Inside Out: San Beda University College of Medicine

Inside Out: San Beda University College of Medicine

Library in San Beda - Janina Gatmaitan

Twist: I asked two medical students from San Beda Medicine to write for the featured school. This is for comparison! Hence, the two font colors. Written by Janina Gatmaitan and Marah Uberita

Application Process:

The procedures itself ay okay naman. Well-determined naman ang instructions from the administration. Also, given na nasa manila lang ako, convenient siya. Though, upon submission of requirements you really have to see to it na lahat ay recent. Like, for instance, my letter ako na ang date was “December 2018” and my application was around April 2019, hindi siya tinanggap kasi last year pa raw ang letter. So see to it na updated ang documents.

 

A little memory during my admission process in Beda. Sobrang surreal ng moment na ‘to. Kasi for 2 years wala akong ginawa na anything academic related. And sobrang iba sa feeling na biglang mag e-enroll ako ulit after two freaking years. Sobrang kilig na kilig ang “MD heart” ko. Sobrang proud na proud ako kasi finally, ito na ako, making my way to my MD dreams. -Marah Uberita

Application process was okay tsaka very rigid kasi titignan talaga nila isa-isa yung documents mo, iche-check kung updated siya. Tatanggapin naman nila yung documents tapos ipapa-follow up yung kulang. They will give you a schedule as well kung kelan ka pwede mag entrance test. Pwede mo rin pakiusapan na i-resched ka if di ka pwede on that day (valid reason ah).

Enrollment process was bearable, pero medj magulo for me kasi as usual nagtuturuan kung nasan yung cashier, saan kukunin ‘yung account statement, saan ka magpapa-picture ganyan. Step-by-step process naman siya pero ask the admin kung ano muna dapat gawin. Same day ka rin kukuhanan ng ID pic (so kailangan mukha kang maayos kahit pinagod ka nila sa pabalik-balik).  

Tuition Fee

Tuition is per semester. First sem was Php 116, 898.00. Second semester was Php 111, 131.00.

NMAT Score

55 and above. Also, take note na not more than 2 years ‘yung score from the time of publication

**65 and above na siya ngayon. NMAT is waived for applicants this year during the pandemic though.

School Address

638 Mendiola St., San Miguel, Manila. In front of Centro Escolar University.

What is it like in your school? The culture, socials...

At first, hindi mahirap mag-adapt since I came from a catholic school naman. But for those na first time mag-catholic school, please know na big deal sa kanila ang celebration of the Holy Eucharist. Usually may community mass every month and they are strict with it, so na-impose ang “lockdown.” Basically, hindi ka pwedeng lumabas ng school premises if may naka schedule na mass. Everyone is obliged to go. One way to check is they do attendance checking before and after mass. Also, the population of COM in San Beda is quite few, kaya hindi mahirap makipag-socialize.

I agree with this. Sisitahin kayo if tumatambay kayo elsewhere during mass and they really do close the gates kapag may misa para walang makatakas. Hindi rin excuse if hindi ka Catholic, kahit umupo ka lang don okay na. There are also orgs you can join wherein you can join seminars and meet people other than your blockmates. Meron ding tinatawag na “Freshman Integration” at the start of the sem. Para siyang binyag na “uy bedan ka na!” Masaya ‘to pero kapagod yung preparation, and you get to meet higher years and people from other blocks.

Yearly, my integration process ang Beda. Sort of initiation siya. We grouped randomly. Tapos per group my mentor kami na upper batch. Ayon, our seniors always reminded us na ienjoy na ang moment na yon kasi after non, wala na. Totoo nga! Hahahaha -Marah Uberita

May med night din nga pala na culmination ng med week. Para siyang prom tapos may booze. (Good behavior pa din dapat ha, nandun yung profs mo HAHA)

-Janina Gatmaitan

Lastly, may board operations. Usually doctors na yung naghe-head ng operations na ‘to. They gather volunteers for man-power kasi support ‘to for those taking the boards. They need people na manggising ng board-takers, mag welcome, mag distribute ng food, mag-ingay at mag-congratulate pagkadating nila sa Beda. It’s the entire med community supporting the future doctors.

Whats the system of teaching in your school, your school's forte. What's unique in your school?

    Before entering San Beda, people are telling me this line, “residency ang neuro sa Beda.” True enough may neuro ang Beda from 1^st year to 4^th year. During my first year, ‘yung subject naming Physiology, team-based learning ang system. We don’t do the typical 4-hours, at most, lectures. What this department does is, they give us guide questions before each module (usually per module, 1 system kunwari Module 7 is respiratory system). These guide questions will assess how much have we read prior to sessions. Now, sa classroom, nag-pre pretest muna kami. We’re given a time limit on that. After non, we are grouped usually sa class namin, 15-20 groups composed of 4-5 members. Tapos we will discuss with ourselves ano ‘yung tamang sagot for the pretest. May binibigay sa amin na scratch card, i-scratch namin ‘yung alam naming sagot and if tama, may nakalagay na star. If mali ‘yung na scratch namin, blank ‘yung lalabas so you’ll have to do it again. Kaya usually sa discussions, sort of ipaglalaban mo if you know na nabasa mo ‘yung certain topic na ‘yon. Then may scoring system. After non, the highest scorer usually gets a prize. Pero more on bragging rights kasi siya. The group discussion comes with a time limit also. After noon, may short break lang then we’ll proceed to the clarifications. Dito naman, magdi-discuss na ‘yung doctor ng mga highlights ng module. Then we do post quiz after.

My first ever small group discussion (SGD). Ang pinaka tumatak sa akin dito, “Doktora, alam mo ang sinasabi mo. Nagbasa ka. But, sometimes you tend to overpower others. See to it na equally distributed ang work. Lahat makakapag-ambag. But greab job, dok.” And ever since — nag improve ako with this. I learned to value other people’s help. Independent kasi ako talaga. Even sa group works, inaako ko lahat. But this one taught me na in life ‘di masamang mag-ask ng help. Be humble. -Marah Uberita

 

On Mondays in our Biochem class, we don’t usually do the typical lecture sessions. Instead, gumagawa kami ng concept maps (cmaps) ng mga diseases. Every week may reporting kami. Then we make cmaps out of it. Nakakatuwa lang how “improved” ang gawa kong concept map. Huhu sorry ang yabang ng dating ko but just couldnt help but be proud of myself for making things like this. Sobrang nakikita ko kasi gaano ako nag improve from my first cmap. 

I think what makes it unique is that we have patient encounters as early as first year. Aside from having neuro and psychiatry ng 1^st year to 4^th year, we also have OSCEs during 1^st year second sem. Sa OSCE na ‘to, aaralin mo yung maneuvers ng neurologic examination per system. So may cranial nerve examination, motor system, cerebellars etc. May preceptor ka tapos isang patient then gagawin mo yung maneuvers as per DeMyers (kailangan niyo sambahin ‘to). By batch and at random kayo pipiliin. They won’t assign your batch beforehand para may kaba factor and shempre para prepared ka regardless kung matawag ka o hindi. Three weeks per system yan so 1 batch per week tapos individually graded. Freecut na neuro if hindi ka matawag or if tapos ka na mag OSCE sa system na yon basta naka-sign ka sa attendance. At the end of the year, merong grand OSCE (di namin na-experience ‘to due to COVID) pero ang gagawin lang dito is may stations daw tapos drawlots kung anong manuever gagawin mo sa patient. Another strength is the FCM practicals. By the end of first sem, marunong ka na mag history taking and physical examination. Nag practicals kami dito, per station ulit tapos ge-gradean ka ng precept. The downside to practical exams is self-study ka dito. Hindi nila ituturo yung maneuvers habang lecture, walang demo-return-demo. Diskarte na lang kung paano mo ia-apply yung binasa mo. You can watch youtube videos, practice kayo ng friends mo sa bahay, or magpaturo din sa higher years. Another one is, depende sa preceptor kung ano grade mo. Sana na lang mabait mapunta sa inyo hehe. Yung iba nanggi-gisa, yung iba tutulungan ka.

 What do you like most about your school?

My med-kada! Nakakalungkot lang kasi ito na pala ang first and last group photo namin. After nito, isa-isa ng nag aalisan ang tao kasi Beda was becoming toxic for the mental health. 

 

This was during our med week. Yep, nag basketball ako  

photo credits: San Beda Oculus

First time wearing white uniform again in yeaaaaars. 

I like the fact na malapit siya sa Tim Horton’s. HAHA Kidding aside, I love the Abbey tsaka yung prayer room. I like the comfort that it brings everytime nahihirapan ka na sa buhay at acads. It’s like a safety blanket for me na may napupuntahan ako, may area kung san ako pwede magdasal. Minsan dun din ako nag-aaral para may extra basbas ni Lord.

Namimigay din sila ng libreng t-shirts depende sa event. Cute yon.

 How is the lifestyle in your school? Food, utilities, accessibility of transpo

Food is okay since it is situated in Mendiola. Maraming variety ng food choices. From high to low price range. Inside the campus, we have three canteens. We also have a mini coffee shop there. It is also accesible sa transpo since katabi lang namin ang LRT. May mga jeeps, buses also na dumadaan around the school. But if ever ma phaseout ang jeepneys — I don’t know anymore. Kaya sana no to jeepney phaseout.

Maraming ding kainan outside school kung feel mo mag-explore. May gate din sa Beda na diretso na sa LRT, so very accessible if nagco-commute. Maganda din yung library kasi malamig yung aircon pero limited yung seats. Bagong renovate, pero I honestly liked the old library better kasi no-fuss na puro upuan lang siya unlike yung bago na may couch tapos low table.

 

Library in San Beda - Janina Gatmaitan

Library in San Beda - Janina Gatmaitan

How bearable is your med school?

It’s bearable because of the people I’m with. I wouldn’t survive med school without my friends, classmates, and schoolmates. For someone who is independent like me, I thought keri lang na wala friends. But, I’m wrong. Important rin talaga na may friends ka, companion ganyan. It’s important to build rapport even to the uppermen kasi this will help you gain more friends and aminin na natin, kailangan natin ng trans, samplex, at iba pang high-yield notes HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Bearable because of my friends. Important talaga na matibay yung support system mo kasi sisirain at sisirain ka ng acads. Given naman na mahirap talaga ang med, kaya dapat may available shoulder to cry/rant on ka. I agree din na dapat maganda relationship mo with higher years kasi sa kanila nanggagaling yung high-yield recalls, transes, tsaka iba pang tips para maka-survive ng med.

 

Do you regret choosing your school?

Yes. Akala ko dati kung kasama sa top 10, or 20 best medical schools ay okay na. When choosing a medical school, or kahit anong school, it is also important to ask people paano ang treatment sa students. Like, ano ba ang priority ng school na ‘to? Ranking? Mental health? Mga ganon. Kasi lalo na sa med school, importante ang mental health. Hindi lang basta academic requirements. Kasi the greatest doctors of today are not those na top sa ganito or what. Mas kailangan ng bansa natin ang mga doktor na tunay na may malasakit, marunong umintindi, at may alam. Hindi pwedeng may alam lang.  

Not my best-est angle but prolly the best-est portrait of me so far in med. Ang cliche, but it’s been a roller coaster ride of emotions. First year in med school has really tried my existence. Na-challenged talaga ang patience, perseverance, determination, focus ko sa mga bagay-bagay. But one thing is for sure, I’m never giving up that MD dreams. Andito nalang rin ako, itutuloy ko na. 

Beda is far from being perfect. True naman na it contributed a loooooot to my mental health. But, everything happens for a reason. Whatever it may be, andito nalang rin ako, I’ll make my stay in Beda worthwhile. Who knows, like my alma mater in college, this might open bigger and new opportunities for me. 

Somehow, yes. For the reasons stated above. Just because a school has a 100% passing rate sa boards doesn’t mean na yan agad dapat piliin mo. I wasn’t warned din na mataas mortality rate samin, kaya pagdating sa 4^th year, yan na talaga mga cream of the crop ng batch mo. Hunger Games ang peg. Do your research and ask around. Check mo kung student-centered yung admin, how they handle approaches to learning PER department etc. ASK! BE CURIOUS! YOUR FUTURE IS ON THE LINE!! I encourage you to be thorough sa research kasi para sa’yo din yan J

Read the other features on this medical school series:

UST - Faculty of Medicine and Surgery

Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila -Medicine

UERM - Medicine

de La Salle -Medicine

San Beda University - Medicine

University of the Philippines - Medicine

FEU - NRMF Medicine

CEU - School of Medicine

St. Luke's College of Medicine

Saint Louis University - Medicine

University of Northern Philippines

and also a feature on how to ace NMAT:

Self-studying NMAT and a 90+ PR

Hi to all! My friend, Caryl, who I recently featured about her self-studying journey for NMAT here in my blog is selling cookies to help pay her lolo's hospital bill who is currently in the ICU at Providence Hospital. If you are interested in buying, just send her a message on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/cstllcryl) All your help would be appreciated! ( ◜‿◝ )♡

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