The Philippines is the world’s thirteenth-most-populous country and is known for its scenic beauty and landmarks. However, it is not just this natural beauty of the country which attracts the Indian medical aspirants there.
According to the data provided by the Indian government, there were 15,000 Indian students in the Philippines in 2022. Out of these 15,000 Indian students, at least 5,443 students appeared for the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) and 2,019 students cleared the screening test.
If you are also hoping to be able to secure a seat in one of the medical colleges of the Philippines, here are some of the main pointers:
Eligibility
— Interested candidates should have scored more than 50 per cent marks in Class 12 with physics, chemistry and biology being the main subjects.
— Candidates should have qualified NEET in the past three years.
— Medical clearance against any contagious diseases.
— The minimum age requirement is 17 years.
— TOEFL or IELTS test is not required.
Course structure
The MBBS course in the Philippines is 5.5-6.5 years, which includes a compulsory year-long internship in Philippines, and then one in India. The Bachelor degree is 1.5 years long, followed by Biology or Sociology
+ Bachelor Of Medicine which is four years long, including 1 year compulsory internship. Students can directly participate in USMLE step 1 from second year onwards.
No student is awarded a medical degree certificate from a Philippines medical college, unless he/she successfully completes their compulsory internship year. However, it is important for students to check the course structure with the selected medical college, as different colleges can have varied structures.
In India, however, the National Medical Commission had in 2022 mandated that foreign medical graduates (FMGs), who had completed their fourth and fifth years online due to the Covid pandemic, would require a two-year internship after their MBBS instead of one. In March end, the Supreme Court urged the Central Government to help the FMGs reach a conclusion in their fight.
“The students may be offered a single chance to clear the MBBS final, both part 1 and part 2 examinations (both theory and practical) as per existing NMC syllabus and guidelines without being enrolled in any of the existing Indian medical colleges. They can give and clear examination within a period of one year. Part 2 will be allowed only after part 1 is cleared,” the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in a compliance affidavit stated.
Admission process
Step 1: Choose your college and fill its application form.
Step 2: Submit soft copies of your passport, HSC mark sheet to apply for letter of permission for admission.
Step 3: After admission confirmation, apply for the Philippines visa along with all necessary documents.
Step 4: Appear for the personal visa interview at the Philippines embassy along with the invitation letter and other supporting documents for visa approval.
Step 5: Your visa and admission to the Philippines medical college will be confirmed, provided you fulfil all the requirements stated by the government.
Students should remember that those who are of at least 18 years of age are granted the visa by the Philippines government. However, there is a special arrangement that if students are of seventeen years of age they are granted a Special Study Permit (SSP) which is valid for six months.
Tuition fees
The tuition fees for a Philippines medical college range from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 6 lakh per year.
Along with the tuition fees, the cost of living in the country comes between Rs 15,000 to 20,000 per month. Even though it is not compulsory to stay in hostels, most of the medical colleges in the Philippines provide hostel facilities for Indian students. Some colleges have hostel facilities inside their campus while some have them nearby.
Recognised colleges
There are various medical institutes in the Philippines but some of the most recognised ones (according to FMGE record) are Davao Medical School Foundation College of Medicine, the University of Perpetual Help System Dalta Jonelta Foundation School of Medicine, University of Northern Philippines College of Medicine, Our Lady of Fatima University College of Medicine, Gullas College of Medicine University of the Visayas, Bicol Christian College of Medicine, Ama School of Medicine, and more.
Medium of teaching
In the Philippines, English is the language adopted for teaching MBBS, as it makes it easy for the students to interact with the patients during the internship.
Courtesy : The Indian Express
