What It's Like to Study Medicine in Colombia

In This Article

Many of us feel the vocation of studying medicine, whether this call comes in childhood or adolescence. Most of us do not know the necessary process to be accepted by a university. In Colombia, it’s not necessary to have an undergraduate degree to study medicine, therefore, when we finish school, high school graduates have two options to choose from: private education and public education.

Top Six Medical Schools in Colombia

1. Antioquia’s University (public) – position 11 in Latin America.

2. University of the Andes (private) – position 12 in Latin America.

3. National University of Colombia (public) – position 13 in Latin America.

4. Pontifical Javeriana University (private) – position 17 in Latin America.

5. Rosario University (private) – 19th place in Latin America

6. Valle’s university (public) – position 28 in Latin America

Private vs. Public

One of the primary considerations an aspiring medical student must make is between a private or public university.

In a private university, the biggest obstacle is the cost. Since the price varies, in each university, the medicine program turns out to be the most expensive of all. Costs can exceed the sum of $25 million Colombian pesos per semester ($6000 – 7000 USD).

In addition to the cost, you need to have a high score on the State test and go through filters like interviews to be admitted.

In contrast, public universities are much more affordable. The total semester value is not linked to the study program. Instead, the cost varies according to the economic capacity of each student, measured by various factors, such as the school where the student receives their Bachelor’s degree, place of residence, among other factors. However, here the major hindering entering public education is the knowledge tests. Some universities design their own entrance exam, others are based on state tests previously, however, the required scores are even higher.

The medical degree is one of the most in-demand programs nationwide, which is why the highest scores are required on the admission test. Competition is fierce. For example, when I applied to the National University of Colombia in 2016, over 12,000 students from all over the country showed up, and there were only 120 places available.

Studying in the country’s capital, Bogotá, concentrates many people from other parts of the country. In my case, I knew many people from Colombia, and thus was able to learn a little about the diversity that characterizes the country. This can be a challenge for many students, given that each region has different conditions such as its climate, clothing, customs, food, and jargon that some have never heard.

Colombia is divided into departments and with the exception of the National University of Colombia, which has campuses throughout the country, most public universities are only found in their specific region, each university is named after its department as the University of the Valley and the University of Antioquia, likewise usually students are also from the same region. Something that characterizes all of them is that medicine is only taught in the main headquarters located in the capital, either in the department or as in the national university, in Bogotá.

Within my experience, I had the opportunity to be a student of two of the three best public universities in Colombia to study medicine: Valle’s University and the National University of Colombia.

Each college has its strengths. For example, the Universidad del Valle is characterized by its graduates with great abilities in the field of public health, being a pioneer in the country. Another forte of the university is in morphology since it is one of the universities in which undergraduate students have the possibility of performing dissections. The amphitheater has around 20 complete corpses in the morphological pieces (lungs, hearts, kidneys, etc). In addition to having an amphitheater, it also has a morphology museum, which, thanks to its organization of the pieces and complimentary guides, facilitates learning. At the graduate level, graduates excel in the field of surgery and trauma. Among its graduates, Dr. Nubia Muñoz, researcher of the human papillomavirus and candidate for the Nobel Prize in 2008, stands out.

For its part, the National University of Colombia has greater research possibilities. There is a wide variety of molecular research seedbeds, such as immunology, endocrinology, parasitology, among others, where students can carry out research. Most seedbeds have prerequisites in the curriculum. Other hotbeds have additional electives as a prerequisite. Among its graduates, Dr. Manuel Elkin Patarroyo, a researcher in the malaria vaccine and a candidate for the Nobel Prize, stands out.

Other University Experiences

Antioquia University also offers the possibility of performing dissections, and also focuses on research. It also excels in emergency medicine, transplants, and geriatrics.

The Pontifical Javeriana University has its strength in oncology, and the students of the Rosario University are very good in the history of medicine. In addition, the University of the Andes has been among the 10 best universities in Latin America over the past seven years.

Similarly, as the academic requirement to enter a public university is very high, so is the quality. Public universities, despite being only 35% of the country’s universities as a whole, produce more scientific products and more articles published in international journals.

University Support for Students

Comprehensive accompaniment supports students in study techniques and emotional intelligence, physical activity, sport, culture, and inclusive education. Due to its expansive, green campus, students can meet for outside activities and social interaction, in addition to their academic duties.

In the health area, it offers the availability of medical appointments, psychology, dentistry, among others at no cost.

The university also offers help in food, transportation, and accommodation for low-income students. For students coming from other cities and even countries, there is a wide variety of studio apartments available for them.

Additionally, the National University is located in a strategic place within the city, remaining in the geographic center of Bogotá, which facilitates access and arrival to class, despite the usual and considerable traffic jams.

Fun Facts

The National University is over 150 years old. Its current campus, known as “Ciudad Universitaria”, has a design plan that evokes the figure of the owl, a symbol of wisdom and knowledge. Its buildings, typical of modern and contemporary architecture, represent a high value for the history of the city and the country, being considered one of the most important projects of the 20th century.

The first female doctor graduated from the national university in 1945.

In this pandemic period, the admission criteria have been altered. For example, at the Universidad de the Andes, in the first semester of 2020, the state tests were canceled due to preventive measures in the pandemic of COVID-19. The admission criteria for the Universidad de the Andes for this period include a virtual admission test, and state tests presented in previous years.

According to the latest publication of the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), the medical faculty of the National University of Colombia is the best medical faculty in Colombia and is among the top five in Latin America.

About the Author

Gloria Andrea Padilla is a 2nd-year medicine student at the National University of Colombia. Her hobbies are going to museums, art galleries, and the “septimazo,” walking in the seventh race in Bogotá, which is a cultural race. Gloria’s medical interest is between biomedical engineering and the Description of the Master of Science Program in Biomedical Communications.

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What It’s Like to Study Medicine in Colombia