Republic of the Philippines, or as more commonly known, Philippines is a southeast Asian country. As the Philippines was once a colony of the US for 50 long years, the standard of the education system including that for MBBS in the Philippines is globally acclaimed and very similar to that of the USA. Medical colleges of Philippines possess magnificent infrastructure, highly qualified faculty, and world-class education. The course fee in these MBBS colleges in the Philippines is reasonable and affordable compared to that in private medical colleges in India. Not only the cost, but there are also multiple reasons why studying medicine in a college in the Philippines could be an excellent choice for an Indian student.
Why You Should Study MBBS in the Philippines?
Firstly, in the Philippines, the bachelor course in medicine and surgery is not called MBBS like in India. There the course is named as Doctor of Medicine (MD). Though the name is different, it’s equivalent of the MBBS in India and recognized by the Medical Council of India. Now, let’s see why you, as an Indian student, should choose the Philippines as your next career destination-
Language:
The Philippines, once a colony of the USA, is the 3rd largest English-speaking country in the world. This is one major advantage because from the very moment you land at the airport in the Philippines to your classroom where you need to communicate with your teacher- you can communicate in English everywhere and with everyone. Thus, the experience of doing MBBS in the Philippines will be similar to studying in India or the USA, UK, Australia, etc.
Multicultural and Friendly People:
The Philippines is a multicultural country. People there, specifically from big cities, are used to see and interact with foreigners regularly. It’s an international travel hotspot, also one of the busiest educational hubs in the world where students from all over the world come for quality education. It means that if you do MBBS in the Philippines you’ll meet lots of people from across the globe in your college and university and wherever you go. Also, natives are usually welcoming to foreigners; they are warm and loving people and treat foreigners with their best. Hence, there is no way you will feel isolated there.
World-Class Medical Education Standard:
Education in the Philippines follows the USA education system. It follows a 10+4 system, instead of the 10+2 system in India. Hence you have to go through a pre-medical course there, namely BS which is 10-18 months course depending on which university you’re joining before you can get enrolled in the four years medical course (MD).
USMLE (the United States Medical Licensing Examination) Test Preparation:
You’ll probably be surprised to know that the Philippines is one of the biggest contributors of doctors and nurses in the USA. The Philippines offer superior quality education; students who do MBBS in the Philippines are in high demand in countries like the USA, UK, etc. Students who pass from a medical college in the Philippines, have a much better chance of clearing USMLE than students other countries; because in the Philippines, students get proper training and guidance from the faculties to prepare for USLME. It has become possible because medical education curriculum in the Philippines is greatly influenced by the curriculum followed in the USA. For those who don’t know, USMLE is the screening test which you have to pass if you want to pursue postgraduate in medicine in the USA or practice as a medical doctor there.
Higher Passing Rate in MCI Screening Test:
There’s another interesting fact, especially for Indian students who want to come back in India and practice medicine here after successful completion of MBBS in the Philippines. Did you know that students who got their medical degree from the Philippines have significantly more success rate in the MCI screening test (FMGE) than the students who got their degree from any other foreign countries? This alone should be enough to convince anybody about the quality of medical education offered by the prestigious medical colleges of the Philippines.
Highly Recognized Medical Degree:
Doctor of Medicine (MD) course in the Philippines, which is equivalent of the MBBS in India and other Commonwealth countries, is well recognized by WHO and Medical Council of India. Due to similar educational standard as the USA and high success rate in USMLE, doctors who have a medical degree from the Philippines are very well regarded all over the world.
Climate:
The Philippines has a tropical climate, just like India. Hence the diseases in the Philippines are similar like in India. So, if you study MBBS in the Philippines, you’ll be taught and trained for the same conditions as you would have if you were studying MBBS in India. This is a massive advantage for the students who want to come back and practice in India. Because, in other foreign countries, you’ll handle patients with a completely different type of diseases, which are not prevalent in India. Therefore, when you come back to India to practice as a doctor – you’ll need lots of time and effort to be accustomed to the local diseases in India. Here you’ll be a few steps ahead if you study MBBS in the Philippines, as you’ll already be familiar with the same diseases like in India and you can start practice immediately after passing the MCI test.
Affordable Fee:
The overall course fee for five years MD course (sometimes up to 6 years depending on the college) is very affordable, we can safely say almost five times cheaper than the average cost of study medicine in a private medical college in India.
Affordable Living Cost:
Living cost in the Philippines is almost at par with any urban setup of India, making it a favorable choice for an Indian student.
No Hefty Donation or Capitation Fee:
There is no donation or capitation fee involved whatsoever, no matter which medical college you choose in the Philippines.
Numerous Career Options:
Because the medical education system in the Philippines is based on the USA standard, it becomes easy for one to choose postgraduate or career options in first world countries like USA, UK, Australia, etc.
Faculty:
Faculties in the Philippines are English-speaking only, and a large share of them are employed from the countries like the USA and India.
Friendly System and Officials:
From the very moment you step your foot on the land of the Philippines, you will feel a friendly vibe there. Everybody from the airport security to the immigration officer, from cab driver to hostel manager, from desk officer in university to your classmates; everybody will greet you with a smile and will help you to the extent possible. The country is liberal, red tapes are less, and officials are helpful – overall, it’s a lovely country to travel and live in.
Flight Connectivity:
Flights between India and Philippines are very frequent; every day there are multiple flights available between the two. Also, flight time is 6 hours on an average.
Eligibility
The primary qualifications one needs are 10+2 with 50% in aggregate and 50% in each subject of the PCB group to be considered as an eligible candidate for the admission for MBBS in the Philippines. Also, one needs to pass the NEET entrance in India before applying to any foreign university for undergraduate medical curriculum, otherwise he/she won’t be able to appear on the MCI screening test and won’t be allowed to practice medicine in India, after successful completion of the course abroad. Hence, if you want to practice as a doctor in India, passing the NEET test is a must for the admission to any medical college in the Philippines for MBBS.
In the Philippines, the undergraduate medical program consists of 2 different courses. First one is a pre-medical or foundation course, named BS. The duration of this course is ten months to 2 years depending on the college or university. With the qualification mentioned above, you’ll be able to join the course named BS, directly. However, after completion of the BS, you have to appear for an entrance test namely NMAT (National Medical Admission Test) to be eligible for the admission in the actual medical course, MD (Doctor of Medicine). Some universities allow you to join the MD course after completion of the BS course, even if you don’t appear for the NMAT exam. But, at the end of the course, you’ll get the MD degree only if you pass with a minimum of 40% in the NMAT exam. Hence, sooner or later, this exam is mandatory to get an MD degree from the Philippines.
Best Medical Colleges and Universities in the Philippines
AMA School of Medicine:
This medical college is located in Makati city and one of the best medical schools in the Philippines. WHO and MCI both recognize this university; hence the degree you’ll obtain from here will be valid in India and internationally as well.
The University of Perpetual Help System DALTA:
Formed in 1975, this university is an excellent choice for MBBS in the Philippines. It’s a private university, recognized by WHO and MCI. This university, with three main campuses, more than twenty thousand students and thousand plus faculties; is one of the largest universities in the Philippines.
Angeles University Foundation:
This university founded in 1962, but the “school of medicine” started its journey from 1983 under this university. This is one of the most preferred medical colleges by Indian students in the Philippines. Since the last few years, students from this medical college are performing outstandingly in the MCI screening test.
Our Lady of Fatima University:
One of the most popular medical university in the Philippines, OLFU has an outstanding track record of 40 plus years in the history of medical education in the Philippines. Since its inception, more than thirty thousand doctors graduated from this university.
Davao Medical School Foundation:
Established in 1976, this medical college has an impressive rank of 6th among the Philippines’s top medical universities and colleges. The college is located in Mindanao.
Other colleges to consider are:
Emilio Aguinaldo College of Medicine
Bicol Christian College of Medicine
Medical School Foundation
Cagayan State University
Cebu Doctor’s Medical University
Visa Procedure:
Obtaining a student visa from the embassy of the Philippines in India is often a time-consuming affair. Though there’s a workaround. You can have a tourist visa much sooner and that tourist visa can be converted in a student visa later. Once you reach to the Philippines and get done with the formalities of admission in your preferred medical college, you can start your tourist-to-student visa conversion process. Overseas educational consultants like Bright Path help the students in this whole visa process with proper guidance.
Documents to be Submitted College:
Please note that whatever the documents you need to submit, should be notarized. Also, attestation of the documents from the local Philippines embassy is a must.
- All of your mark sheets, transcripts, and transfer certificate
- Photocopy of DOB certificate
- Local police verification certificate
- Parent’s NOC
Fee structure:
Here’s a rough fee structure of some of the medical colleges in the Philippines is given below, however, to know the most recent fees – you must contact the college or university directly.
AMA Colleges of Medicine- 17-18 lakhs INR (complete course)
University of Perpetual Help Dalta- 19-20 lakhs for the total course
Our Lady of Fatima University- 22-13 lakhs for the entire period.
It may seem that it’s not very hard to get admission in medicine in a Philippines university, the reality, however, is different. Apart from the requisite qualifications, you’d need professional consultation and guidance for college selection, admission procedure, student loan application, insurance, visa process, NMAT exam guidance, assistance in accommodation arrangement, etc. Don’t worry, we got it all covered for you.Get in touch with Bright Path today Call us (+91) 33 4072 6060 and start your MBBS journey today.
