Studying Medicine In Philippines

Philippines was colonized by the Spanish for almost 3 centuries, following which the United States ruled the country for another half a century. During this time, the Americans left the imprint of their own country on the education system of Philippines. If we take the study of medicine as an example, the Doctor of Medicine (equivalent to MBBS in India) is referred to as MD in both countries. Medical education in Philippines is provided by government recognized medical schools which might be privately run or by the government, but they must be accredited by the Government. As far as Indian students are concerned, they need to check if that college is approved by MCI in India, and by WHO. This can be checked with us at Unisys Educational Research.

Why is MD in Philippines A Good Idea?

There are several reasons why a student aspiring for a career in medicine should choose to do it in Philippines. Some of these reasons are :

Comparatively lower expenses
No need for any kind of 'donation'
No entrance examination to be cleared
Medium of instruction is English; Philippines is the 4th largest English speaking country in the world
Aligned to the US pattern of medical studies, which makes US post-graduation simpler
Most colleges are approved by WHO, MCI and FMGE
Benefit of getting an internationally recognized degree in medicine
Large diaspora of Indian students already pursuing medical education there
Philippines is the country which has the 2nd largest number of doctors practicing in USA

Best Medical Universities In Philippines

Students need to find out about the colleges they would apply to, to confirm whether those colleges are approved both by MCI and WHO. Unisys Educational Research helps in getting admissions to more than 10 top medical colleges in Philippines, but the best among them are -

Our Lady Fathima University
South Western University
AMA School of Medicine
Davao Medical School Foundation

How Much Does It Cost?

An MBBS in Philippines would cost anything from INR 15 lakhs to INR 30 lakhs. Compared to the fees in India, this is a very attractive choice for Indian applicants. Even in comparison to other destinations popular with Indian students for MBBS, like Ukraine, Georgia and USA, this is quite economical. Since the cost of living is lesser in Philippines, it also brings down the other costs outside of the tuition fees, including stay and food. Average cost for living expenses would come to INR 20000 per month. So the overall cost including tuition costs and living expenses would be not more than INR 40 lakhs approximately. Although this is a big number, but it is way below the expenses for a comparable degree in a private college in India.

Course Duration for MD In Philippines

The total duration is five and a half years, and is split into three parts. The first segment is referred to as a pre-medical or Bachelor of Science (BS) and is of about 18 months duration. During this segment, students work on their theoretical foundations in basic subjects, which include biology and psychology. The next 4 years are referred to as the MD program, and contain the essence of the MD program. And finally, the last year is spent in clinical rotation, where the student would be assigned to a hospital and work with real patients under the guidance of an experienced doctor.
The MD degree in Philippines is aligned to the US system of medical education. Students wishing to pursue post-graduation in medicine in USA after completing the MD in Philippines must clear the USMLE, which is a three step examination for medical licensure in USA. Students of MD in Philippines must start their preparation for USMLE from the 3rd year itself. So if you need professional help to clear these tough examinations,Unisys Educational Research can help you prepare for both USMLE and MCI entrance tests online.

Eligibility For MD In Philippines

The applicant must have scored an aggregate of 60% in Physics, Chemistry and Biology, and passed individually in all of them. The medium of instruction should have been English.
Students can enter an MBBS program in Philippines either directly or after clearing the NMAT examination. If the applicant is getting in after the 12th Standard, then marks are the criteria, and no exam needs to be taken. The NMAT exam is required if the student wants to enroll in MBBS after completing graduation or BS (Bachelor of Science). The most common subjects studied by graduates in their pre medical degrees are biology, microbiology, psychology, pharmacy, biochemistry, nursing and physical therapy.

Application Procedure And Timelines For MD In Philippines

In India, the medical entrance examination accepted all over the country is NEET, but it has very few seats for a large number of applicants. By the time the NEET results are announced, the admissions procedures for medical colleges in Philippines are well underway. So if you want to avoid the disappointment of not getting through in NEET, you need to keep a backup plan ready for studying medicine in Philippines. The process starts in the middle of the year and deadline for submitting applications is usually in June-July and the selections are announced by August usually. So a student can apply parallel for NEET and for Philippines colleges if they are confident of securing 60% in all the science subjects. Unisys Educational Research can help in facilitating the applications to colleges in Philippines. The fees for this service would be paid by the applicant only after he has got the confirmed admission letter in hand. That is followed by the visa application at the Embassy. Unisys Educational Research will help in visa application, and then follow up with pre departure counselling and guidance.

What Kind Of Visa For Philippines?

Usually students who enroll for a medical degree in Philippines visit on a tourist visa and later convert it to a study visa. Unisys Educational Research can help students with this conversion.

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