MBBS in the Philippines for Indian Students

MBBS in Philippines is a combination of BS [Bachelor of Surgery] and MD [Doctor of Medicine]. The best medical colleges of the Philippines such as the University of Santo Tomas, Davao Medical School Foundation; possess magnificent infrastructure, highly qualified faculty, and world-class education. The fees of MBBS in Philippines is 2.5 Lakhs to 6 Lakhs per year and the affordable cost of living is also around 12,000-15,000 INR per month. The standard of the education system including that for MBBS in the Philippines is globally acclaimed and very similar to that of the USA.

Course Name	MBBS in Phillippines (BS and MD)
Eligibility	Students who have 50% marks in PCB
Is NEET Required	Yes
Course Pattern	BS+MD(Doctor of Medicine)
Course Duration	5.5 (Includes Internship))
Minimum Course Fee	Rs.2.5 Lakhs/Year
Maximum Course Fee	Rs.6 Lakhs/Year
Cost of Living in Philippines	Rs 12,000- 15,000/Month
Medium of Teaching	English
Universities Recognition	MCI, WHO, WFME, FAIMER

Why You Should Study MBBS in the Philippines?

Now, let’s see why you, as an Indian student, should choose the Philippines as your next career destination.

Communication
As one of the largest English-speaking countries in the world, communication will not be an issue while pursuing an MBBS in the Philippines.

Multiculturism
Being an international travel hotspot and one of the busiest educational hubs, you’ll get to meet people from across the world.

USMLE Preparation
The medical education curriculum in the Philippines is greatly influenced by the curriculum followed in the USA. As a result of this, clearing the coveted USMLE exam becomes easy.

MCI Recognised Universities
Doctor of Medicine (MD) course in the Philippines, which is equivalent to the MBBS in India and other Commonwealth countries, is well recognized by WHO and Medical Council of India.

High Pass Percentage in MCI Screening Test (FMGE)
In the latest report of the National Board of Examination (NBE), which conducts the FMGE exam, the highest pass percentage was from countries like Bangladesh, the Philippines, Russia, Nepal, etc.

No Donation/Capitation Fee
There is no donation or capitation fee involved whatsoever, no matter which medical college you choose for MBBS in the Philippines.

Affordability
The overall course fee for five years MD course (sometimes up to 6 years depending on the college) and the total living cost is very affordable.

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 after completing MBBS in the Philippines.

Climate and Curriculum
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.

Academic Staff
Faculties in the Philippines are English-speaking only, and a large share of them are employed from the countries like the USA and India.

List of MCI Approved Medical Colleges in Philippines

In the beautiful country of the Philippines, there are a bunch of academic institutions that offer this course. Since the majority of academic institutions in the country are approved by MCI and WHO,  pursuing MBBS in the Philippines college list from the below-mentioned universities will expand your horizon as you will be entitled to practice not only in the Philippines but in Indian as well. Here are the top 10 MCI Approved medical colleges in the Philippines:

• University of Santo Tomas
• Davao Medical School Foundation
• University of Perpetual Help DALTA
• AMA College of Medicine
• Cagayan State University
• Our Lady of Fatima University
• Emilio Aguinaldo College, Manila
• Cagayan State University
• Ago Medical and Educational Center, Bicol Christian College of Medicine
• Emilio Aguinaldo College of Medicine
• Bicol Christian College of Medicine
• Medical School Foundation
• Cagayan State University
• Cebu Doctor’s Medical University

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MBBS in the Philippines Eligibility

• Candidates willing to pursue MBBS in the Philippines are required to qualify the NEET examination.
• Minimum of 50% marks in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology from a recognised school or Board are also required. 
• Furthermore, without NEET 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 entrance exam is a must for admission to any medical college in the Philippines for MD/MBBS.

MBBS in the Philippines Fee Structure

The Philippines can be counted as one of the economical destinations to pursue high-end courses like MBBS. It not only offers quality education in the field but also is a pocket-friendly option when it comes to higher studies. Be it MBBS or any other course in the Philippines you can easily pursue your dream education without stressing your pocket match. The fees of MBBS in the Philippines is divided into two parts, one separate section for the BS course and another for MD. Thus, Indian students will have to submit their fees in two parts. Philippines medical college fees can go around INR 11- 22 Lakh and the same for BS course is INR 3.5- 7 Lakh. 

Also, the minimum Philippines MBBS fees is 2.5 Lakhs and can go upto 6 Lakhs INR per year.

Note: The fee mentioned above is general. It can vary based on the conversion rates. To know the most recent fees, you must contact the college or university directly.

Is NEET Required for MBBS in Philippines?

Indian students can take direct admission in the BS program without qualifying for the NEET exam. You study in the Philippines without NEET. But in order to get enrolled in the continued MD course, it will be compulsory for them to qualify for the NEET exam as well as score the minimum required marks in the BS course.

MBBS in Philippines Syllabus 

Since MBBS in the Philippines requires one to have a proven pre-requisites knowledge through a BS degree, it is important to be familiar with what all will be the part of the course at both the levels. For you to have an idea about the same, here we have devised the syllabus of both BS and MD courses.

BS Course Syllabus:

First Term	Second Term	Third Term	Fourth Term
Biochemistry	Animal Physiology	Education for Sustainable	Human Genetics
General Psychology	General Microbiology	Systematic Biology	Taxation and Agragariam Reform
Parasitology	Entomology	Ecology	Histology and Micro-Technique
Plant Morpho-Anatomy	Developmental Biology	Research Methodology	Radiation Biology
Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy	Freshwater Biology	Cell and Molecular Biology	Research in Biology Sciences
Calculus and Analytical	Plant Physiology	Development	–
Geometry	Fundamentals of Genetics	Comparative Religion	–

MD Course Syllabus:

First Term	Second Term	Third Term	Fourth Term
Histology	General Pathology	Radiology	Legal Medicine
Physiology	Clinical Pathology	Surgery- II	Paediatrics
History of Medicine	Surgery	Dermatology	Medicine
Medicine	Epidemiology	Cardiology	Neurology
Preventive and Communicative	Paediatrics-I	Advanced Pathology	Surgery
Bioethics	Neuroscience II	Cardiology	Obstetrics and Gynecology
Neuroscience	Pharmacology	Obstetrics and Gynecology	–
Anantomy	Microbiology	Opthalmology	–

Is MBBS in the Philippines the same as that in India?

Firstly, in the Philippines, the bachelor course in medicine and surgery is not called MBBS like in India rather the course is named Doctor of Medicine (MD). Though the name is different, it’s equivalent to the MBBS in India and recognized by the Medical Council of India. Furthermore, 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 a 10-18 month course depending on which university you’re joining before you can get enrolled in the four years medical course (MD).

Course Structure of MBBS in the Philippines

As mentioned above, MBBS is actually offered as MD in the Philippines and is a combination of Bachelor of Science (BS) and Doctor of Medicine (MD). It is a 6-year degree program which also comprises one year internship. The first 16 months pertain to the Bachelor of Science program while the rest of the degree is focused on medical science and clinical training. By the conclusion of the 5th year, students are allotted to different health centres, hospitals and medical centres where they undergo practical training as a medical practitioner and take part in clinical rotations and work under the supervision of doctors and specialised medical practitioners to prepare and train them.

How to Study MBBS in Philippines?

Though opting for an MBBS in a country like the Philippines can open a wide range of opportunities for you, here are some steps you need to follow in order to get MBBS admission in Philippines:

• In the Philippines, the undergraduate medical program consists of 2 different courses.

• The first one is a pre-medical or foundation course, named BS. The duration of this course is 10 months to 2 years depending on the college or university.

• With the qualification mentioned above, you’ll be able to join the course named Bachelor of Science (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 admission to 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.

Admission Intakes 2021

For those aspiring to pursue a medical degree like MD in the Philippines, the admission window opens around March every year and the submission of applications is concluded by June and July which are the deadline months. Further, the first semester or session begins in September or October in the same year. For the year 2021, the admission intakes can differ, thus, the candidates are advised to reach out to Leverage Edu experts to know about the actual admission dates and notifications.

Are Medical Schools in the Philippines Recognised?

If you have decided to enrol for an MBBS degree in the Philippines, then you’ll be happy to know that this degree is recognised by:

• World Health Organisation (WHO)
• Medical Council of India (MCI)
• Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG)
• World Federation for Medical Education (WFME)
• Foundation of Advancement of International Medical Education & Research (FAIMER)

Visa Procedure for MBBS in the Philippines

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 Leverage Edu, help the students in this whole visa process with proper guidance.

Documents to be Submitted to Medical Schools

Please note that whatever the documents you need to submit to pursue MBBS in the Philippines should be notarized. Also, the 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

MBBS in the Philippines vs MBBS in India

Categories	India	Philippines
Degree	MBBS	BS+ MD
Duration of Course	5.5 Years	2 + 4 years
Eligibility criteria	50% in 10+2 from a recognised board with NEET	10+2 with 50% of marks with for NEET MD course
Language of study	English	English
Course Mode	Full time	Full time
Recognition	MCI and WHO	MCI and WHO
Tuition Fees	1-21 Lakh per annum	15 Lakhs and above per annum

FAQs

OTHER MBBS OPTIONS

It may seem that it’s not very hard to get admission for MBBS in the Philippines, 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 Leverage Edu (+918826200293) and start your MBBS journey today.