25 to 30% rise in Indian medical aspirants likely after Phillippines amends policy

Mumbai: Philippines is likely to see a 25 to 30 per cent rise in the number of Indian students heading to the country for medical studies after it recently made legislative changes opening its doors for foreign students to practice medicine locally once they earn their Doctor of Medicine degree, a foreign education consultant said on Friday.

"The amendment is a landmark achievement, not only for Indian students but for all foreign medical students studying in the Philippines. It provides a clear pathway for our graduates to practice medicine locally or internationally. This change will strengthen the Philippines' position as a leading destination for medical education in the Asia-Pacific region," said Kadwin Pillai, director of Transworld Educare and chairman of Kings International Medical Academy.

The move will also benefit students aiming for medical practice in India as it aligns with the National Medical Council's (NMC) rule that mandates possessing a valid practising licence to appear in the Indian screening test after they return from studying abroad.

Annually, around 2,000 Indian students go to the Philippines for medical studies, which is expected to grow by 25-30 per cent, as the country offers high-quality education at competitive costs, with tuition fees significantly lower than those in the Western countries, Pillai told PTI.

After the legislative amendment, Indian students who complete their Doctor of Medicine degree from a Philippine College of Medicine recognised by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), with a 12-month internship, will be eligible to register and practice medicine in the Philippines.

In India, a record 2.4 million students appeared for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (UG) this year. Overall, around 20,000 Indian students go abroad for medical education.

The top five countries that Indian students go to study medicine, include Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and the Philippines, among others.

Earlier, Indian students also went to China and Ukraine for medical education, Pillai said.

"However, the numbers dropped significantly after the Covid-19 pandemic for China and Ukraine after the Ukraine-Russia war," he added.