Medicine at FEU-NRMF

I guess my medical education journey officially begun last Wednesday. Well here are a few things I learned at the med admission pre interview.

a. FEU's curriculum is still traditional. Unlike other medical schools who have employed the problem based curriculum, FEU has retained the use of a traditional curriculum which largely rely on day to day lectures. From what I understand, problem based learning focuses on clinical situations/scenarios which serve as the foci of discussion. Lessons related to the problem are concurrently tackled, in contrast to moving from one subject to another in a traditional set up. Its emphasis is more on self study (independent learning). According to the speaker last Wednesday, FEU's curriculum can be more accurately described as a hybrid of traditional and problem based since they utilize lecture-interactives rather than pure lectures. Here is an article assessing the use of a problem based curriculum in the Philippines.

b. The GWA highly determines admission. In FEU's admission criteria, 70% is given to General Weighted Average (GWA from Pre Med course), 20% for NMAT, and 10% for the interview. The computed GWA is only from requisite subjects that FEU has set (also based on CHED Order No. 6, s. 1996).

According to one of the speakers, they found out from their researches that the NMAT score has no correlation with a student's performance in med school. One person from the audience then appropriately questioned why it was still required, if getting a high score in this exam does not denote an above par performance in school. Well they responded that there are years where there is a correlation and there are years where there is none, so they just lowered the NMAT percentage to address the inconsistency in the pattern.

According to the Center for Educational Measurement (CEM), NMAT has been mandated by the Medical Act of 1959 as a requirement for admission starting 1986.

c. Yes, they do consider the school where you came from. Aside from the admission criteria, FEU also considers an applicant's pre med course and the school where he or she came from. They reasoned that the pre med school is also assessed because some schools are 'high-graders' while others are 'low graders', thus affecting a student's GWA.

I completely understand the pre med part; however, evaluating whether a school is a 'high grader' or not is quite questionable for me. I guess I should have asked how they determine whether a certain school is a generous giver or not. Well that would be my next assignment.

I am really hoping that I get accepted at FEU (and no, I haven't applied at any other med school). Aside from having a good long-standing reputation, their tuition is also comparably lower than others. And they do have great facilities, which I saw when they toured us around the campus. (I am not selling my future school too much, am I?).

FEU would be accepting a second batch of applications on February. You could apply, even if you don't have your NMAT. Just make sure to take it on April. CEM has recently posted the schedule for the April 2009 NMAT.

Well med school, here I come! :D


Related Posts:
Being a doctor in a nutshell
To be or not to be a doctor

51 comments:

Anonymous said...

hello. i have been reading your blogs about pursuing a degree in medicine for a number of times. I would just ask if feu is strict in terms of the minimum number of credited units in biology. I have only 6 units in general biology. I don't know if my 9 units in microbiology is would suffice to comply with the remaining units. I'm really bothered with it. hoping for your response. thanks. =))

Anonymous said...

Hi Mr/Ms Anonymous. I don't think FEU is that strict with the number of units. I myself lack several units on Bio and Physics, but I still got in anyway. I also remember the speaker saying during the pre interview (aka orientation) that med schools could adapt certain policies regarding their admission criteria. If I'm not mistaken, the prescribed number of units was formulated by CHED or some other governing body (I could be erring on this part though), so schools could be quite flexible on this requirement. Don't fret too much, God favors those who are determined. Good luck! :)

Anonymous said...

Question: I'm a BS Agribusiness management graduate. I currently have a dilemma because I don't know how exactly a subject is considered a Biology subject or not. I heard from a friend that certain NaSci subjects are considered already. What governing body actually says which subjects are considered or not?

Anonymous said...

Hi. I'm afraid I cannot definitively answer your question. I think the best people to ask are the ones who will evaluate your units for admission. Call the schools you're interested in and ask them what subjects they credit as Bio units. Policies differ from school to school. Hope I helped. :)

Anonymous said...

hello. how much is the tuition and fees in FEU? because i'm deciding between UST and FEU. tnx

Anonymous said...

SY 2009
First year- 83, 490.00

Anonymous said...

i'm currently a student in feu-nrmf medicine, 2nd year

for those asking about the units...
-i've asked the admissions office about this during my first year, the lady there said that CHED made some rule that as long as the premed is BS, there's no need to take the units you lack during first year summer. They said that this was due to the lack of doctors in our country.


hey aubrey! are you really going to FEU this school year 2009-2010?
If yes, then welcome!! Enjoy your first year! As hard as it may seem; believe when I say that first year med is the easiest so there's no need to break down. Much so, repeating a subject would be rather disappointing. But i'm not saying that you shouldn't break a sweat, being smart means nothing unless you don't boost it up with hard work.

Again, goodluck!

**BTW, shameless plug: if you're into writing, why don't you join the institute of medicine's official publication, Caduceus. We would definitely love having you. If you're interested, email me: taong_primitibo@yahoo.com

incoming 1st year Med said...

See you at FEU-NRMF! :)

Anonymous said...

hi ate! :)i am going to be an alumni of FEU manila next year and planning to enter NRMF institute of medicine by june.. is it hard to get in the institute? what are their questions during the interview?

Anonymous said...

hi. im a senior nursing student from Chinese General Hospital College of nursing..i took the nmat last december 2009 unfortunately i got only 30.Feu is really my target school..i heard 40 nlng daw nmat requirement but i got only 30. my chance ba n maaccept ako? or should i really retake my nmat? im planning take meds by year 2011..pls pls..help..

Aubrey said...

Hi. I think it would be better to call NRMF instead. Although I believe you still have a shot.

Anonymous said...

hi..can i just ask when the deadline for submission of application is at feu? thanks!

Anonymous said...

Hello po, i've been reading po your blogs all about med.. thanks po for the tips sa review of NMAT (really found it useful).. is it okay po kaya if i dont go to the pre-interview?? but will certainly attend the interview?? and will an average of 86% be okay?? thanks po..

Liz said...

Hi!just want to ask, is FEU strict about the earned minimum units in bio/chem/math/physics as written in the application requirements in their website and brochures? I'm planning on applying but if this is the case, I'm really not qualified in FEU. :( oh and would you know how many students they accept in a year?

Thank you! :)

Aubrey said...

@ Anonymous. An 86 is okay since their cut off is I at 65. You'll learn a lot from the pre interview so I guess you should attend.

@ Liz. I'm not sure about their quota but last time it was around 200. They're not that strict with the units, though I'm not sure with non-science courses.

Anonymous said...

Hi! What do you wear during the pre interview? :)

Aubrey said...

Casual clothes. Business attire for the actual interview.

Anonymous said...

oh i see..thanks!
My parents are sending me to FEU for medschool this year. In addition to that, I'll be taking the NLE come December i think. I hope i can make it through the NLE though.
I was supposed to study at St. Lukes. My relatives didn't trust the place since it was new daw. I hope I'm making the right choice. :)

Tina said...

Is FEU-NRMF a good medical school?

Aubrey said...

@ Anonymous. Quite a 'challenging' plan you have there. St. Luke's isn't that new, although I 've read that they're having issues recently with their revised curriculum. NRMF is a good a med school. Easy to get in but hard to stay. Haha. Would've gone there myself if not for financial constraints. :P Good Luck on med school!

@ Tina. I think FEU's competitive with other med schools. One of the best I believe, in terms facilities, faculty and board passing rates.

Anonymous said...

hi. may second batch po ba ng application/exam/interview for AY 2010?thanks

Anonymous said...

regarding the post about feu having a second screening. u can reach feu-nrmf's admission office thru 427-0217, ask the operator to connect you to administrative office and look for mrs. flor galeno. The school may not be "the Best" but it is one of the best. it was recognized by deped, phil board of medical educ and assoc of phil medical colleges in the 80s as a center of excellence together with up and ust. its a center of excellence in health research by the dost-pchrd along with up-pgh and ust. it remains to be one of the best schools of medicine. regarding specialization like internal medicine, pedia, ob, etc. the hospital of feu also offers specialty training in the general specialty fields of medicine. it also offers subspecialty training in gastro, reproductive endocrinology, ct-mri, plastic surgery, laparoscopic surgery etc. (its the pioneer in laparoscopic surgery in the philippines) so, of youre already tired of going through the busy streets of espana or taft, then fairview should be your next destination.

anglha said...

hello!!
i am a foreign student longing to study med in php.i went through the websites of many med school but as i heard or read i found feu the best.but as i contact feu i came to know that the 1st and 2nd batch is already packed.the 3rd batch will be ongoing from april 7th to 23rd.i just wanted to know how many students will feu accept for third batch.i am a graduating student in bs bio this april.i am afraid if feu will accept me or not? can you give me some clue abt the questions they ask during interview??
furthermore,i wanted to know about the living expense near the school?can you do me a favour??
looking forward to hear from you.
thanks:)

Aubrey said...

Hi. I'm afraid I could only answer one of your questions. Here is the link to my entry on my FEU-NRMF interview: http://aubreythinksthat.blogspot.com/2009/02/interview-for-med-application-at-feu.html

Anonymous said...

can i apply in feu w/o taking the nmat exams this april? i wasnt able to take the exam coz its a bit sudden when they- (my guardian) decided to take me to med.

NOAH said...

hi! did you get in to feu already? I got in! would follow your blog, I hope you don't mind.

Aubrey said...

Sure Noah. :) I got in last year but I backed out. Currently waiting for PLM's results. Wish you the best!

Anonymous said...

HEI WAZZUP NEW BATCH OF MEDICAL STUDENTS.....
REGARDING FEU -NRMF , yes its one of the best ,.. personnel and faculty are cool and nice ,.. what are pieces of advice from a 2nd year student from FEU is to be strong , prepare yourself to the major changes you might encounter in you journey of being medical student ,. . . .all medical schools are the same its up to the student if you can handle and if the school where you in fits to you . . . at the end you'll learn that being in the med school does'nt defined where meds school you' ve graduated , but the its you become and what you've learned while in med school .... because what really defines the doctor is his/her character of being the best with the BIG HEART .... God blesss everyone !!! welcome to our world !!!!

Anonymous said...

hi i am a BS EPM student and i do not have lab subjects. can i still enter med school in FEU or do i have to take extra subjects to be able to enter med? thanks! :)

by the way, i am awed that u manage to survive and still surviving med school! i hope i can go to med school soon. :))

Unknown said...

Hello everyone, this is a nice blog regarding FEU institute medicine, I am true blooded FEU alumni from Med tech (99) to medicine (04) and currently here in the U.S. completing my residency training in internal medicine. I attended the alumni homecoming 2 weeks ago in michigan and i was impressed with the solidarity and strenght of our alumnis, a number of them are known leaders in their own field. The US alumni is actively recruiting students for their scholarship program and I was lucky enough to be their scout for this program, and i learned that our recruits are doing so well in school, definitely in the running to be boardtopnotchers in the future.

Anonymous said...

Yey planning to enrol to feu next school year i'm really excited :)

Anonymous said...

hi, aubrey. I am inspired by your posts. I am 3rd yr bs bio and want to proceed to med someday. But the problem is that i am struggling now to stay in bio. My adviser threatens me to shift to another course because I failed in organic chem twice. What should i do? What options of some pre-med course that i can shift on that probably credit some of my subj taken? I need advice. thanx.

riza may said...

hello :D
im riza and currently a 3rd yr nursing student at the university of cebu.
i really really really want to go to med school and be a doctor and help my fellow minorities and participate in the plan of care for my sick father. i would really love to go to FEU because i heard so much positive feedbacks about this prestigious school.
we cant afford the education though.
does FEU offer scholarships?
any form of help would mean so much.
thank you and god bless! :))

Anonymous said...

I was glad to have found a blog about FEUNRMF. I belong to medicine batch'97.I have come a long way since, PPS Diplomate, worked in singapore and now a Paeds registrar in Sydney. One of the most competitive med schools in the country.I always feel equipped and confident especially when i went abroad to practice. Goodluck to everyone. Really missing my old FEU days in Morayta.

aika said...

hi ate aubrey, i just applied at feu school of med. and im going to take nmat this april. strict po ba ang feu sa nmat score? kasi they told me 45% daw ang cut-off nila. what if i gt lower than 45%? do u think ndi ako mkakapasok sa feu? thanks po.

kaye said...

Hi Ms. Aubrey..
ask ko lang po.. kung yung 84 thou. na first year tuition fee niyo eh for the whole year or for 1 sem lang???

Tnx...

Anonymous said...

its been almost 10 years since i left the pillars of our alma mater. glad to have graduated from the same institution that made my parents my colleagues and of course where i too met my husband...at par still a great medicine school. i hope if my son pursues medicine too, he is only 7y/o now, i can still enroll him at feu nrmf. i am now enjoying the reaps of those sleepless nights because of shifting exams, revalidas, major exams, duties....hang on despite the desperation to quit. you are trained to be fine diamonds tested on fire...enjoy the journey, keep the faith and sometimes we need to break not just our leg but neck to get through....

Anonymous said...

Hi! I am on the 2nd list of feu-nrmf's incoming 2012-2013 batch, may i know some experiences which i should expect and be prepared of when i am entering the med school?

Anonymous said...

Do aspiring students with more than 3 "unofficially droppped" subjects accepted at FEU?

Anonymous said...

hello, i was wondering if you could help me. I am currently a post-grad intern, about to finish on the 30th of May. I am interested in taking review classes for the august 2012 physician licensure exams in FEU-NRMF because it was highly recommended by colleagues. My question is, does the review center accept graduates of other med schools? and how can i inquire? thank you so much. i would greatly appreciate a response =)

whatsinmykitchen said...

Hi, my daughter took her NMAT last Dec 2, and she got a low average, would you know what the passing NMAT grade is on FEU? She got a bit sad when she found out the results, but juggling between Med tech internship, traveling from Pasay to Veteran's and reviewing for the Med Tech Boards and NMAT , I understand,is not very easy.
Happy Holidays to and your family.

Anonymous said...

kung nagpaplano po kau pumasok sa feu, i think wala naman bearing ang nmat kasi may mga kabatch ako na 20 lang ang nmat. It means na mayroon pang 20% ng nagtake ng NMAT ang mas mababa sau.batch 2010 nga pala ako pumasok ng med. Tanggap lang naman ng tanggap ng estudyante sa FEU-NRMF pero ang hardest part ay magstay dahil may iba after 1 sem palang nakikick-out na dahil puro bagsak.pag naka-more than 20 units ka na bagsak, KO ka na.As of March 2013, ang balita naming 1st year for AY 2013-2014 ay around 650. Ang maganda sa feu ay pag may bagsak ka ay pwede mo tong kunin nxt sem, so hindi mo na kelangan maghintay ng nxt year para i-offer ang subject na yun. Sa ibang school kasi, for example napasa mo na ang Gross Anatomy A nung 1st yr 1st sem ka tapos 1st year 2nd sem ka na ay nabagsak mo anh Gross B, uulitin mo ulet nxt year ang Gross A kasi per year sila. Established na talaga ang med ng feu and besides, university hospital din kasi sya so maganda dahil lilipat ka na lang ng hospital pag clerkship ka na. Sana nakatulong ako sa inyo. Goodluck!

Anonymous said...

i am a medical student in FEU NRMF. If you guys really want to go to this school please try to think twice thrice even 5-10x why? because you have to strive really hard and be sure that you really want to be a doctor. life here isnt easy. the tuition cost is high (not per unit thing but they are in bracketing system), no trans system because feu will force you to read the book (all notes and handouts are made by diligent and generous classmates), they accept A LOT of students but it is easy very easy to fail if you dont do your part. the passing mark is 75% meaning 75%=3.0 if you get 74.89 no mercy. our removals list is like an attendance sheet. if only 5-15 students pass then thats it. we got into third year with half of the batch are regulars and the other HALF is midyears(irregular) not that student friendlyright? the bad side here is that they earn so much from students' failure. in other universities, if they think you dont fit to become a doctor they wont give you any false hopes, in feu they'll accept you and give you a chance BUT for some it's like wasting efforts, money and time. but as they say when you graduate you will reap all the sacrifices because feu can promise you that you'll be well equipped with all the knowledge you need to have a good medical practice. BUT before that you need to go through hell. mahirap? sobra.

Anonymous said...

dear Ms. Aubrey,

Kinakabahan ako each time na magbabasa ako sa blog mo about med school applications. salamat for the tips. appreciate it a lot. - fnnn

Anonymous said...

Anon @ april 5 10:30 is so right! 3rd yr regular med student in FEU now. Life is tough here! Hopefully I will be able to soldier my way through in my remaining years in the institution.

Survival of the fittest my friends. :)

telle said...

Hi guys! I recently stumbled across this blog. my nmat score is 91. and my gwa is 2.1.. i didnt get into uerm or ust :( im going to try applying to feu but its for the second batch already. what do you think my chances are? :(

Unknown said...

Hi Doctor!

I have been longing for an organization who could help me be in the med school. I have been searching the internet for any organization who could help me be in. I know this post has been here for almost five years now and I'm trying my luck if you're still connected with the program you mentioned here. Please let me know if in any case you have to give me assessments or interviews. I'm hoping to hear from you anytime soon at vinnpunzalan@outlook.com. Thanks doc!

Sincerely,
Vinn Punzalan

P.S. Thanks Ms.Aubrey for sharing these experiences. This are my reminders that anyone can do it as long as he/she believes himself/herself. God bless you and more powers!

Anonymous said...

Hi I am a BS Psych student but then based on FEU's required units I lack 5 units of chem and bio and 3 units of math, do you think they'd still accept the application or should I start join additional classes? If so, what subjects do you recommend? :)

Thank you

Anonymous said...

Hi po, I'm a BS Psych student that wants to take up Med Proper after. Based on the FEU required units I need 5 more units on chem and bio and 3 units of math. Will I still be able to attend Med Schools if ever I didn't take up those units or do I still have to take those additional subjects? And also if ever, what subjects do you suggest I take for those units? :)

Thank youu!

antsypantsy said...

Hi Ate! I'm an upcoming freshman in FEU NRMF, ano po ba ang mga essentials na kelangan ko? hindi pa din ako makapagdecide ng laptop na bibilhin ko, kelangan pa ba ng tablet for pdfs? para mas portable kesa laptop? pwede po bang pakibigyan naman ako ng tips sa mga ito :)

A. Gadgets/Electronics for studying ( laptop, tablet, etc)
B. First day of school must haves
C. OTHER STUFF na kelangan para makasurvive ng apat na taon sa FEU :)

THANKS!

Anonymous said...

Hi I just wanted to ask if feu is accepting second batch applications?? Thank you ��