MBBS In Philippines

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Since the Industrial Revolution, Spain and then the USA have controlled the Philippines. Accordingly, the English language is widely spoken after the native language. The country is made up of many islands. Manila and Cebu are large cities in the Philippines. Philippines has a smaller population, such as 98 million. The climate matches almost Indian weather.

MBBS in the Philippines was very popular among Indian students who did not wish to learn an additional language, such as that required in MCI-recognized medical colleges or universities in European countries like Georgia, Serbia , Russia,or China . This is because the Philippines is an English-speaking country. More than 95% of the people speak the English language. MBBS in the Philippines was also popular because of its climatic conditions, which are not as cold as in European countries. Post-NMC, the MBBS/MD program in the Philippines became valid as it did not meet the criteria of FMGE Regulation 2021.

Medical Education System in Philippines

There are three Steps for completing the Medicine program in Philippines

  • BS Program for 2-3 Years
  • Clearing Competitive NMAT Exam after BS Course
  • MD Course of 5-1/2 Years

Comparison of MD in Philippines vs. MBBS in India

If we compare both the education system, Primary difference is entry to the Medicine Course and duration of the Program

Category India Philippines
Bachelor's Degree Name MBBS MD
Entry to Medicine After 10+2 After BS Course
Entrance Exam NEET-UG NMAT
Qualifying Marks 50 Percentile 40 Percentile
BS Course Duration Not Applicable 2-3 Years
MBBS Course Duration 4.5 Years 4 Years
Internship 1 Year 1 Year
Total Duration After 10+2 5.5 Years 7.5 Years
NMC Accreditation Yes No
Benefits of studying MBBS in Philippines

Benefits of studying MBBS in Philippines

There are many benefits to doing your MD in the Philippines few of them are listed below

  1. There is no need to learn any new language, like other MBBS abroad destinations like Russia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, etc. The native language of the Philippines is English. Most of the students find it very convenient for their local commination.
  2. Entire Course of Medicine in English, like India
  3. The patient inflow into the hospitals is moderate. You learn sufficient from the in-house and outpatient, though it is not as high as in India and China but better than many of the European Countries.
  4. Indian food is available in medical colleges and is popular among Indian students.

Disadvantages of Studying MBBS Course in Philippines

Disadvantages of Studying MBBS Course in Philippines

There are a few advantages, but a lot of challenges as well, to studying MD or MBBS in the Philippines. Usually, these facts are never shared with the students by the agents. Consider them before finalising the Philippines as your destination for the study of medicine in the Philippines.

i) Admission to BS Program not the Medicine Program

The first and biggest problem with studying medicine in the Philippines for Indian students is that they are first put in a pre-medical program (BS). Just taking admission to a BS program does not entitle you to become a doctor. It is just an entry into the medical program leading to a BS! Pass the NMAT Exam to get a medical seat (MD / MBBS) in the Philippines. A BS degree in the Philippines is not considered a bachelor’s degree in India. Students return due to non-passing the NMAT exam or not getting through the MD Philippines seat. Imagine the problem they would face back at home when they lost precious 2 years of life and considered just 12th years of returning to India!

ii) Long Duration for MD / MBBS in Philippines Program.

The second important point hidden by the agents or overseas education consultants promoting MBBS in the Philippines is the duration of the program. You must understand that the total duration of the program is 7.5 years, which is the longest among all the options!

  • The initial 2 years are for the bachelor's degree program leading to the NMAT exam.
  • 5.5-year medical program after passing the NMAT exam.

iii) Visa Problem.

Indian students face problems with the issuance of visas to study medicine in the Philippines. The Indian students get a tourist visa. On arriving in the Philippines, the students depend on the agent and the college to transfer the tourist visa (9A type) to the study visa (9F type). When the student clears the NMAT exam, there is a change of course from BS to MD, and again, a new visa is issued.

iv) Poor Ranking of Philippines Universities

The biggest problem is the poor infrastructure and ranking of Philippine medical universities; they are usually in the 9000–12,000 world rankings. There are good universities as well, but all Indian students are admitted into private medical colleges in the Philippines by the agents.

v) Medical Licence in Philippines for Indian Students

As per CHED and Philippine rule, a medical practice licence is only to be issued to nationals of those countries that allow a Filipino to practice in their country. NMC doesn’t allow any foreigner to practice in India, including the Philippines. Hence, any Indian can’t get a license to practice in the Philippines. Getting registered in Philippines with CHED is mandatory as per FMGE regulation, which is not fulfilled in the Philippines

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Roadmap for Medical PG in USA After MD in Philippines

Philippines follows the US Medical Education System; however, it has many deviations from the actual medical academic Program being followed in USA Med Schools. You can refer to the below table for the comparison of the MD Program in Philippines vs. MD in USA

Category USA Philippines
Education Pattern BS, followed by MD BS, followed by MD
BS Course Duration 4 Years 2 Years
MD Course Duration 4 Years 4 Years
Entry to BS course 10+2 10+2
Entry to MD Course MCAT Exam NMAT Exam
Licence to Practice After Residency After MD
NMC Accreditation Yes No

More than 14 thousand Filipino-origin doctors are working in the USA, but though the Philippine MD program follows the US Medical Education System, you still have to pass the USMLE exam like any other IMG to do a residency program in the USA.

If you are planning your residency in the USA, then ideally you have to follow the below timelines along with your medical school course.

  1. Stating of USMLE Step 1 Preparation from 1st Year of MD, i.e. After Clearing NMAT Exam
  2. Write the USMLE Step 1 Exam after 2nd Year of MD
  3. Preparation of USMLE Step 2CK, from 3rd Year of MD
  4. Write the USMLE Step 1 Exam after 4th Year of MD
  5. Application for Electives/Clerkship During Your Clinical Rotations

Pre-med courses in Philippines

For pre-medical courses in the Philippines, students need to enrol first in a BS course such as B.S. (Psychology) or B.S. (Biology). The duration of this course can be 2–3 years, depending upon the university you enrolled in. Further, the students have to pass an exam, namely the NMAT, to get promoted to study medicine in the Philippines.

NMAT Exam

After completing the BS course in the Philippines, students need to appear in the NMAT exam, which is similar to the NEET exam in India. This is a competitive exam, and a minimum score of 40 percent is required to qualify for the exam and become eligible for the MD course. The NMAT exam is conducted in two parts: NMAT 1 and NMAT 2.

NMAT Part 1 contains the mental ability test

Section Focus area Duration
1. The verbal Ability Reading comprehension and analogies 40
2. Inductive reasoning Grouping figures, Figure series, letter series and number 50
3. The quantitative Problem-solving, Fundamental operation and data interpretation 50
4. The perceptual acuity Mirror image, hidden figure and identical information 40

NMAT Part 2 analyses the academic ability of the participants

Section Content of items Duration
1. Biology Genetics, Unity and diversity of life, Cell and cellular processes, development, the world of plants and animals And Life processes 35
2. Physics Thermodynamics,Mechanics,Electricity and Magnetism Vibrations, waves and optics, modern physics 40
3. Social science Psychology Sociology and anthropology 35
4. Chemistry Analytical chemistry, General Chemistry, Bio chemistry, Organic chemistry 40

MBBS Duration in Philippines

Philippines MBBS duration was 4 years till 2021. After the amendment to the NMC FMGE Regulation, many of the medical colleges in the Philippines changed their MD course curriculum to 5 and a half years to match the Indian regulator requirement. This duration is inclusive of a clinical internship in the Philippines. Those who clear the NMAT exam need to apply for a new visa for this program. The usual time from completing the BS Program to starting the MD course is 5–6 months. Which makes MBBS in the Philippines last 7–1/2 years. inclusive of BS course

Best Medicine Universities in Philippines

Private
University of Perpetual Help

University of Perpetual Help

  • Country : Philippines
  • Degree : Bachelor
  • Course : Medicine
University Type
Private
Univ Grade
B
Estd. Year
1975
World Rank
7041
ECFMG
Approved
Intake
Sep-24
Duration
1 Yr of BS + 4.5 Yrs of MD + 1 Yr of Internship
Fee
₹25.73 Lacs
Medium
English
Specialization
MBBS
VIEW DETAIL
Private
Emilio Aguinaldo College

Emilio Aguinaldo College

  • Country : Philippines
  • Degree : Bachelor
  • Course : Medicine
University Type
Private
Univ Grade
C+
Estd. Year
1957
World Rank
8080
ECFMG
Approved
Intake
Sep-24
Duration
2 Yr of BS + 4.5 Yrs of MD + 1 Yr of Internship
Fee
₹23.93 Lacs
Medium
English
Specialization
MBBS
VIEW DETAIL

Medical Universities in Philippines

As per WDOMS, find the list of 54 Philippine Medical universities offering MD courses to students.

Sl. No Medical School Name City Name
1 Angeles University Foundation School of Medicine Angeles
2 University of Saint La Salle College of Medicine Bacolod
3 St. Louis University School of Medicine Baguio
4 Mariano Marcos State University College of Medicine Batac
5 University of Perpetual Help System Dr. Jose G. Tamayo Medical University Binan
6 Dr. Jose P. Rizal College of Medicine Cagayan de Oro City
7 Liceo de Cagayan University College of Medicine Cagayan de Oro City
8 Manila Central University-Filemon D. Tanchoco Foundation College of Medicine Caloocan
9 Cebu Institute of Medicine Cebu
10 Matias H. Aznar Memorial College of Medicine Cebu
11 Southwestern University School of Medicine Cebu City
12 Dr. Francisco Q. Duque Medical Foundation College of Medicine Dagupan
13 De La Salle Medical and Health Sciences Institute College of Medicine Dasmarinas
14 Davao Medical School Foundation College of Medicine Davao
15 Brokenshire College School of Medicine Davao City
16 Jose Maria College of Medicine Foundation Davao City
17 Silliman University Medical School Dumaguete
18 Mindanao State University College of Medicine Iligan
19 University of Northern Philippines College of Medicine Ilocos Sur
20 Central Philippine University College of Medicine Iloilo City
21 Iloilo Doctors' College of Medicine Iloilo City
22 West Visayas State University College of Medicine Iloilo City
23 University of Perpetual Help System DaltaJonelta Foundation School of Medicine Las Piñas
24 Bicol Christian College of Medicine Legazpi
25 Bicol University College of Medicine Legazpi
26 AMA School of Medicine Makati
27 La Consolacion University Philippines College of Medicine Malolos
28 Cebu Doctors' University College of Medicine Mandaue
29 Gullas College of Medicine, University of the Visayas Mandaue
30 University of Cebu College of Medicine Mandaue City
31 Centro Escolar University College of Medicine Manila
32 Chinese General Hospital Colleges Manila
33 Emilio Aguinaldo College School of Medicine Manila
34 Manila Theological College of Medicine Manila
35 Metropolitan Medical Center College of Medicine Manila
36 San Beda University College of Medicine Manila
37 University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Medicine and Surgery Manila
38 University of the City of Manila College of Medicine Manila
39 University of Philippines Manila College of Medicine Manila
40 The Manila Times College of Subic (TMTCS) College of Medicine Olongapo City
41 School of Health Sciences, University of Philippines System Palo
42 Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Pasig City
43 University of the East/Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center College of Medicine Quezon
44 Far Eastern University Institute of Medicine, Nicanor Reyes Medical Foundation Quezon City
45 New Era University College of Medicine Quezon City
46 St. Luke's Medical Center College of Medicine - William H. Quasha Memorial (SLMCCM-WHQM) Quezon City
47 VirgenMilagrosa University Foundation College of Medicine San Carlos
48 Adventist University of Philippines College of Medicine Silang
49 PLT College Inc College of Medicine Solano
50 Remedios T. Romualdez Medical Foundation College of Medicine Tacloban
51 Cagayan State University College of Medicine and Surgery Tuguegarao
52 St. Paul University Philippines School of Medicine Tuguegarao City
53 Our Lady of Fatima University College of Medicine Valenzuela
54 Ateneo de Zamboanga University College of Medicine Zamboanga

Best Medical Schools in Philippines for Indian Students

Below is the list of the best medical colleges in the Philippines as per popularity among Indian students. All these medical colleges are private.

Sl. No College Established
1 University of Perpetual Help System DALTA 1975
2 AMA School of Medicine 1975
3 UV Gullas College of Medicine 1919
4 Davao Medical School Foundation 1969
5 Lyceum Northwestern University 1969
6 Xavier University 1933
7 Our Lady of Fatima University 1973
8 Bicol Christian College Of Medicine 1980
9 CEBU Institute of Medicine 1957
10 Manila Central University- College Of Medicine 1947

You can opt for any of the top 10 medical colleges in the Philippines for your medical studies.

NMC Accreditation for Philippines Medical Colleges

The main concern for all students looking for MBBS in the Philippines is whether MBBS in the Philippines is recognised in India. NMC has issued an advisory to the students seeking a medicine course in the Philippines post-FMGE Regulation 2021, as per the advisory medicine program of the Philippines, which is not valid in India. An advisory has been issued by the Indian Embassy in Philippines for MBBS students in Philippines. This is for two reasons

  • Philippines MBBS course duration doesn’t meet FMGE Regulation 2021. CHED, Philippines Medical Regulation, at par with NMC in India, issued circular in this regard, which is still to be accepted by NMC for change in program
  • License for Indian Students in Philippines

Technically, there is no NMC-approved Medical college in Philippines

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Cost of Study in Philippines

Those who wish to study in the Philippines need to consider the below expenses while calculating the total cost of studying a medicine course in the Philippines.

  • Tuition fee
  • Hostel or Accommodation
  • Food
  • Travel Cost
  • Miscellaneous Expenses.

MBBS in the Philippines costs approx. 45–50 lacs, inclusive of medical college fees, hostel charges, food, travel to India every year, and other miscellaneous expenses.

Philippines MBBS fee structure 2024

Philippines MBBS fees in Indian rupees are mentioned in the below table. Kindly note that this is only the tuition fee for the MD Program.

Name of college Fee in Lacs
AMA School of Medicine 33
Angeles University Foundation 24.93
Bicol Christian College of Medicine 41.1
Cagayan State University 12.87
Davao Medical School Foundation 25.91
Emilio Aguinaldo College 25.28
Lyceum Northwestern University 34.58
Manila Central University 27.75
Our Lady of Fatima University 51.66
Saint Louis University 23.48
Southwestern University PHINMA 24.23
University of Northern Philippines 16.05
University of Perpetual Help System DALTA 40.5
University of Santo Tomas 15.58
UV Gullas College of Medicine 39.44
Xavier University 14.21

Hostel and Food Cost

Most of the private colleges charge for hostels and food collectively. It is compulsory for all the students to stay in the hostel and join the mess. Usually, hostel charges are in the range of 6000–7000 pesos, whereas food charges are 5000–6000 pesos per month. The yearly cost for both is approx. 1.5 lacs PESO, which is more than 2 lacs INR.

Travel Cost

Manila, Philippines, has no direct flights from any Indian city; this is connected via Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, or Singapore from Delhi, Mumbai, or Bangalore. The time and cost of the flight depend on your chosen airline. A flight may cost 15-20 K for one way and take around 10–12 hours.

Eligibility Criteria for BS Program in Philippines

To apply to BS program in Philippines, students need to meet the below eligibility criteria

  • 50% marks in PCB in Class XII or equivalent grade
  • NEET-qualified in any of the Years from 2022 to 2024
  • Age must be more than 17 Years

Eligibility Criteria for MBBS in Philippines

MBBS in the Philippines eligibility requires below criteria to be fulfilled

  • You must have a Bachelor’s degree either in India or a BS degree in Philippines
  • You must Qualify for the NMAT Exam

Philippines Medicine Course Admissions Process.

Philippines Medicine Course Admissions Process.

Generally, the Indian students who expect more than 50% in their 10+2 level block their seats at their chosen medical university right from the beginning. These students do not wait for last-minute Indian results. Most of the medical seats are filled up in June every year for the September batch. Students just need to pay the application fees along with the 10+2 mark sheets immediately after the results are announced. It will ensure your admission to Philippine medical schools for MD course, also known as doctor of medicine course in the Philippines

Historically, agents placed Indian students in very poorly ranked universities in the Philippines. You can surely be admitted to study medicine in the Philippines after knowing the above disadvantages.

Philippines MBBS Intake: There is only one intake for MBBS admission in the Philippines in September, for which the application deadline is generally the 15th of July for the September batch.

MBBS Syllabus in Philippines

As there is no updated syllabus available for MD course in Philippines after 2021, the below-mentioned old Syllabus can be referred as doctor of medicine curriculum in Philippines.

First Term Second Term Third Term Fourth Term
Anatomy Pharmacology Pediatrics-2 Surgery
Histology General Pathology Surgery-2 Medicine
Biochemistry Clinical Pathology Medicine-2 Psychiatry
Psychiatry Parasitology Internal Medicine Ophthalmology
Physiology Medicine-1 Legal Medicine Neurology
Neuroscience Epidemiology Dermatology Paediatrics
History of Medicine Microbiology Radiology Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Preventive and Communicative Pharmacology Neuroscience-3  
Medicine Pediatrics-1 Cardiology  
Bioethics Surgery Advanced Pathology  
  Neuroscience 2 Ophthalmology  
  Psychiatry Obstetrics and Gynaecology

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Medical License in India after MBBS in Phillipines

During MBBS study, a student realises the importance of being a specialist. They also understand the competitiveness of securing an MD / MS Seat in a Govt. College. Let's look at the success ratio to get a PG Seat in Govt Medical Colleges in India, which is 11% broadly; we can say that only 1 out of 10 will get a PG Seat, whereas the chances of getting Clinical speciality is 1 out of 20 applicants. The PG journey will be challenging, or students should have enough money to get a paid seat in Pvt Medical College in Crores!

Total Applicants NEET PG 2023 Specialty Govt Med College Pvt Med College
Seats Success Ratio Seats
2.06 Lacs
MD (Non Clinical) 15K 8.6% 10K
MS (Clinical) 8K 4.6% 5K
Total 23K 11.4% 15K

 

Will early preparation and the right mentorship pave your dream of becoming a specialist? NMC has already announced the introduction of the NEXT Exam in India in 2024. This Exam will replace all Medical PG exams in India. The Exam will be conducted in two parts: NEXT-1 and NEXT-2.

The Objective of the NEXT-1 is to assess the Student's Knowledge of Pre, Para, and Clinical Subjects on the National Level. Only after qualifying for NEXT-1 will any medical student be eligible for an internship. After completing the internship, Students must go through NEXT-2, assessing their Clinical skills, Patient Management, and Keeping Medical history. Those who will Clear NEXT-2 will be awarded a license to practice, and Rankers of NEXT-1 will get PG seats of their choice of speciality. You may refer to Page for detailed information on the NExT Exam.

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Medical PG in the USA (USMLE) after MBBS inPhillipines

Most Abroad students also plan to do a Medical PG from the USA because getting PG Seats in India is tough.

With the introduction of NEXT, most students in India are attracted to USMLE prep from 1st year of MBBS since it simulates the new NMC Competency-based curriculum remarkably. The US healthcare system is considered one of the best healthcare systems in the world for numerous reasons, such as high rewards, excellent Infrastructure, merit-based assessment, and open opportunities for super specialities. Most countries try to replicate the US healthcare assessment system for their Medical Graduates. The USMLE exam is divided into 3 Parts. One can appear in USMLE Step 1 after 2nd Year, USMLE Step 2 CK during internship and Step 3 during residency (Medical PG).

Medical PG in USA (USMLE)

MOKSH Coaching focuses on a patient-centered learning approach which helps students score high on both USMLE & NEXT. MOKSH is the leading name in USMLE Coaching. Currently, 1000+ Students from Indian and Abroad medical colleges are preparing for USMLE steps via the MOKSH Platform.

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Medical PG in the UK ( PLAB) after MBBS inPhillipines

The Board Test (PLAB test) is the instrument usedto assess the skills and knowledge of an International Medical Graduate. It also judges whether they can be trained to practice medicine in the UK.
In short, an IMG's performance in PLAB determines her Eligibility to practice in the UK. The PLAB test has two stages. PLAB 1 is an exam that has 180 MCQs that test your recall. On the other hand, PLAB 2 is a practical OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Exam) that tests your clinical skills.
The GMC ascertains your linguistic skills by assessing your score on specific tests. It may be the IELTS (Band Score 7.0 or higher) or OET (Grade B in reading, writing, listening & speaking).
After you pass PLAB 1 & 2, you apply for the GP registration. There is one constraint. You have a window of 2 years after clearing PLAB 2, which you may use no later.
By 2024, the UK Medical Licensing Assessment will replace the PLAB. Consequently, the GMC UK will change certain things in PLAB and create the UKMLA exam.

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Medical PG in Germany after MBBS inPhillipines

Medical PG in Germany

PG in Germany after MBBS Abroad is another excellent option, though it requires you to learn the German language. Of the six levels starting from A1 to C2, you need to clear A1 and A2, qualifying you to apply for thevisa.
Once the Language formalities are done, you get into the phase where you do an Observer-ship from a German hospital approved by the German Medical Council. Residency follows this.
This may sound simple here, but the process is quite complicated. To know more about PG in Germany,

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Your Chance to get an MBBS Seat in India

The most challenging time for any student is to wait after the NEET counselling process to know whether they are getting a college of their choice. Sometimes, this dilemma continues for a couple of months due to multiple rounds of counselling. It has become more difficult due to parallel counselling of All India Quota and various States due to COVID-19. The counselling process is very complex, where 700+ Govt. and Private colleges offer 1 Lac+ Seats, and fee variation is also huge, ranging from less than 1 Lac to 2.5 Cr for the course.

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Faqs

No, As per FMGE Regulation 2021, Any program duration less than 54 months excluding Clinical internship will not be valid in India to appear in the NEXT exam.
Yes, as per the CHED Philippines regulation, it is mandatory to do a BS course and NMAT Qualified to get promoted to MD course in the Philippines.
Indian Students can be admitted in Philippines in any of the Pre Med courses also known as BS courses to pursue the MD Course at a later stage.

• Pharmacy
• Medical Technology
• Nursing
• Radiologic Technology
• Biology
• Psychology
• Nutrition and Dietetics

The name of the doctor course in Philippines is MD which is equivalent to MBBS in India

Philippines medical degree valid in India or not?
Post FMGE 2021 Regulation, MBBS in Philippines validity in India lost its accreditation

There are a few top medical colleges in Philippines, you can consider for Medicine in Philippines 

1. University of the Philippines – College of Medicine
2. University of Santo Tomas – Faculty of Medicine and Surgery
3. University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center
4. St. Luke’s College of Medicine
5. Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health
6. Cebu Institute of Medicine
7. Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila – College of Medicine
8. Far Eastern University – Nicanor Reyes Medical Foundation
MBBS fees in Philippines for Indian students range from 15 Lacs to 40 Lacs depending upon Medical college, Pl note that only the MD course fee, BS fee, Hostel and Food are additional to this amount.
No, as per current FMGE regulation, Philippines degree is not valid in India
 The total duration of Medicine courses in Philippines is 7 and a Half years including BS courses.