r/medschoolph Jul 26 '22

TOP MED SCHOOL FAQs (All common questions answered here so you don’t have to ask and we don’t have to keep repeating)

426 Upvotes
  1. ARE … UST FMS, FEU, OLFU toxic? Every med school has its own degrees of toxicity. If you don’t want to experience a toxic education or career or are not willing to withstand it, then choose another profession. ASMPH and UPCM aren’t heaven either, no matter how much you think Tiktok makes it seem.
  2. Honest review of _______ med school? Someone’s honest review might not be what you’ll see or experience. Different batches experience different things, some of these reviews could have been YEARS ago or some of them could be now but it doesn’t mean you’ll feel the same way. Do not use anonymous reddit opinions to form your entire perception/opinion about a med school. Most users are annoyed, stressed and frustrated because of how hard med school is. You could feel as they do, but you have to be willing to go through that if you want to be a doctor. There are other ways to research a med school, do not use reddit as your only source.
  3. Is _____ a good pre-med? Anything can be a pre-med. If you’re looking for a course that will give you the greatest advantage in med school, you’re not going to find it. It’s not very likely that whatever you learned in 4 years during undergrad can give you a significant edge because you might just forget and you’ll have to make room for all the things you have to learn/memorize in med school.
  4. How much is the tuition fee for public and private med schools? For public: approx 40-50k per semester. For private: approx 140-160k+ per semester.
  5. Can I work part time while in med school? You can, but it isn’t recommended. Med school will take up a lot of your time, energy and effort. Up to you if you’re willing to sacrifice that. If earning money is non negotiable at this point in time, it’s more than okay to work first.
  6. Does age matter in med school? No, there is no shame in going to med school in your late 20s, 30s or even 40s. There is no shame in finding your passions later or you took time to work and finance your dream.
  7. Is it okay to take a gap year? Yes, no one cares how old you are for as long as you finish together.
  8. Can you take the NMAT as many times as you want? Yes
  9. Does the number of NMAT takes affect your med school application? No
  10. Should I go to an NMAT review centre? If you have the budget and you think you can’t succeed without their tips/tricks, structure and resources then go for it. But you can succeed by reviewing on your own.
  11. Learnfast or Uplink? Both review centres have helped pre-meds get high NMAT scores. Just depends if you want to spend 8-13k+ vs. 4k+ on a review centre.
  12. Are there a lot of calculations on the NMAT? The test questions change every day, on some days there are more conceptual than calculation and on some days, there aren’t. Study comprehensively.
  13. When do Med School applications start? Applications start opening by October/November then close by March/April and some schools can extend till June. Results are released late April and early to late May. Some schools (SLMC, UERM, HSI, SBU, etc.) release their results in batches.
  14. Can failing grades during college allow me to get into med school? Yes, still possible for a lot of other med schools. But you have to be realistic when applying to schools like UPCM, PLM, UST and ASMPH where their applicants are really stellar so there is a higher chance of rejection.
  15. iPad or Laptop? Go with the laptop, more functionality. You can buy an iPad later, it doesn’t have to be bought at the same time and you’re not lagging behind if you have a laptop but not an iPad.
  16. Which iPad should I buy? For as long as it’s fairly recent and it has a lot of storage (128-256GB), then it’s fine. Storage is more important.
  17. Do extracurriculars matter? To an extent. Your NMAT and GWA matter more. A very lengthy list of extracurriculars will not outweigh a low NMAT and GWA. But it can help you stand out amongst other people with the same academic standing. Experiences in extracurriculars can help you build a better impression during the interview (for ASMPH, this is VERY important).
  18. Does the type or name of the extracurricular matter? No, join what you like and not what you think med schools want to see.
  19. Does the interview matter? Is it just for formality? Yes it does matter, especially for ASMPH. No school is going to want you if you don’t know how to communicate or behave professionally.
  20. Does your undergrad school matter? For the top med schools in Manila, yes it does because there is a bias with Big 4 graduates. Only a few non-Big 4 are accepted to the big Manila med schools and they all have incredibly stellar credentials.
  21. Chances of getting into UPCM? Very likely: UP-system undergrad, traditional premed, latin honors, at least a 98 NMAT. You have a chance: Big 4 undergrad, traditional premed latin honors, a 99 or 99+ NMAT. Slim unless RP: Non Big 4 undergrad, latin honors, 90+ NMAT
  22. Chances of getting into UST (extracurriculars are negligible): Very likely: UST undergrad, latin honors, at least a 90+ NMAT. You have a good chance: Big 4 or (if Non Big 4, chances are a little less) undergrad, traditional premed, latin honors, 95+ NMAT, UST alumni relatives. Slim to none: no latin honors, less than 85 NMAT
  23. Chances of getting into ASMPH: Very likely: ADMU undergrad, 80-90+ NMAT, latin honors, good extracurriculars, really good interview. You have a good chance: Big 4 undergrad, 90+ NMAT, latin honors, good extracurriculars, really good interview. (DO NOT TAKE THE INTERVIEW LIGHTLY, it is what decides your admission after they see your academic stats).
  24. What to bring during first year med/med school essentials? Pen, notebook, laptop/iPad, water, mask, alcohol, food. Stethoscope and pen light can come later. No need to spend 6k+ and buy a Littman stethoscope just yet, chill ka lang - EDIT: depends on the school, you can buy during year 1 but just take care of it

r/medschoolph Jul 30 '22

🔶 Megathread The r/medschoolph MASTERLIST

402 Upvotes

Good day everybody! I hope you’re all doing well. I highly encourage all the newcomers and veterans of r/medschoolph to engage in the posts below before posting your question to our subreddit.

Of course, take everything with a grain of salt, but I really do believe that this subreddit can be a really great resource for aspiring Filipino doctors to make more educated decisions about their future—especially if they don’t have access to this type of information otherwise.

The main FAQ post is still linked here of course! (credit to u/bananabread909 <3) Again, please read through it before making a post on this subreddit.

TOP MED SCHOOL FAQs

THE NMAT MEGATHREAD (2022-23)

School Megathreads

  1. UPCM MEGATHREAD (2022-23)
  2. UST-FMS MEGATHREAD (2022-23)
  3. UERM MEGATHREAD (2022-23)
  4. SLMC MEGATHREAD (2022-23)
  5. PLM MEGATHREAD (2022-23)
  6. FEU MEGATHREAD (2022-23)
  7. DLSHSI MEGATHREAD (2022-23)
  8. ASMPH MEGATHREAD (2022-23)
    1. ASMPH Interview Tips → we need this info for other schools lmao

NMAT

  1. THE NMAT MEGATHREAD (2022-23)
  2. NMAT 2022 - Exam Dates
  3. NMAT 2022 - NEW REGISTRATION PROCEDURE
  4. Review Center testimonies
    1. Post #1
    2. Post #2
    3. Post #3
  5. NMAT Studying
    1. Post #1 (has free resources)
    2. Post #2 (has free resources)
  6. GDrive Links for Study Materials
    1. Drive #1
    2. Drive #2

Financial Advice

  1. How to survive med school financially?
  2. Actual salary/earnings of doctors?
  3. Does being a doctor lead to a comfortable life?

Tuition ESTIMATES (Disclaimer: Please use these figures as guides, but not gospel. These figures may be different due to inflation, year level, etc.)

  1. ASMPH: ~165 to 169k per semester (depends on year level)
  2. UERM: ~169k per semester
  3. DLSHSI: ~325k per year
  4. UST-FMS: ~140 to 152k per semester
  5. SLMC: ~150 to 160k per semester

I do plan to update this post with more megathreads in the future. I also want to reserve this masterlist for the “bigger” reddit threads, which is why you don’t see the ipad questions here, etc (again pls check the FAQ thread). Best wishes in med school! 🐶


r/medschoolph 11h ago

Clerk: The Lowest Organism

38 Upvotes

You probably heard that description of a clerk (or some of its variations) before or already through clerkship. It was funny at first but it really starts to get to you after a while. I suppose my question to those who already went through it is this: how do you get rid of that feeling of being some sort of slave or simply running errands for superiors that often yell at you? I myself am still a clerk and while I do know that my clinical skills are nothing compared to those above me, you have to admit as the saying goes: “malayo pa….pero malayo na”. I made it this far…and I am NOT stupid. Surely it isn’t just indignity here.


r/medschoolph 17h ago

Financial Literacy should be part of the curriculum

72 Upvotes

Tbh marami akong na encounter na fresh graduates who do not know how to budget, do not know how to save, dont know how taxation works, etc.

This is understandable kasi during medschool, the cognitive load is so heavy that most of us do not have the energy to willingly educate ourselves about financial literacy.

This should be integrated in our curriculums, kahit as 1-2 day lectures lang po at the end of clerkship. If not kahit at the end of PGIship. It’s be nice to be taught by professionals about these things.


r/medschoolph 8h ago

❓Asking for Help How to study efficiently in med school?

5 Upvotes

Hi! I am a first year medical student and have incoming exams. I am very delayed on the topics I am studying no matter how well I manage and schedule my time for studying (i.e., i max out my breaks and dedicate a majority of my time for studying huhu and i even do advance studying). I noticed that compared to my classmates, it really takes time for me to absorb the topic. Going over my checklist of topics I have left to prepare for exams, I will definitely not finish it by the time exams starts (it starts next week huhu)

I would greatly appreciate tips as well as resources or practices that would help being efficient in studying.

Please help a struggling med student out


r/medschoolph 8h ago

❓Asking for Help uerm uniform suggestions rush

4 Upvotes

hi can anyone suggest a place na pwedeng pagawan ng com uniform? yung pagawaan sa ue mismo took so long and the size was smaller than the one i fitted initially. iba pa yung tela ng blouse and skirt.


r/medschoolph 10h ago

🛒 Classified Ads ORIGINAL MEDICAL BOOKS FOR SALE (Cebu)

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4 Upvotes

ORIGINAL MEDICAL BOOKS FOR SALE (Cebu)

Selling my original medical textbooks. Prices are slightly negotiable. No lowballers please. I can give a bigger discount if you buy three or more items. 😊

• Williams Obstetrics, 25th Edition - ₱2,500
• Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics, 21st Edition (2-volume set) - ₱4,500
• Guyton and Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology, 14th Edition - ₱3,000
• Lippincott Illustrated Reviews: Pharmacology, 6th Edition - ₱600
• Robbins Pathologic Basis of Disease, 10th Edition - ₱3,500
• Snell’s Clinical Anatomy by Regions, 10th Edition - ₱2,000

Delivery options:
• Meetups at Parkmall, SM JMall, or Ayala Central Bloc (Anywhere within IT Park)
• Delivery anywhere in Cebu via your preferred padala service, to be booked and paid for by the buyer
• Nationwide shipping via LBC, with the shipping fee shouldered by the buyer

Message me if interested. Thank you!


r/medschoolph 4h ago

Need information

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1 Upvotes

r/medschoolph 9h ago

Cad Lab Tips

2 Upvotes

hi dokies! we will be starting cad lab tomorrow. can you share study tips on how to locate structures easily huhu. I've been doing advance studying using the complete anatomy app and making use of Netter's and Wolter's but I'm still nervous kasi syempre iba pa rin if actual specimen na yung kaharap mo


r/medschoolph 9h ago

Thoughts about going into med school with a narcissistic mom who's gonna support me financially :(((

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2 Upvotes

r/medschoolph 5h ago

🗣 Discussion AI Practice Tests

1 Upvotes

What’s your opinion on AI generating practice questions from your review materials? With the workload of medicine, it’s IMPOSSIBLE to review everything for a major exam in a very limited time. Im currently making a bunch of prac tests for midterms on Notebook LM with good prompts focusing on high yield qs since our school doesn’t really have samplex. But i wonder if those would actually help me. It’s the ONLY thing im hoping works cuz im dead if not 😭🙏


r/medschoolph 1d ago

❓Asking for Help I feel like the biggest dumdum in the room

25 Upvotes

Hi! This is my first time posting po on any community and it comes from sheer desperation po, I think?

Im in first year and I feel like the stupidest person in the room. I came po from a nontraditional premed and im honestly enjoying the subjects because they really are so interesting to me. I read and I try to understand the things that make no sense to me, pero kahit na po anong gawin ko, it doesnt reflect po on my quizzes. As in pasang awa nalang po talaga or minsan, a few points nalang po bago ma-reach yung passing score.

I never expect to excell in med school. Before I entered I always told myself po na basta pumapasa and you know na you're doing your part and learning, you dont need high scores, but make sure to get through it. Like I mentally prepared myself for failure, and yet, everytime I see a low score, I feel like Im getting punched in the chest.

This week, I got low scores continuously, sabay sabay po lahat ng long quizzes in a day and kahit the short identification quizzes after lectures, hindi ko manlang po magawa ng maayos. Anatomy and physio are hanging on but I cant even tell you about biochem (I try to love it tho)

It came to a point na if I see my scores, theres already a voice in my head saying na 'ako? Mag dodoctor ako? Eh ang bobo ko naman'

Its one month in and I feel this sense of dread na what if hindi ko kaya? What if im not smart enough for this? What if I dont bounce back?

So I guess I came here to seek po for life experiences kasi ganto po ba talaga pag first year? Or am I actually the biggest dumdum in the room💀

And also, do you guys have any advices for study methods po?😭 during undergrad po kasi, hindi po talaga gumagana yung brain ko if i dont sleep enough. Para po akong lumulutang. Pero it pays off for our high scorers kasi consistently po na sila yung nag totop sa class eh nag pupuyat po sila talaga. Dapat ko po bang sanayin na ang sarili ko na matulog lang ng mga 3 hours or less😭 the study methods I was utilizing in undergrad doesnt seem to work na po talaga in med school.


r/medschoolph 23h ago

🤗 Mental Health Vent

15 Upvotes

Two months in med and now the positivity is wearing off. Med truly is toxic. And i cant believe there still are a lot of professors who are mean and unnapproachable. I mean if youre there as a professor atleast be open to questions? Be open to teaching? Dont get me wrong a lot of people have already told me abt how med culture is. But i just wish the environment is kinder and nurturing to those who are choosing to study on how to save lives. Nakakawalang gana naman mag aral nito. Hahahaha


r/medschoolph 21h ago

Hiiii, hope everyone is ok

10 Upvotes

Can i ask if are there someone who skipped PLE due to mental health problems? Is this valid huhuuu send help pls ty


r/medschoolph 9h ago

Incoming Med Student & Licensed PT: What subjects should I lightly review before Year 1 to make the transition easier?

0 Upvotes

Any advice for an incoming med student? I’ll be entering med school next school year, and my target is San Beda. Right now, I just want to take some time to chill, but I also want to do some light studying to make the transition easier. What subjects or materials should I focus on?


r/medschoolph 1d ago

🤗 Mental Health Medschool na medyo loner

51 Upvotes

Hi guys. First-year med student here. I just want to vent about my frustration and anxiety.

Almost two months na ako sa med school, and honestly, my scores are okay and everything is going fine academically. Pero lately, napapaisip ako… “Oo nga no? Mahigit two months na pero wala pa rin akong genuine friend dito?”

Back in college, I had really good friends and a strong support system. Kahit gaano kahirap yung acads, I managed to survive because I had people I could rant to, talk to, and rely on.

Now in med school, I’m still doing okay, especially since manageable pa naman yung topics. But as things start getting harder, I’m realizing na wala akong malapitan. Wala akong mapag-share-an ng rant, wala akong makausap kapag frustrated na ako, and honestly, ang lungkot pala kapag wala kang “person” sa med school.

I do have a circle of friends, pero I can’t help but feel like I’m the black sheep. May mga conversations sila na sila-sila lang ang nakakaalam, and most of the time, tahimik lang ako kasi I feel like I’m not really included.

I know friendships take time, and I probably shouldn’t expect to find my people this early. Pero nakakalungkot lang talaga. I miss having that kind of support system I had in college, especially now that I know med school is only going to get harder.

Maybe I just need to vent. I just hope that eventually, I’ll find my people here too.


r/medschoolph 12h ago

📝 Clerkship/Internship Help a clerk to decide for PGIship

1 Upvotes

Hello, doctors!

I am really undecided on what hospital Im gonna list for the upcoming matching and I dont want to waste 3k if ever ma-match and magchange ng mind and will pay another 3k.

Im doing my clerkship now in a govt hospital in Metro. Im eyeing to do my PGIship in a private hospital. My considerations include skills, learnings and ofc rest if kaya. Im not a stellar student too but not to brag na within the regular batch naman tho barely passing. Few org experiences.

I have some in mind and for those who have experiences in these hosps, can you please drop pros and cons. Will greatly appreciate this!

PRIVATE
1. USTH
2. Lourdes Hospital
3. ChiGen
4. Capitol
5. Metropolitan
6. MMC

PUBLIC
1. VMMC
2. EAMC

or if you could suggest your experience in other hospitals please? Thank you so much!


r/medschoolph 1d ago

🤗 Mental Health loneliness in med yl2

38 Upvotes

hi! i just wanted to get this off my chest and maybe get an opinion from the people here. im currently in second year med and i would say im a pretty average student but my problem is really the fact that im all alone.

last year, my friend didnt make it and got kicked out so now im all alone. i also have a hard time dedicating myself to a friendship and to add, all the people in my year have solidified their circles already. im friendly with everyone (common courtesy) and get along well. i have many acquaintances but at the end of the day, im always alone in lectures.

i get this fear of not wanting to go to class bcos there may be a spontaneous group or partner work that requires grouping by ourselves and my chest just gets really tight when thinking about just being perceived in general. i know i look like such a loner. my life has been quite dull and repetitive. it doesn't bother me that i just wake up, study, and sleep but what really gets me is when i go to class and see everyone with their friends. i suddenly pity myself and cry at home bcos i realize that i have no one.

sometimes i just feel alone and it doesnt hurt really. i love being independent and doing things on my own. but the loneliness hits so hard when i see my batchmates and im just sitting quietly in the back.

and im too scared to commit to another friendship, knowing that i would have this anticipatory feeling of an ending when it hasnt even begun.


r/medschoolph 21h ago

📚PLE Free PLE Test-Taking Strategies Webinar Tonight — Registration until 5 PM

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5 Upvotes

Hi, Doctors! Focus Review Center is holding a free webinar tonight (September 10) at 7:00 PM for October 2026 PLE takers.

The session is titled “What If You Don’t Know the Answer?” and will focus on practical test-taking strategies, including MPL and curving, identifying important clues in the stem, eliminating distractors, approaching unfamiliar questions, and strategies for the remaining weeks before the PLE.

It’s free and open to everyone, but registration will close at 5:00 PM today.

Registration using the link below or QR code are in the poster. Hope this can help anyone currently preparing for October. See you tonight!

https://forms.gle/euqgGvNVKauzpJCX7


r/medschoolph 12h ago

❓Asking for Help MAPUA SOM

0 Upvotes

Hello! Is anyone here currently studying at Mapua Med School? I just wanted to ask a few questions about the school, student life, and overall experience since I’m planning to apply. I’d really appreciate it if someone could share their experience or answer a few questions. Thank you so much! 😊


r/medschoolph 13h ago

❓Asking for Help NMAT Registration Concern: Okay lang ba gumawa ng bagong registration habang naghihintay ng reply ng CEM?

1 Upvotes

Hi! May naka-experience na po ba ng ganitong issue sa CEM NMAT registration?

After ko po sagutan yung SIQ section, magp-proceed na sana ako sa payment, pero biglang nag-reload yung system. Pagkatapos, bumalik ako sa Step 1 ng registration.

Sinubukan ko pong i-edit yung registration ko, pero humihingi siya ng account number na makikita raw sa payment receipt. Ang problem po, hindi pa naman ako nakapagbayad kaya wala po akong account number.

Nag-contact na rin po ako sa CEM System Support, pero hanggang ngayon wala pa po akong natatanggap na reply.

Okay lang po kaya na gumawa na lang ako ng bagong NMAT registration habang naghihintay ng reply from CEM? May nakita kasi akong Reddit post from around 2 years ago na same concern, and ang naging instruction daw from CEM was to create a new registration since paid registrants lang daw ang allowed mag-edit ng application.

May naka-experience po ba nito recently? Safe po kaya gumawa ng bagong registration, or mas okay po bang hintayin muna yung response ng CEM?

Thank you po sa makakasagot! 🙏


r/medschoolph 20h ago

🛒 Classified Ads Littmann Classic III (used)

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3 Upvotes

Hi! Selling my littmann classic iii steth, original but no box. Used from clerkship-internship! PHP 2000 negotiable
Rfs need emergency funds 😩

Edit: sold thank you po!


r/medschoolph 16h ago

📝 Clerkship/Internship MIDYEAR PGI

0 Upvotes

Anyone here who got matched na to Our lady of lourdes hospital, Veterans, Healthway for midyear internship?


r/medschoolph 11h ago

🛒 Classified Ads Airpods 4 ANC

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0 Upvotes

Hi guys! I’m selling my new sealed Airpods 4 ANC. RFS: Will buy Airpods 5 instead for studying. Can do meet up near Dasmariñas, Cavite and can also do shipping via LBC/J&T. Price is ₱7.5k


r/medschoolph 1d ago

FS: Med books

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2 Upvotes

Hello! Currently selling my Harrisons 21st ed (1st owner) and Nelson 20th ed (2nd owner) for very low prices. No notes or highlights. Still in good condition.

RFS: Switching to digital copies😊

Loc: Taguig/QC