CDU-CM
Elective Rotations
Cebu Doctors’ University College of Medicine accepts final year medical students from foreign countries who want to do their elective rotation for two weeks or more in a private teaching hospital or in a rural community . We regularly have students from the United States, United Kingdom, and Germany doing their elective rotation with us. The application to do the elective must be received at least two months before the start of the planned elective rotation.
Available departments
Elective rotations are done at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, the main teaching hospital of Cebu Doctors’ University College of Medicine. It has the following departments that accept final year international medical students who wish to do electives: Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Pediatrics, Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Radiology, and Anesthesiology. In addition, the College also accepts students for a Community Medicine rotation at Kauswagan, its community outreach program.
Activities
The rotation at Cebu Doctors University Hospital includes the following: going on rounds with the residents and attending physicians, attending conferences, taking the medical history and doing the physical examination of patients, assisting at surgical operations and deliveries, and doing other medical activities that may be assigned. These, basically, are the usual activities of our fourth (final) year medical students. Regular hours are from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily except on Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays during which hours are from 7:00 AM to 12:00 PM only. Overnight duties every three or four days are optional for international students unless required by their university.
For the elective rotation in Community Medicine, students are assigned to Kauswagan Community Clinic and Social Center, our rural community outreach project at Barangay Cabangahan in the town of Consolacion, Province of Cebu. The site is about 15 kilometers from Cebu Doctors University Hospital. Activities during this rotation include fieldwork consisting of home visits, community survey, outpatient clinic work, daytime house calls, and lectures for family health classes. You will be serving adults and children in the rural villages north of Cebu City. The educational attainment of the residents in the area is usually elementary and high school levels although a few had gone to college. The income level of the families is between US$60-120 per month. Eighty-five percent of the residents are Roman Catholics. They are mostly farmers, laborers, public utility vehicle drivers, and employees. The majority speak and understand the English language. At all times, the students are under the supervision of a resident physician. The international students will be working together with the fourth (final) year medical students of Cebu Doctors’ University College of Medicine and the Post-graduate Interns of Cebu Doctors University Hospital.
General Information
Dress Code
A white clinical gown over smart casual clothing should be worn when seeing patients in their rooms or in the wards, when in the outpatient clinics, and in the conference rooms. Scrubs are required in the operating room, labor room, delivery room, post-anesthesia care unit, and the neonatal intensive care unit.
For the Community Medicine elective, light casual clothing and comfortable footwear for walking are recommended to be worn while in the community. A short white coat or clinical gown may be worn when seeing patients at the community clinic.
How to apply
Send an email to the Dean, Cebu Doctors’ University College of Medicine, at [email protected] at least two months before the planned start of the elective rotation, stating your request to do your elective rotation in a particular department or departments. Include the proposed starting and ending dates for each one and the duration (not less than two weeks duration in each department). Elective rotations must start on a Monday. Because of the number of applications we receive and the fact that we only accept two international medical students at a time in each clinical department, it would be best if you could choose two or more departments and specify your order of preference for them.
Requirements
The following are the documents that you must email before you can be accepted:
1. Dean’s certification that you are expected to be enrolled as a final year student in the medicine program of your university during the time that you will have your elective rotation
2. one copy of your Transcript of Records
3. one letter of recommendation from one of your current professors
4. a 2” x 2” colored identification photograph with a minimum resolution of 400 pixels per inch in JPEG format
Notice of acceptance
You will be notified of your acceptance by email.
Matriculation
The current elective fee for Academic Year July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026 is seven thousand one hundred eight pesos and fifty-five centavos (PHP7,108.55) per student per week, minimum of two weeks. For subsequent Academic Years, there may be a 5-10% annual increase in the fee. The elective fee is computed from the total number of weeks the international student is accepted for. The elective fee is due for payment at the Business Office of Cebu Doctors University Hospital within that week and is non-refundable.
Lodging
Several hotels and pension houses are available within walking distance of Cebu Doctors University Hospital. You may make your own arrangements with them online.
Students who will do the Community Medicine rotation may also arrange for lodging near Cebu Doctors University Hospital. All students assigned to Kauswagan will be brought to the community by shuttle from the hospital at 7:00 AM and brought back to the hospital at 4:00 PM.
Cebu Doctors’ University College of Medicine
Office Email Address: [email protected]
Call Us: +63 (32) 238-8333 ext. 8517