the best facilities. Non-sectarian - (even atheists, communists, nazis, rebels, terrorists, radicals are welcome). Good reputation. Also, for those with a strong sense of nationalism ( oops...This school is rumored to be the top exporter of Filipino MD's to basically anywhere in the world in general and the US in particular). Fraternity membership could help.

UST - Oldest Medical School in the Country. It's even more antique than Harvard Medical School - no kidding. Also produced board topnotchers. Also has the highest tuition fee (I think - correct me if I'm wrong) Run by Catholic friars - beware if you're a pagan much worse if you think like Galileo. Atheists, communists, nazis, rebels, terrorists and radicals need not apply. Expels students not only due to poor grades but also because of immorality (with regards to priest(s) and bishop(s) involved - I don't think it applies to them as they are not students). hehehe. Good Reputation. Has an NMAT requirement. Good Facilities. Good board performance rating.

UERM - don't really know. They have their own world - I think they're the only one still embracing the PBL scam... I mean scheme. Good reputation though. One of the guys who gave us a hard time in the medical boards came from this school. Hope they are not as arrogant as he was balding. They say that it also has a high expelling rate.

FEU - Best Medical School in Fairview, Quezon City. Good Facilities. High Expelling Rate - forces you to think or sink. Reputable faculty. Good facilities. When it's your first time to apply the interviewer is gonna ask: CASH or BUST? Those wanting full scholarship need not apply (Just go to UP, UST or better yet FATIMA). Fraternity membership can be lethal especially for first year students.

Fatima - Best Advertised School as they claim to consistently produce individuals who top the medical boards since 2002 (So maybe they are not shy). NO NMAT Requirement. Good Facilities. No extracurricular activities in this school. No student council. Fair tuition fee (if you're not one of the upper 20% of the class - beware). It's NO PLAY BUT ALL PAY. Free tuition with board and lodging and ALLOWANCE FOR BOOKS to those who are lucky to qualify - no wonder the other schools are losing talented students. Is that their secret? Will gladly accept any student and will never expel anybody as long as he/she is physically, morally, intellectually, socially and most especially FINANCIALLY capable of answering all the endless wretched remedials and removals. One told me they have the best forced board review. And I heard you have to be MOCKED (board) before they let you take the REAL thing. Another secret? I can't blame that policy. Good Reputation - though controversial, intriguing, mysterious and surprising.

Nevertheless,

My own School - Simply THE BEST AMONG THE REST.



***I hereby certify that all of the above statements are purely hearsay except the last. HA HA HA
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YEA. O K.. :rolleyes:
 
FEU-NRMF: The best school in Quezon city. :D:D:D
 
joseph76, i believe the number of board topnotchers don't really count as a measure of how good a school is. it's the passing rate. :D

according to the post-grad interns i've met as a clerk in PGH, they applied here because they wanna see MORE cases. PGH is exactly the place for that.
 
^ i agree also.

i also think that being an intern in a public, less manned hospital could be to your benifit.

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im a bit surprised that most of the initial posts of this thread did not include CIM... are most of you guys here from luzon?
 
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Hi!

I appreciate the interesting answers and reactions.

I'm glad to hear different voices from intelligent minds.

It's nice someone is able to relate to some of the statements here;I think I can also relate to most of your statements, too.

I may agree that the number of board topnotchers do not necessarily make the school superior from the other and that the percentage of the passing candidates is one of the determinants of the superiority of a particular institution.

But setting aside one's prejudices and feelings, I think it is more accurate to say that an institution that could produce a better candidate out of an average material with an inferior educational background deserves greater recognition and admiration.

When a school accepts only "bright students", it is expected that most, if not all of them, will be successful. Our UP and PLM would seem to fit in this given scenario. There is no question about that.

On the other hand, a school that indiscriminately admits anyone regardless of educational background and training may not be expected to produce 100% board passers.

Yet, what is significant is that , for example at FATIMA, aside from some of their students topping the board exam, many of their "average" students are able to hurdle the challenge. In this case, the school could be considered to be more successful compared to the two above-mentioned schools because it has transformed an ordinary person into a much better performer or the number one (so far as they claim since 2002).

I would not be greatly surprised if products from UP and PLM would top the boards. In fact, we have high regard for their graduates and we always expect then to be the "number one" (?).

What is really surprising is that "inferior schools" consistently top the exam. That is something to think about.

With regards to cases, it is somewhat inappropriate to say that one is much better than the other only because the former has handled more cases. Although, I agree that it helps to have more exposure, one should also consider factors like:

1. Quality of Diagnosis and Treatment
2. Commitment to the Profession
3. Availability and Reliability of Laboratory and Other Services
4. Desire to Excel
5. Stamina of a Bull - you sometimes work 48 or more hours without rest
6. Attitude of a Saint - In clerkship/internship/residency, you keep your cool despite the barrage of hassles from pugnacious patients, meddling peers and most especially from OLD, psychotic consultants - just kidding, Sir/ Ma'am!
7. Courage of a Barbarian - You need this in dealing with dimwit, corrupt politicians and skimming, crooked lawyers during lawsuits.
8. and the Appetite of a Boar - hahaha - really, no kidding, you need this to sustain you and ultimately, your family's health.

Therefore, It is not merely quantity of board passers that makes a school superior but the quality of service which is, sad to say, inadequate and neglected in our country.

In the last analysis, it is the INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE that will count the most - whether in the board exam or in the actual field of our noble but exhausting (hehehe) profession (and as long as you are adequately compensated - right? I'm just joking).

So good luck to all of us lucky guys (that includes the one from CIM). It does not really matter what school one belongs to.

May we all survive successfully and... most importantly...

May all our patients improve ...physically and also financially so they can pay us well (hehehe - just kidding)


See you guys...
 
joseph76, i think the stuff you've enumerated are actually things that all med students SHOULD have in order to become licensed physicians. :cool:

i honestly have no idea how things work in other schools, but the thing I love most about training in PGH is we get to see not just a lot of patients but "quality" ones, the kind you'd think you'd only read about in books.

i'm not saying that this can surely translate to better scores in the boards, but academics-wise, i get a thrill out of handling these patients (even if that means missing meals and getting grilled during endorsements)... :D yes, i can be such a geek, hehe
 
hi guys! just want to know what you guys think about being an IMG? i am still doing my pre-med here at University of Alberta, Canada and I am considering doing my med proper in the philippines. Cause apparently, here in Canada it is really competitive to get into med school eventhough i have good GPA and volunteer works. I still have 2 yrs left of pre-med, but i wanna have a pretty good idea of where I wanna go and what route to take after i graduate. I'd definitely love to experience studying at PI again but i know that it would be really hard to get a residency spot hir in canada since I wanna do my practice hir. So do u guys have any insights about this? Great appreciate it!

Also, would it be easier if I do my residency in the US and then go back to Canada? and can i do my residency in the US eventhough i am canadian citizen?
 
medpassionate said:
hi guys! just want to know what you guys think about being an IMG? i am still doing my pre-med here at University of Alberta, Canada and I am considering doing my med proper in the philippines. Cause apparently, here in Canada it is really competitive to get into med school eventhough i have good GPA and volunteer works. I still have 2 yrs left of pre-med, but i wanna have a pretty good idea of where I wanna go and what route to take after i graduate. I'd definitely love to experience studying at PI again but i know that it would be really hard to get a residency spot hir in canada since I wanna do my practice hir. So do u guys have any insights about this? Great appreciate it!

Also, would it be easier if I do my residency in the US and then go back to Canada? and can i do my residency in the US eventhough i am canadian citizen?
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Try your best to get accepted at a med school in Canada (although i agree that it's very difficult). It's more difficult to match as an IMG (for CARMS) in Canada compared to US residencies. You can finish your residency in the US and try to come back to Canada but bear in mind that Canadian residencies are usually 1 year longer than American training. If you do a subspecialty fellowhip in the US, they will count that to the total number of years in training and you will be a subspecialist in Canada. You still have to take their diplomate boards (RCPC) but in some provinces, you don't have to repeat their other qualifying tests (MCC's) if you are a diplomate in the US.
 
medpassionate said:
hi guys! just want to know what you guys think about being an IMG? i am still doing my pre-med here at University of Alberta, Canada and I am considering doing my med proper in the philippines. Cause apparently, here in Canada it is really competitive to get into med school eventhough i have good GPA and volunteer works. I still have 2 yrs left of pre-med, but i wanna have a pretty good idea of where I wanna go and what route to take after i graduate. I'd definitely love to experience studying at PI again but i know that it would be really hard to get a residency spot hir in canada since I wanna do my practice hir. So do u guys have any insights about this? Great appreciate it!

Also, would it be easier if I do my residency in the US and then go back to Canada? and can i do my residency in the US eventhough i am canadian citizen?
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Greetings. Where do you plan to practice medicine? Canada? the Philippines?

1. You should know that Canada has a protectionist policy when concerning medical physicians; and prioritizes Canadian medical students and graduates. This means that it will be harder for you to practice medicine in the Dominion of Canada than it is for Filipino medical graduates that apply for medical residency in the United States (though it is hard for them, its not impossible, and can also apply for the Canadian view-point, nonetheless take that into notable consideration).

2. You should apply to Canadian Medical Schools first. Its easier that way for you (if you are planning to practice medicine in DOC)

As a medical student who and one who is a Fil-Am, take this into consideration. I have been in your steps before. That is the only reason why I chose not to apply to medical school in the Philippines as its harder to land a residency match in the US.

On the contrary, I would advice you to consider some caribbean medical schools if your grade is above par. There are great Allopathic medical schools in the Caribbean such as St. James School of Medicine, St. George, Saba, American University, St. Matthews, St. Eustatius, Xavier University that guarantees top green schools during your 3rd and 4th year (clinical years) in the United States. Residencies are also guaranteed, however, mostly in the United States.

Note*** If you follow this route, its is rather difficult for you to land on a residency position in Canada (as canada, as I reiterated earlier, maintains a rather conservative protectionist policy in its medical system). You will probably land on American residency positions/ practice in the U.S.A.

You are more than welcome to PM me for more questions.
Good luck, kababayan. :thumbup:
 
AlleghenyPOD said:
Greetings. Where do you plan to practice medicine? Canada? the Philippines?

1. You should know that Canada has a protectionist policy when concerning medical physicians; and prioritizes Canadian medical students and graduates. This means that it will be harder for you to practice medicine in the Dominion of Canada than it is for Filipino medical graduates that apply for medical residency in the United States (though it is hard for them, its not impossible, and can also apply for the Canadian view-point, nonetheless take that into notable consideration).

2. You should apply to Canadian Medical Schools first. Its easier that way for you (if you are planning to practice medicine in DOC)

As a medical student who and one who is a Fil-Am, take this into consideration. I have been in your steps before. That is the only reason why I chose not to apply to medical school in the Philippines as its harder to land a residency match in the US.

On the contrary, I would advice you to consider some caribbean medical schools if your grade is above par. There are great Allopathic medical schools in the Caribbean such as St. James School of Medicine, St. George, Saba, American University, St. Matthews, St. Eustatius, Xavier University that guarantees top green schools during your 3rd and 4th year (clinical years) in the United States. Residencies are also guaranteed, however, mostly in the United States.

Note*** If you follow this route, its is rather difficult for you to land on a residency position in Canada (as canada, as I reiterated earlier, maintains a rather conservative protectionist policy in its medical system). You will probably land on American residency positions/ practice in the U.S.A.

You are more than welcome to PM me for more questions.
Good luck, kababayan. :thumbup:
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AlleghenyPOD is right and I agree with the above post. Obtaining a residency in the US and/or Canada is difficult for medical students who graduated from foreign medical schools. This is not because FMGs (foreign medical graduates) are not qualified. It is because programs tend to look for graduates who went to institutions in the US and/or Canada. FMGs do obtain residencies in the US and Canada every year but it can be more difficult. Any way you look at it, medical school and residency is tough and for FMG's it can be a lot tougher. At the end of the day, you will work hard and hopefully be happy with your choice! I know I am happy to be a 4th year medical student at UCLA! Go Bruins!!!! ;) Best of luck to everyone!:luck:
 
It is true that obtaining a residency in the US is a lot harder for FMG/IMGs, but it is by far not impossible to achieve.

being a graduate from THE BEST MEDICAL SCHOOL IN FAIRVIEW (thats FEU for the uninitiated LOL) and a Fil-am, who was lucky enough to be offered a pre-match for next year, i'd like to throw my two cents into this topic.... (i've been know to throw more than 2cents on numerous occasions which has gotten me into more trouble than id care to reveal :D)

anyhow... for the fil-ams and prospective students planning to take up their medical education in the philippines and who are planning on taking up residency in the US (or any other country for that matter), any of the schools in the PI whether it be in the TOP 10 or not will be more than adequate and adept to provide you with the knowledge that one must acquire to achieve the goal of adding those two little letters at the end of you name. M.D.

Sure, being able to say that you graduated from the best school so and so, with top honors, best in clerkship, best in scrubsuit, able to don surgical gloves in a blink of an eye and what not is nice... but in the end, that is all they really are... bragging rights. which really doesnt go far...specially if you are one of the thousands of FMG/IMGs vying for the limited (although attainable) residency spots in the US.

whether or not a school consistently places in the top 3 or top 10 among successful board passers in the PI as a criteria for choosing which medical school to attend should be on your list of traits for most desirable, it should be placed fairly low on that list. Why? you may ask... for this simple reason....

IT MEANS DIDDLY SQUAT!!!! when you try to apply for residency in the US.

for FMG/IMGs, scoring well on the USMLE Steps are far more important than the grades you got in med school, whether or not you graduated top of your class in the best medical schools in the PI, INDIA or PAKISTAN etc.

BUT WHY, you ask again.... simply because these are the first things that PDs use to guage whether or not they are interested in you. But high USMLE scores are not the end all as to what makes a candidate more popular.

Clinical experience in the US gives you an edge over those who have none. the ever important LORs help out a lot as well. an LOR coming from the most famous doctor in the PI in his respective field means little compared to a well written LOR coming from a mediocre physician in the US!!!!!!!! trust me... its true!!

I graduated from FEU and if i were asked by a person interested in going to the PI for med school, which is the best med school for him or her to enrol at... i would say without batting an eyelash.... FATIMA!

I'd like to share a little story about four friends who graduated from four different schools in the PI. A. graduated from UP, with honors, INTARMED at that. scored a 94/97 on step 1 and 2 of the USMLEs B. graduated from UST, again with honors and an impeccable scholastic record 97/97 on both steps C. graduated 43rd out of 54 in his class from FEU. 91/91 both steps D. graduated from Fatima. 87/92 on both steps.

all four participated in this years match applying to well over 100 hospitals offering positions in IM, SURG, ENT, ORTHO. all were offered 5 interviews out of the 100+ hospitals they applied to. D. was offered an interview at the same hospital where A and B were invited to interview as well. only one was offered a pre-match... can you guess who got it? yep thats right... the LOWLY Fatima graduate was offered the pre-match!!.

How is this possible YOU ask scratching your head with a puzzled look on your face... simple... Dr. D. having graduated from Fatima (where it is sooo much easier for students to be able to take their clerkship rotations in the US since all they have to do is foot the Bill and FATIMA will take care of the rest... being affiliated with several hospitals along the eastcoast in the US) as compared to students from the "top 10" PI med schools where those students have to do the research, travel back and forth to the US and PI to find a hospital willing to take them in for their clerkship.

with the "simple" benefit that FATIMA students have over all others, DR. D. was able to gain US clinical experience and the ever so important LOR written by a U.S. Physician he encountered during his rotation back home. But im sure there were other qualities as to why the PD offered the prematch to Dr. D. as opposed to the two graduates from the top 2 schools in the PI.

in conclusion (i know i probably lost more than half of my readers due to the lengthy post :scared: LOL :scared: KUDOS to those who read everything) while it might be nice and EGO-BOOSTING to be able to say "i graduated from the best medical school in the PI" ; the only time you will be able to say a comment like that is during orientation parties and gatherings... (they will most probably end up falling on deaf ears since no one will really even care. :eek: besides, most AMGs will think LOWLY of you for having to take your schooling outside of the US anyways. harsh fact...but true nonetheless.)
 
There's a lot of factors going into residency applications. They usually look at many factors.
1. USMLE scores- most have cutoffs but after that, they look at other parameters.
2. Citizenship- If you are a US citizen or permanent resident, they will prefer you. Some programs don't even give interviews to non US residents. They don't care if you are from UP Intarmed or an honors grad from UST, you are not their priority. I dealt with a lot of administrators who hate doing paperwork for those with J-1 visa. I know a lot of very good students with J1 with excellent scores doing residency in primary care in community hospitals. That's just the way it is but eventually they will do well as they can get into subspecialty fellowships.
3. US Clinical experience with LOR from a US attending- If you have these you have a leg up from those without US clinical experience.

That is why if you can afford it, and you are gunning for competitive residencies, it is better to go via the Caribbean route. If not, as spinaltap mentioned, Fatima is not a bad alternative.
 
i agree with tantrum... you should exhaust all efforts to first try to get into a US med school... then a carribean and finally any of the schools mentioned in this thread. :D but i do recommend fatima.

well... the local boards are coming up next month.... goodluck to all those taking the exams. :D
 
Hello again!

I was just wondering what you might say to my biased opinion (I'm not a foreigner though I have a few half-foreigner friends and immigrant relatives).

With regards to the best medical schools for foreigners in the Philippines (I'm assuming you target residencies in the US right after you graduate unless you want to become a hero, martyr or masochist and save this country from Tuberculosis, Pneumonia, Dengue Fever, and the dreaded, irrepressible ...common cold), here's my list:

Fatima - (Again! They seem to have all the good stuff.) They allow you to do clerkship in the US which is already an advantage. The School President, they say, is alleged to literally assist or "carry you there" if you have the necessary qualifications - a part of which is financial strength which should be stronger than the current dollar. They say she really has that certain charisma to boost your residency application. Most probably advantageous if you are her relative or "friend".

Ateneo School of Medicine - Someone told me that the students are "packaged for export". When you finish med school you also receive an MBA diploma. I just hope the students don't end up confused about their future - whether to pursue their medical training or to become an entrepreneur or worst end up in a mental institution due to severe mental indigestion. Why not go the whole hog offering them Law degrees (for future litigation secondary to medical malpractice) , PhD's (for excellence in preparing resumes) and Science Doctorate degrees (just for the fun of it) etc ...? hehe

I think this is excellent especially to those who want to spend a lot of money and time... to waste. They say they will become the leaders of the future in medicine - most probably in marketing medicine hehehe. No offense intended but medicine is already such a rapidly expanding field - and they want to cram both MBA and Medical subjects in 4-5 long suffering years! This will really be a challenge even for a super brain. No sane person can focus on 2 masters - either you want to be a Doctor or you want to become an entrepreneur.

The Other Schools . . . may follow Fatima's or Ateneo's strategy. Now if you are at the top "national schools" - UP / PLM, you're in trouble 'cause they're going to put you at the bottom as they would prefer that you use your "talents" - whatever that may be - in our country - the Pearl (Harbor) of the Orient Seas. The current Secretary of Health is generically upbeat about Filipino MD's going abroad.

But the main issue is that the reason you get abroad is less on what you know but more on who you know (if you get the point).

I'm not saying the USMLE's are not important. They're actually the first obstacles you MUST hurdle whether you like it or else.

Well, most DO PASS the USMLE eventually for one reason or another. But not all will get Letter of Recomendations from U.S. Physicians including recommendations from highly influential and inventive people - in the US and our country - who may not be necessarily doctors. You know, senators, congressman, governors, mayors, business managers, Chief nurses, jueteng lords etc... But not from the DOJ Secretary.





Note: I hope the present US recession does not effect your chances of working there. The Dollar is in trouble due to huge monetary deficits allegedly caused by the war against terrorism. The government is planning to infuse 150 Billion Dollars to the federal budget. Implementation is by May of this year.



Good Luck to those planning to work there - at the Mecca of Western Medicine - which is the US. Just avoid Terri Hatcher types and 9/11 events.
 
^
You might need to get your facts straight. Fatima's only advantage is their US rotations for clerks.
Ateneo is not giving MBA with their MD's, its MM or Masters of Management. They are also encouraging people to stay in the country and they are not "for export" whatever that means. Also new schools will be difficult for Americans as most States medical boards don't recognize schools until they are at least 5-7 years old and they have been grandfathered by the first applicants (graduates) which involves a lot of paperwork.
Healthcare is one of those profession that is recession-proof. The only problem is that they are not expanding the amount of residency positions and it's still competitive to get one while there is an ever increasing number of applicants.
 
joseph76 said:
The Other Schools . . . may follow Fatima's or Ateneo's strategy. Now if you are at the top "national schools" - UP / PLM, you're in trouble 'cause they're going to put you at the bottom as they would prefer that you use your "talents" - whatever that may be - in our country - the Pearl (Harbor) of the Orient Seas. The current Secretary of Health is generically upbeat about Filipino MD's going abroad.
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one reason why PLM grads are very few in the US because most of the students can NOT afford to pay for the USMLE. they are obliged to serve their country for maximum period of 2 yrs as "pay back" for the low tuition fee of the school.

if i were you, i wouldn't underestimate the skills/knowledge (& perhaps connections such as US-based alumni support) of doctors who didn't graduate from the 2 schools you have mentioned. for one, these are the sons/daughters of some well recognized, highly-respected specialists (who had their fellowship training in the US). two, they are products of schools who were taught well during their medical school & have undergone tough training.

you won't expect other schools to follow suit as Fatima or Ateneo coz they have their own way. Ateneo's just starting & has a long way to prove themselves, locally & internationally.
 
UP Manila is the best. :) But all med schools are good in their own way. They have to be good because they're teaching and training doctors who deal with lives. It's a very critical job. :)
 
:confused: im a registered nurse and i just took my ielts exam hours ago. my family members are all prepped up with me leaving for the states soon as i pass this and my nclex. but what i really want is to go to med school. they forgot that the reason i took nursing was for me to have a fall back if ever i decided not to pursue med anymore. this was not supposed to be the major highlight and now that im done, all they think about is me leaving. they said i can study med in the states. but that will probably take years before i can start.

i talked to my mom and she said that i should do this if this makes me happy. im taking the nmat this april. so now, here's the thing:

i have no idea where to study, well actually, i graduated from UERM, and i know it's one of the best med schools in the country (but i also want to see other school grounds because it is admittedly not one of the nicest sights out there.:p

anyhoo, i have my own list but i want to know from those who have better judgment.
thanks
 
^ if that's what you really want & if it will really make you happy, then be honest & tell it to your family. they should respect your decision coz it's your life, & your career. though nursing sounds more promising & lucrative (nowadays) than medicine, remind them you took up nursing as your pre-med.

let them know that studying medicine is far more expensive/costly in the US. while your young & very determined at it, better do it as soon as possible. when u start to work (& earn), it'll be very difficult to go back to school.

you have many schools to choose from in the NCR (like UP, UST, st luke's, FEU, UERM, PLM, ateneo, san beda) . if u plan to enroll on june, better call some of your potential schools if they still accept applicants. though UST has nice grounds, i think applications for june has closed down already & tuition fee is expensive.
 
just want to give an input about the school named FATIMA...

i'm actually a graduate of a very reputable state university (haha, let me guess you are thinking UP). i applied at UPCM but wasn't able to pass their standards. maybe it's because of my not-so-attractive transcript that give these guys the hint that i shouldn't be in med school (i got 4 flunked grades, repeated a subject 4 times, etc). i also wasn't able to pass UST, PLM, and wasn't able to apply at St Luke's and UERM. i just thought maybe i'm not really geared towards medical school at all.

in a desperation act of entering med school, i applied at FATIMA. the lowly and not-so-popular FATIMA (or so it is in the philippines). though the application process was really a breeze (if you have all the requirements with you), everyone was subjected to their interview (as most schools do). they asked me several standard med school questions, but they also told me some things about their application system. they accept almost every able bodied and minded applicant in their school, regardless in they have flunked several subjects or kicked out of other medical schools. they take it as their duty to educate these people to be able to treat other people - to save lives. however hard or painstainkingly long it would take, they are willing to accomodate these people because they know that it is the will and the determination of the student that would eventually matter. that is on of the reasons why they have all of these top notchers. i personally became enlightened with the thought that even if i did not get high marks in college, it is the determination to be a good doctor that would really matter. i really have to commend them of such philosophy in education.

so here i am now, a very good medical student (though i did not studied at fatima :D). and i have to give credit to my interviewers in fatima for that.

(hahaha, now define personal experiences...:laugh:)
 
desperateRN said:
:confused: im a registered nurse and i just took my ielts exam hours ago. my family members are all prepped up with me leaving for the states soon as i pass this and my nclex. but what i really want is to go to med school. they forgot that the reason i took nursing was for me to have a fall back if ever i decided not to pursue med anymore. this was not supposed to be the major highlight and now that im done, all they think about is me leaving. they said i can study med in the states. but that will probably take years before i can start.

i talked to my mom and she said that i should do this if this makes me happy. im taking the nmat this april. so now, here's the thing:

i have no idea where to study, well actually, i graduated from UERM, and i know it's one of the best med schools in the country (but i also want to see other school grounds because it is admittedly not one of the nicest sights out there.:p

anyhoo, i have my own list but i want to know from those who have better judgment.
thanks
Click to expand...
Do it there in the Philippines if your heart is in Medicine. If you don't like UERM, You can apply at various schools like UST,UP,FEU,St. Lukes, DLSU-HSC and you can get a similar education. It's not only costly to study med in the US (graduates are in debt for about $300K) it's also much more competitive and they require high GPA and MCAT score (and these are American undergrads not foreigners).
 
FYI...UP medical students are allowed to do clinical electives/clerkship abroad. :D
 
being "ALLOWED" is totally different from being "taken cared of". with fatima, all you have to do is show interest in wanting to take your clerkship abroad, (pay the fees), and fatima takes care of the rest. the hospital you get to rotate in, what field, is all taken cared of by fatima.

as for the other schools, the student has to go back home, apply to different hospitals on whether they can take their clerkshhp there, go back to the PI and work it out with the school.

being able to just pay the fee and fly to the states takes all the hassle and red-tape (not to mention the extra cost of flying out just to look for a hospital willing to take you in) out of the equation.

FATIMA took 2nd and 10th place in the FEB board exams. if im not mistaken :D and where was UP, UST,FEU (heck FEU didnt even place LOL)and the other top medical schools ? proof that graduating from the TOP medical schools in the PI doesnt necessarily mean you are the best (or smartest). :D

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20080222-120405/Top-10-new-doctors
 
hahahaha and i bet you go to UP? and who took first place last aug??? FATIMA did! LOL

im not trying to start a flame war with anyone who goes/went to UP/UST or the top medical schools. heck i didnt even go to fatima. im just trying to make a point that after graduation.... the only time you can say that i went to so and so or i took top honors or i placed first on the boards are during parties and what not.... which will most likely end up falling on deaf ears since no one will really care... specially if you are trying to apply for residency in the states.

schools...teach you the same thing... they all have similar if not use the same medical textbooks.... its the student who makes the grades...not the school. its just nice to see that other schools such as fatima are churning out top doctors (note that i said TOP doctors... i dont know about the average performing doctors LOL) that you can say are on par with graduates from UP and the other schools.

coming from the best school doesnt necessarily mean that you will be the best doctor. knowledge is a big part of this profession... but there are other qualities that one must possess.... think about it. :hardy:
 
spinaltap said:
FATIMA took 2nd and 10th place in the FEB board exams. if im not mistaken :D and where was UP, UST,FEU (heck FEU didnt even place LOL)and the other top medical schools ? proof that graduating from the TOP medical schools in the PI doesnt necessarily mean you are the best (or smartest). :D

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20080222-120405/Top-10-new-doctors
Click to expand...

so what if graduates from other schools only had 1 board placer (UP, UST, WVSU, St Luke's)?! at least each medical school had at least 1 board placer - that's something the PMA can be happy about..

being a board placer does NOT necessarily mean you are the best.

sometimes you pass the local boards because you read the right reviewers, you prayed a lot, you had lots of luck & you have a good memory. some pass it but doesn't deserve the license.
 
spinaltap said:
hahahaha and i bet you go to UP? and who took first place last aug??? FATIMA did! LOL
Click to expand...

they are SO much concerned on getting the 1st place but they care less about their performance (by schools) because that's the only way they know of being recognized. they even made advertisement about it. the boards is just a test if you're ready to stand in your own 2 feet, if you're ready to take responsibility for your own decisions & actions, if you're brave enough to be scolded at/shouted by the patients' relatives.

IMHO, i'd be happier if our school placed in the top 3 performing schools (which had happened last aug) than being top & celebrate it alone (or just a few).
 
The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) announced that 1,054 out of 1,985 passed the Physician Licensure Exams last February, 2008. That makes a 53% national passing rate - higher than last year I think.

This could mean a lot of things:
1. The Board of Examiners are placing more emphasis on the "basics". They may have realized that they are not getting any younger (perhaps becoming more tired, sick and cranky ?) and we need more doctors as replacements.
2. Medical Schools have reached a higher state of sophistication in teaching.
3. Many are getting lucky (?)
4. Schools are getting better students.
5. Questions are deliberately easy. There is an outrageously unfair rumor which I don't agree alleging that some examinees were related to you-know-who... reminds you of Lord Voldemort of the Harry Potter series?
6. The Computer did not malfunction. It was "user friendly"7. THEY REALLY DESERVE TO PASS which I whole-heartedly agree.

Oh...and by the way...I really appreciate all the inputs from the previous posts. I learned so much from your comments. Just to reiterate that most of my posts are entirely hearsay. My official stand is that: All MD Schools are good or "best" in their own way. It's up to the student to make good.

Just FYI...Here are the Top 10 doctors in the Feb 2008 Physician exam

INQUIRER.net
First Posted 00:41:00 02/22/2008
MANILA, Philippines -- Below are the top 10 medical examinees:
1. Edilfavia Mae Suaybaguio Uy, Cebu Doctors University-College of Medicine -- 86.33
2. Abegail Ramos Arana, Our Lady of Fatima University-Valenzuela -- 86.00
3. Arik Paolo Isaiah Carpio Dela Cruz, West Visayas State University-La Paz -- 85.58
4. Kathryn-Daphne Masangkay Ong, University of Santo Tomas -- 85.33
5. Rex Villadarez Samson, Ateneo De Zamboanga University -- 85.25
6. Allan Dizon Corpuz, Saint Louis University -- 85.17
7. Deirdra Yumang Miguel, University of Perpetual Help System-Laguna -- 85.08
8. Evita Taplac Paguia, Saint Luke's College of Medicine -- 85.00
9. Dan Philip Fronda Hernandez -- University of The Philippines-Manila -- 84.83
10. Sharon Sarmiento Santos, Our Lady of Fatima University-Valenzuela -- 84.75

Based on the results, no school was dominant at least with regards to the number of topnotchers each school had (Oh wait... what the heck!... Fatima got 2 top places ... dogs growling - grrrrr... just kidding) in this particular exam . But that's not what got my attention.

If you notice, our "probinsiyano" colleagues topped the board exam. For me, they deserve our toast for their brilliant showing and their school for their efforts.

Now, I cannot help but agree with some of jaypeeMD's and spinaltap's insights although Bleudsky also has a point.

When I was in Med school, we used to have a friend whom we thought was a certified "average" student. Imagine our surprise (jaws dropping) and mortification when we learned that she placed in the top ten.

One cannot help but feel envious considering that she even repeated a major subject not once but twice.

That really made us think that all things being equal, one can never judge the potential of a person because of his/her previous failures.

Being a repeater should not be something to be ashamed of (easier said than done). Repeating a subject can be psychologically crippling. It takes a superior mind and special courage to overcome the ensuing negative feelings,the reproaches of relatives, indifference of friends, not to mention the insults of superior-minded colleagues and overkill professors.

In spite of these fallouts, if the student persisted and later on topped the board exam, he/she merits our accolade.

I used to think before that schools are crucial in becoming a very successful practitioner. I was wrong.

Being a graduate of "one if not the best medical school in NCR", I salute our graduates from "inferior schools (?)" !!!

I extend my warmest congratulations and good luck (regardless of what school you belong to and with both fingers crossed hehehe) to the new batch of MD's !!!
 
spoken by a true professional! couldnt have said it any better myself!

congrats to all board passers. :thumbup:
 
"The best doctors are not necessarily the brightest ones" - a good friend told me that.

after they have passed the boards, the real challenge comes - the medical practice itself (whatever the specialization they choose & wherever they wanna train & practice it).

to my "new" colleagues, welcome to the medical profession! :) hope to work with you.
 
joseph76 said:
The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) announced that 1,054 out of 1,985 passed the Physician Licensure Exams last February, 2008. That makes a 53% national passing rate - higher than last year I think.
Click to expand...


wrong! our passing rate during the august 2007 licensure exams was 60+%. dr miguel noche (the chair back then) said during our oath-taking last september at picc that it was the highest passing rate in the last 4 yrs. of course, we were all very proud of it. :)
 
The Phil. Board exams is a test for basic knowledge. I can't get excited on who will top the boards (It's only in the philippines where they publish board topnotchers). Percentage passing is more important. Where you graduate is also not important as it's only the first step in a long struggle. They also need to change the format into USMLE type questions to challenge your analytical skills. In the past there are years where there are some trivia questions.
 
kung di ako nagkakamali 23 taw ngaun sa up.
 
nung nagtanong ako dun last september 2007, 23 taw daw. i don't know if they have changed the price..
 
^ i heard that there's already an approved proposal at the UP College of Medicine to have a 3-year return service obligation for ALL its graduates. i've read somewhere in a forum site (of local MDs) that one of three absolutes if you wish to apply at UP CM is for you to sign a return service obligation contract. the other two are GWAG of 2.5 & an NMAT score of at least 90. it's similar to PLM's "2 yrs pay-back" policy.

the full details are still in the process. the targeted implementation is AY 2009-2010.
 
hentaisocrnmdph said:
KittyKrinkles

Magkano na nga uli ang tuition per sem ng UPCM ngayon? Ilang percent yung price hike?
Click to expand...


as of september 2007, if i still can remember it right, the tuition fee for upcm is 23,000,000 php.
 
hi. any one out there who is willing to give me a non- biased advice? il enter med school this june 2008. i was accepted both at feu-nrmf and uerm. now, i don't know what to choose. i believe both are really good schools but i know only one is better than the other. who among those two do you think it is? which school is more prestigious? which is more technologically advanced? who are more intellectually superior? which among those two has the highest percent in terms of passing the boards for consecutive of years? WHICH OF THE TWO SCHOOLS HAS A MORE DISCIPLINED MEDICAL STUDENTS (I don't want rascal classmates). and most importantly, which one is more internationally known? please guys, i need your advice.
 
"who are more intellectually superior?" -- we're all in equal ground & we study the same thing/s; it's the method that varies. you can't judge a doctor as being superior than the others because of where he/she had his/her medical schooling.

nasa estudyante ang pagsisikap, wala sa paaralan.

as for the rest of your queries, i don't know.
 
As I said in a different thread, there are rascals in all schools. For me FEU and UERM is about equal (I agree na nasa estudyante yan). If you had your pre-med in the Phil., FEU might be a better fit but I had some feedback in the past that it is more competitive.
 
bleudsky, tantrum
thanx a lot. if there are still other people there who also want to give me some ideas, your advices will surely be appeciated. thanx guys.

doctors..simply the best!!! ;)
 
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