My First Medical School Enrollment and Physical & Medical Examination (UERM College of Medicine)

June 20, 2016

     I woke up at 8am but I left bed at 8:45am. I prayed to God to bless me with a good day, did my morniŋ rituals and had a breakfast of fried Bangus and a cup of rice! I know it’s my enrollment day but I’m not much excited. I prepared my things and requirements last night. Sa totoo lang curious ako kung papaano iyong process ng enrollment sa napili kong med school. Kahit na matanda na ako (turning 23 this year), nagpasama pa rin ako sa aking nanay. We left our house at 10 AM and arrived on UERM at 11AM. One hour talaga ang byahe from Commonwealth Avenue since traffic sa Quezon Avenue at Araneta Avenue. Traffic crisis na talaga dito sa Metro Manila.

     Before ka makapasok sa UERM, mandatory syempre na magbigay ka ng ID sa guard house and they will give you a visitor’s ID. We went to 2^nd floor of Administration Building to the Registrar Section. I was expecting na kaunti lang mageenroll pero marami rami rin kasi di lang naman mga freshies ng medicine ang nandoon. May mga late enrollment ng ibang course. Iyong iba naman kukuha ng master’s. Upon waiting for my turn, I noticed the lady of the registrar speaks in English. I never heard her speak in Tagalog. She is also direct but accommodating. On my turn, I submitted my original copy of transfer credential certificate, certification of graduation, authenticated copy of diploma and original copy of NMAT Result plus long folder with plastic cover. I did not submit an original copy of TOR since I already passed it during the admission process.  I also filled up 2 forms of Information and Advising Form. They took one copy of it. They gave me advice when is our orientation and the parents’ orientation. They also gave me a list of textbooks and references. Thereafter, we proceed to IT Section in the same floor. Actually labas laŋ ng registrar section. Sa IT Section, I gave another copy of the information form. I also filled up the blank boxes I missed. Guardian lang naman kulang. But the lady of the IT said that it is for emergency purposes. Afterwards, we paid the tuition fee in cashier just beside the IT section. Total fee is 144,825 pesos. We paid only 114, 825 pesos since the reservation is 30,000 pesos. I'm not an upper class person. It's really expensive to study medicine unless you study in UP or PLM which they are too generous in giving scholarships. Di nga aabot sa hundred thousand pesos ang expenses nila. On the other hand, UERM is more generous in giving scholarships compared to other medical schools (ASMPH, USTFMS, FEUNRMF).

List of Textbooks and References in First Year Medicine. C&E Bookshop has 3 branches located at South Triangle Quezon City, Recto Avenue Manila near University of the East (UE) and Dapitan Street Sampaloc Manila near University of Santo Tomas (UST)

Tip: To avail the student price, bring your College of Medicine ID :)
Click this picture to zoom-in

    Here is the breakdown of fees for 1^st year medicine 1^st semester school year 2016 -2017 (I’m not a scholar):

1. Lab fee: 86,067
2. Tuition fee: 45,915
3. Library fee: 4,740
4. Infotech fee: 2,098
5. Energy fee: 2,098
6. Health Service fee: 1,084
7. Registration fee: 814
8. PE & Xray fee: 1,153
9. Student service fee: 129
10. Miscellaneous fee:  727

     After payment, they will give you official receipt and registration form which you need to keep till the start of classes. My section was indicated in the registration form. Random pala ang sectioning sa first year. There are 3 sections: A,B,C. I am in the first letter.

     The next step involves the hatest part of some students: ID PICTURE TAKING. Minsan kasi kahit anong ayos mo sa sarili mo, sa huli wala ka ring napala. So we proceeded to ID Section 3^rd floor in Nursing Building. Pagdating namin doon, may nagpapapicture pa. Pangatlo ako sa pila. I noticed the man who took the shots is zany but well mannered. He addressed the students with Ma'am or Sir regardless of being a medical student or not. Sa totoo lang hindi ako sanay na tawagin na Sir sa school. Hahaha. Sa dati ko kasing unibersidad di ako natatawag na Sir kasi estudyante ako. On my turn, I wore a white polo which I remembered my Nursing days. Medyo parehas kasi ng polo ang Nursing at Medicine. Iyong kinaibahan lang, may pleats sa likod ng polo ng Medicine. I sat down, looked at the camera and smiled as captured. Nakadalawang papicture ako because of my insecurities! Hahaha. Kiddin' LOL. Di ako prepared sa first shot. Nakangiti ako pero gulat. Nakadalawang print tuloy ng ID si Sir na nagpipicture. Nagsmudge kasi iyong unang print so nagprint ulit.

My UERM College of Medicine ID

Tip: Your ID's validity is until Clerkship in 4th year. Don't lose your ID. If it happens, you shall purchase again worth 272 pesos plus you need an affidavit of loss

     4 steps done just for an hour! Mabilis ang process! I want to commend every staff (guards, janitors, clerks, secretaries) in UERM. They are all approachable and courteous. Naabutan kami ng 12nn so we could not proceed to the next step. My mom and I decided to have lunch in their canteen situated at covered court. I ordered Beef salpicao while my mom ordered fish fillet. Medyo may kamahalan ang presyo compared sa mga karinderia. I think nasa 60-75 pesos ang isang order (1 viand with 1 rice). I just wish na sana enclosed iyong canteen tapos may aircon. Di sa nag iinarte pero medyo mainit kasi habang kumakain.

   Here is the outline for the freshmen enrollment procedure in UERM College of Medicine:

1.    Registrar Section
2.    Information Technology Section
3.    Cashier Section
4.    ID Picture Taking Section
5.    Infirmary Section

     After filling our stomach with food, nag CR muna kami then pumunta na sa UERM OPD Infirmary section for Physical and Medical Examination. Nasa tapat ng university ang OPD at hospital. We waited there for 30 minutes since 1pm pa ang resume of service. My mom started having conversation with other moms of other freshies. Pinag uusapan nila iyong premed ng mga anak, NMAT ranking, saan nakatira, saang galing school etc.. Pagbukas ng Infirmary, pumasok na rin kaming mga freshies at iyong iba pang mga patients. Naiwan ang mga nanay sa labas. Hiningi ang official receipt, registration form at 2x2 ID picture sa amin. The staff also asked our birthday para mainput sa kanilang database iyong mga pertinent information.

     Basically these are the steps for physical examination in UERM Infirmary section:

1. The nurse will get your height and weight as well as your vital signs (BP, PR,RR, T even your O2 Sat since they use pulse ox). For me, nagpa BP ako 3 times since kinabahan ako sa una at pangalawang kuha. 130/70 mmHg for the first and second take. Then 120/70 mmHg sa third take. Deep breathing exercise really helps as relaxation technique.
2. The physician will interview you regarding your present, past medical and surgical and family health history. The physician will also do some physical exam (listening to heart sounds and lung sounds, assessing if you are pale/anemic, if you have tonsillitis or infection)
3. You will sign with your name in the log book
4. You may proceed to the 2^nd floor of hospital in the laboratory for CBC and radiology for Chest X-ray PA view

     These took me almost 2 hours since the waiting time for the last procedure is long considering there are also patients for laboratory and chest x-ray.

     We went back to UERM school and proceed to student’s lounge at JMC building para magpasukat ng uniform. I ordered 4 sets of uniforms to the lady ng iCare shop and she told me na makukuha after a month iyong uniforms. Kung may adjustment man, magagawa rin nila agad.

UERM College of Medicine Uniform for Male and Female 1st to 3rd Year Students

Click this picture to zoom-in and know the measurements

     That’s for this day! I’m officially enrolled to one of the premiere medical schools in the Philippines! I hope this may help to all future UERM Medicine aspirants! :)