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“CU-MEDi is an international Doctor of Medicine (MD) program offered by the Faculty of Medicine at Chulalongkorn University. The program requires four years of study for bachelor’s degree holders. The first application period is scheduled for January 2022, and the first class will start in August 2022.”
Graduates of the CU-MEDi program will become qualified physicians with global medical knowledge, innovative ideas, and leadership skills comparable to the six-year MDCU program. In addition to becoming physicians, CU-MEDi graduates will be able to pursue alternative careers in medicine including, but not limited to, physician-scientists, medical researchers, healthcare leaders, or physician-engineers.
• Students in their final year of undergraduate study who will be receiving a bachelor’s degree within July 2022
• Graduates who already hold a bachelor’s degree in any field
• Outstanding bachelor’s degree students or graduates pursuing further career development in medicine are strongly encouraged to apply (prior work experience is not required)
| Course Credits | |||
| Total Required Courses | 166 | Credits | |
| 1) Medical-Specific Requirement | 154 | Credits | |
| 1.1 Humanistic Medicine | 14 | Credits | |
| 1.2 Medical Sciences | 54 | Credits | |
| 1.3 Clinical Performance | 86 | Credits | |
| 2) Student-Selected Components (SSCs) | 12 | Credits | |
| Timeframe |
For bachelor’s degree graduates, the CU-MEDi requires four years of study, which consists of eight semesters and are further divided into three phases:
1. The ‘pre-clerkship’ phase (three semesters) takes place primarily in a classroom setting, and through a series of integrated medical science modules, provides students with essential skills prior to the clerkship year.
2. The ‘clerkship’ phase (two semesters) requires students to rotate through different
clinical areas of a hospital including inpatient wards, outpatient clinics, operating rooms, labor rooms, and emergency departments (these are referred to as ‘rotations’). Students will have the opportunity to apply the medical knowledge and skills they obtained during the pre-clerkship phase in the treatment of real patients.
3. The ‘externship’ phase (three semesters) prepares students to become competent physicians by emphasizing clinical decision-making and management skills. In this phase, students will have the opportunity to interact with patients in hospitals abroad, or they may choose to enhance their clinical or research skills according to their individual preference.
| Academic Calendar | |||
 | |||
| 6-year Program (MDCU) | 4-year Program CU-MEDi | |
| Eligibility | High-school graduates | Bachelor’s degree recipients |
| Duration of Study | 6 years | 4 years |
| Curriculum | Thai and English Program | International Program |
| Number of students | 300 students | 40 students |
| Venue of Study | Pre-clerkship: Clerkship and Externship: | Pre-clerkship: Clerkship and Externship: • Mainly at Queen Savang Vadhana Memorial Hospital, Chonburi • King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok • International partner institutes provide clinical experience during externships |
CU-MEDi is the first international graduate-entry medical program offering a Doctor of Medicine degree (M.D.) in Thailand. The CU-MEDi requires four years of study for bachelor’s degree recipients. The program can be further described as follows:
| Internatlonal Emphasis |
• CU-MEDi has strong partnerships with international institutes that provide opportunities for students to exchange valuable tools and knowledge with other programs around the world. Students will be required to study and practice clinical skills abroad and will have access to a wide range of collaborative international research. During the externship phase, students can also attend certificate courses provided by our partner institutes. • The ability to work in an international setting and address global health issues will be emphasized during the students’ externships and in their SSC courses. • Students will be encouraged to attend international medical forums and present their work on topics that affect the global population. • CU-MEDi encourages students to become global doctors in the future by preparing them for international licensing examinations, such as USMLE, and residency training aboard. |
| Innovation and Technology |
• To develop their aptitude for innovation, students will be required to participate in special projects according to their own interests, with support from their mentors and through local (within Thailand) and international collaborations with government organizations, international associations, university networks, or corporate partnerships. • CU-MEDi incorporates diverse learning styles throughout the program. Courses are conducted in adult-learning environments that focus on innovation, creativity, and global medical knowledge. Furthermore, SSC courses are arranged with international collaborations. • Students will be encouraged to enter international innovation challenge events and contribute to related platforms. • CU-MEDi employs the latest technologies for a global medical education. Students will be equipped with advanced 21st century healthcare technologies such as telemedicine, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. |
| Research and Education |
• Students’ individual talents will be identified and supported. CU-MEDi promotes the integration of students’ talents and skills with their medical education to help stimulate new developments in healthcare. • CU-MEDi provides individual mentoring to facilitate students’ personal and professional development. This strategy has been implemented by world leading institutions. |
| Leadership for Change |
• Through SSC courses, students will conduct projects that lead to better healthcare systems. As one of the degree fulfillment requirements, students present their projects at the medical conferences. • Leadership is incorporated into team-based and interprofessional learning environments. |
The program is conducted in English. Basic conversational skills in Thai may be useful during the clerkship and externship phases because students will be required to obtain medical histories and perform physical examinations on Thai-speaking patients.
Yes, students will be required to participate in an international externship for a minimum of eight weeks. During this time, students will study and practice medicine under direct supervision at our partner institutes in the UK or the USA.
The study during the pre-clerkship phase (three semesters) will be conducted at the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University.
The clerkship (two semesters) and externship (three semesters) phases will take place primarily at the Queen Savang Vadhana Memorial Hospital in Chonburi. For some courses/rotations during the clerkship and externship phases, students will practice at the King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital in Bangkok.
Rotations will also take place at our international partner institutes during the externship phase.
Please check : https://cu-medi.md.chula.ac.th/admission for updated information.
If you are expecting to receive a bachelor’s degree within July 2024, then you can apply for CU-MEDi with the following documents:
(1) An official document issued by the school confirming that you are expected to complete the course within July 2024; and
(2) An official transcript showing results of every semester throughout the course are additionally required.
The application process is available annually. Please check: https://cu-medi.md.chula.ac.th/admission for updated information.
The CU-MEDi program does not set an age range. Applicants of all ages can apply to this program. However, it takes 4 years to study and graduate. Furthermore, if you want to pursue your career, it will take longer for internship, specialist training, MSc or PhD. These factors should be taken into consideration when applying.
Please check : https://cu-medi.md.chula.ac.th/admission for updated information.
During the application process, you will have to fill in only one nationality and provide the evidence to support that. If you choose to apply as a Thai student, you can pay the tuition fee for Thai students, but you cannot be exempted from the TOEFL/IELTS test. If you choose to apply as an international student, you could be exempted from the TOEFL/IELTS test (if qualified), but you will have to pay the tuition fee for international students.
During the application process, you will have to fill in only one nationality and provide the evidence to support that. If you choose to apply as an international student, you could be exempted from the TOEFL/IELTS test, and you will have to pay the tuition fee for international students.
The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is a standardized, multiple-choice examination designed to assess your problem solving, critical thinking, and knowledge of natural, behavioural, and social science concepts and principles prerequisite to the study of medicine. You can check with the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) for the test schedule and test locations at https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-medical-school/taking-mcat-exam/.
If your MCAT exam appointment search indicates “None Available” for your preferred date or test center location, you can ask to be notified by email from Pearson VUE if an appointment becomes available at that test center location on that MCAT test date by clicking “Notify me.” For more information, please visit https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-medical-school/article/mcat-appointment-notification-request-what-expect/
No, the CU-MEDi program does not set the minimum scores for MCAT and GPA.
We mainly consider the applicants from their MCAT scores and other qualifications as stated in the admission announcement.
Yes, we have a recommendation letter form. The recommendation letters must be directly to our e-mail: admission.cu-medi@chula.md. Please check the official admission announcement for more details.
Yes, if your qualifications meet our criteria. Moreover, we plan to provide a preparatory course for any students who need a refresher course in basic science and medical knowledge.
After graduation, students will receive a Doctor of Medicine degree (M.D.), but they can customize their career paths according to their own interests. If they would like to pursue further clinical education, they may apply for residency either through the Thai or international program. Other possible career choices include physician-scientists, medical researchers, healthcare leaders, or physician-engineers.
This will depend on your career choice as shown in the following examples:
| General practitioner | 3-4 years bachelor’s degree + 4 years of CU-MEDi |
| Specialist | 3-4 years bachelor’s degree + 4 years of CU-MEDi + 1-3 years of internship + 3-5 years of residency (length may vary depending on the specialty) |
| MSc or PhD | 3-4 years bachelor’s degree + 4 years of CU-MEDi + MSc or PhD (length will vary depending on the program or field of study) |
| Specialist + MSc/ PhD | 3-4 years bachelor’s degree + 4 years of CU-MEDi + 1-3 years of internship + 3-5 years of residency + MSc or PhD (length will vary depending on the program or field of study) |
In the CU-MEDi program, students will be eligible to take examinations for medical licenses in Thailand and abroad such as the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). Topics on global concerns are integrated into the curriculum, and students will become highly competent physicians who are capable of working in a variety of international environments.
You are not required to sign a contract to serve the Thai government sector.
Students of any nationality are strongly encouraged to apply for our program.
You do not need to be fluent in Thai. You will need to take the basic Thai language class since simple conversational Thai will facilitate communication with Thai-speaking patients and their families during the clerkship phase.
According to the latest regulations of the Thai Medical Council (TMC), foreigners are not allowed to apply for the Thai Medical license or practice medicine in Thailand unless the qualification complies with the regulations of the Thai Medical Council (TMC). For updated information, please review, https://tmc.or.th/En/how-foreign_en.php
There are no scholarships. However, some supports are prepared for potential students, including, research projects, and academic presentations.
More information will be announced later.
The fees are divided into two parts:
(1) Tuition fee
The Tuition fee is subject to change as announced by Chulalongkorn University (as of December 2019, 34,000 baht/semester for Thai students and 106,000 baht/semester for international students.)
(2) Program fee
The Program fee is approximately 4.5 million baht for the entire program for local clerkship and international externship.
Remark: These fees are subject to additional increases in subsequent years of study, in line with Chulalongkorn University’s terms and conditions.
Have you ever imagined being your own personal doctor and managing your own health sitting in front of a TV at home? Testing that once seemed risky out of the hands of medical professionals is now more than ever a touchable reality. The advancement of handheld technology has brought an explosion of personal health gadgets such as smart watches that can monitor heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, and calories burned. High-speed internet advances have allowed for the efficient use of mobile phone applications, online consultant services, telemedicine, and even AI therapists. Some laboratory tests can even be ordered from home at the click of the button, with tool kits delivered and results available quickly online.
Future prospects of healthcare are moving from being doctor-centered to the patient viewpoint. Disease treatments will also expand to lifestyle remedies and coaching and extend out from visits to the hospital to a 24/7 online service. We might see more data doctors, where personal information of patients is streamed through an online platform and managed by professionals behind screens in ‘Care Hubs.’ After analysis of the person’s health data, they can provide individualized consult to each person, and recommend fitness programs that utilize entertainment and games to increase compliance. Personal devices will have bio-sensors to detect critical vital signs like irregular heartbeats and will be able to immediately send alerts to their doctors for any signs of life threatening conditions. Healthcare will be accessible where ever as internet connectivity becomes more and more ubiquitous.