Originally Posted by Locutusofborg

Originally Posted by Locutusofborg

1) REGARDING USMLEs in PI and the Carribean: Its not an easy test for anyone. Although i have no hard data to back this up, im sure a US school will prepare you better for the USMLE than a foreign one. However, when comparing Philipino and Carribean schools, I fail to see how the Carribean schools prepare you better. At Southwestern U their explicit policy is to mimic test questions to the USMLE, and to use actual USMLE questions in their exams (they have data bank access). This is according to the Dean of Medicine. I am sure other schools take a different view on this matter, thats why its an important issue to bring up during your interviews.
Just remember: Anyone can take a Kaplan review course and do better on the USMLE. Carribean schools require their students to take one, that's why they "prepare you better". They may also block you from taking USMLE until you pass their own "shelf" test, in order to artificially boost their passing scores. Finally, with a draconian control of information (bullying students into shutting down negative blogs) and a huge advertising budget, Carribean schools boost their reputation. All this has been discussed ad nauseam on this very board, in the carribean section. Read old posts.

2) Regarding Filipino education: I for one feel that the extra units of hard science are of enormous benefit. One can train a monkey to hold a scalpel, but being able to scientifically justify your treatment, and knowing the metabolic pathway of the drug that you are prescribing -- that is why you go to med school right? Fact is, memorization CAN NOT BE AVOIDED. Im talking to my friends in US med schools, and they are going through the same thing. As far as making connections, it depends on the professor, and on your desire to read the unabridged texts.

3) Regarding getting residencies: Wasting 2 years after graduation?? THats just not true. Family practice? Only if you choose it. My acquaintance is an FEU alumnus and he is a practicing anesthesiologist in the US (and he is also non filipino american). Im not going to lie, being an IMG is falling out of fashion, and some residency boards won't even consider an IMG. However, if you think for one second that your "Harvard of the Carribean" degree will get you better treatment than a Filipino school degree (by the way 26 filipino schools are recognised by all 50 US states medical boards last time i checked!) you best have some independent data to verify that claim.

4) Regarding clerkships in the US - MANY filipino schools allow their students to complete a significant part of your clerkship in the US. For some, its totally streamlined - they have an agreement with US hospitals. For example, UERM students spend a full year in either chicago or new york. Others, like Southwestern, CDU, or DMSF will allow a student to go abroad for one year provided that the school meets their requirement. Some restrict the time one is allowed to do clerkships abroad - CIM only allows 3.5 months. And some, like the Ateneo schools, completely forbid it. Do your research if doing US clerkships is important to you (its important to me, thats why im in SWU).

5) Regarding CIM - I agree with trauma, the bombardment by exams can be counterproductive to learning IF YOU ARE INSUFFICIENTLY PREPARED FOR IT, AS I WAS! If you have taken Histology, Anatomy, Microbiology, and Biochemistry already as an undergraduate, you might find the PBL way exciting, challenging, and a better learning experience than lecture based learning (traditional). I've seen students fall in two camps: you either love PBL or hate it. No in between. I personally don't recommend PBL format to anyone who didn't attend a filipino school for at least a semester, and hasn't had anatomy and histology in their undergraduate years. However, if PBL is your thing, I'd say CIM is a great school to do it at.

6) Regarding Southwestern University - I like it. I haven't been in it long enough to give my full backing to the school and proudly advertise it to everyone, but so far i like my profs, i like the teaching methods, i feel the test questions are not just based in recall but also reasoning. I like that the school makes USMLE preparation an explicit goal of its education. I like that facilities not only exist, but are READILY ACCESSIBLE to students. For example, after being sick for a week, i had zero hassle in getting histology slides and spending 6 hours looking at them through a microscope on my own time. In CIM, i had to run around, and my time was severely limited because they simply didn't have the staff available to keep the lab open between classes.

7) Regarding VISITATION - I agree 100% with hunteradam - go visit the schools. But don't take any tours, and dont spend too much time talking to administration - talk to students from all year levels. Try to understand what they love or hate about the school. Talk to some foreigners who attend the school. You'll find that filipino schools are challenging and conducive to learning.

8) Regarding QUALITY OF LIFE - SUDAN??? Oh give me a break! I would say that the level of development in the Philippines is somewhere around eastern europe - about a notch higher than Mexico (Im basing my comparison on Guadalajara vs. Cebu, the two cities I lived in). I am not a fan of Manila (they don't treat foreigners very well), but Cebu and Davao are wonderful places to live. For example, in Cebu, for $250/month you can have an air conditioned apartment in a luxury building near your school. or you can rough it without air conditioning, and live in a true filipino neighborhood like I do, and pay 60 dollars per month for an apartment. I have 2 bedrooms, a kitchen, a bathroom, and a kitten, and im not complaining. I walk to school for 25 minutes, or ride a taxi if im late for about a dollar. I pay 20 dollars per month for someone to wash and iron my clothes, and to occasionally clean my apt. I eat fresh food that i buy at the market just 2 blocks from my residence. There are plenty of home cooking open air restaurants that serve a complete meal (meat, rice, vegetables, purified water) for about 60 cents, and in 5 months here, i've never gotten food poisoning. Yes the streets are dirty, and you will see poverty - both real and staged (think beggars on a new york subway). But unless you live a sheltered life in the US, you'll see the same thing in LA, NYC, Chicago, and any other big city. The major difference is crime - its MUCH lower in the Philippines. Although some college frats here have been violent in their rivalries, it can't be compared to the gang situation in the US. Generally speaking - if you don't live in a good neighborhood in the US, you'll find the worst of the Philippines safer than back home.
As far as Tondo goes - I've been there, and I'll tell ya right now that while the poverty CANNOT be compared to ANYTHING in the west, I would rate this neighborhood as much safer than, say, South bronx, or east LA. I hope if the originator of this thread does choose to visit Tondo he'll feel as I do - a hope that in his time as a student here, he'll be able to help improve the health of people who live in Tondo-like areas of the Philippines. However, basing your views of the Philippines on Tondo is like judging New York on the basis of Flatbush Avenue, or judging LA on the basis of Washington Ave, etc etc.
Political climate here is not as unstable as the media would like you to believe. Philipinos are a generally nonviolent people who love to do a lot of posturing. The coups here have all been generally bloodless. In fact, im sure more noses were broken during Clinton's impeachment than during the last "coup" in the philippines. THink of all the political riots that have occurred in major US cities in the last 50 years. How many violent riots have happened in Manila or Cebu?? There is no question, filipino government is hopelessly corrupt. Bribery here is done in a direct fashion, they don't even bother to funnel the money through private interests the way it is done in the US. However, this has NOTHING to do with studying in the Philippines. Unless you intend to study in Basilan, politics will not affect your studies.

Wow I just spent 2 hours NOT studying. See what y'all made me do??

Originally Posted by Locutusofborg

Filipino med schools use the same books and follow the same curricula as US med schools. I know this because I keep in close contact with my undergraduate classmates who are now attending med school in the US. The major difference is in methods of testing: Filipino med school is tougher. If there is an example listed on a small caption under a picture in your text, a professor might think it's fair to include on an exam. Also, don't expect your filipino professor to stick to the text. You are expected to look up the chapter in whatever books he lists on the syllabus, and sticking to one book only won't give you the optimal exam score.

The biggest drawbacks to being a non filipino in a filipino school:
a) Visa issues can be a pain. Eventually you make it a part of your life to follow up the visa process, but its time consuming and not very streamlined. However, its NOT a huge issue, just a pain in the butt.
b) Philippines is a diverse country that does not embrace its own diversity. Cultural minorities and foreigners face stereotyping and cultural isolation much more so than in the US. If you are a non-catholic like me, you might have a hard time at first.
c) Education here is much tougher, and expectations are much higher than what I've experienced in the US. It really kicks your ***.
d) In the Philippines, NURSING AND MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY ARE UNDERGRADUATE COURSES!!! Meaning, most of your classmates will have had medical coursework far beyond your pathetic US premed requirements. Thats what really kicked my *** here at first. All my classmates have had anatomy, histology and many had bacteriology and pharmacology already. I was the only one sporting just orgo and gen chemistry, general biology, and physics as my background.

Whatever you do, don't fall to the myth that carribean schools somehow "prepare you better" for the USMLE. Remember, in most of those schools, Kaplan preparatory is required, while in most US schools its optional. That's the reason their passing rates are so "superior". But in the end, the textbooks and information is all the same. THERE IS NO WAY AROUND LEARNING WHAT YOU MUST LEARN. Now, you can do it for 20000 total, or 200000 total. My school here in Cebu (Southwestern University) costs just 128000 pesos per year inclusive of all foreigner fees. I live in a 2 bedroom apartment and pay about 70 US dollars per month including electricity and water. For 20 dollars a month more a lady does my laundry and helps me clean twice a month. I also have a cat, but i could have easily gotten a dog.

Dont forget that medical schools in the Philippines serve a real community. Meaning: their goals are right at home, and the regulatory boards have an added responsibility of ensuring the quality of education at each medical schools. Filipino schools that don't perform to the standard ARE closed, and it has happened before. Carribean schools dont serve a community - they are just money making corporations, aka diploma mills. The dutch dont give a rats *** what kind of doctors AUC will produce, because frankly, the island is far away from Denmark.

if you have any more questions PM me. Ill be happy to share personal details via PM. GOOD LUCK AND DONT LET MARKETING GET IN THE WAY OF YOUR JUDGEMENT.

Originally Posted by Locutusofborg

do you know of the recent Phil grads, what were their USMLE 1 scores like?

Originally Posted by trauma

This again is a tricky question to answer as I know a lot of people from schools like UP and UST with high USMLE scores (high 90's).

Originally Posted by Locutusofborg

do you know of the recent Phil grads, what were their USMLE 1 scores like?