Colleges in Colombia

santiBOG says on Aug 15, 2005, 10:46:

college in colombia cheaper: true. shorter: not necesarily

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Diez Y Siete says on Aug 15, 2005, 10:50:

5 years I have heard for alot of things it only takes 5 years, but i guess thats just what i hear, i know my bf is only going for 5 years to be an mechanical engineer, i would optimally like to get the equivelent of a phd, i would like to specialize in neonatalogy

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Diez Y Siete says on Aug 15, 2005, 10:52:

AND ALOT CHEEPER My bf is only paying like 2000 dollars a semester(maybe a year) here i would be spending like 20-40 thousand a year on school and i would have 4 years at a university 4 at med. then 3 specializing

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adrimm says on Aug 15, 2005, 11:35:

Specialising Will still take additional time, and as far as I know PhD programs are not that common in Colombia. How is your Spanish? Are you competent enough to manage the jargon?

If you are really serously considering this I would contact the College of Physicians in the US and ask them for all the requirements on paper, and have a good long chat with them. My understanding is that even if you can prove your academic equivelancy, the proffesional associations have a lot of rules and stringent hoops. I know a Colombian-educated medical specialist living in NYC who found it all too rigouruos and eventually just decided to retire early instead of working.

Also consider international programs in other countries. My roomate was paying about $12K USD yr to study in Canada.

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Diez Y Siete says on Aug 15, 2005, 11:39:

I feel really dumb to some degree, it would awesome to find an english speaking school, It seems dumb to even think about this because im onlt 15(almost 16) and i will be a junior but i ahve to apply to colleges soon but it seems so unreal, to have to thinnk about this. but wanting to be a doctor, school is soo expensive here and i would have over 100-200k dollars of student loans that i would be paying off for years, so im looking for cheeper alternatives

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adrimm says on Aug 15, 2005, 11:49:

Don't feel dumb Take it one step at a time. There is no rule that says you have to do it all at once, or in the same place. Is it really that much harder to get into college if you take a year off, work a little and travel a little?

I think that one of the best stepping stones into heathcare is Nursing. Go to uni, get a nursing degree (and good grades), work a few years, get some hands on experience and pay off whatever debt you have and then apply for further ed. I know 2 girls who stepped into med from nursing, one who stepped into physio, one who stepped into orthotics and prosthetics, etc.

I also had a roomate who became a hospital unit clerk (short 4-6 month course), and then later became a dietician.

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Diez Y Siete says on Aug 15, 2005, 11:54:

I though about that because i would rather be able to be with the babies all of the time and get to hold them and feed them, and eventually i want to be the stay at home mom, still have a job, but be able to be home most of the time, and doctors are always super busy, my bfs parents are both doctors and when he was growing up he had a maid that took care of him because he was always super busy, i want to always be there and be the one that volunteers at school and stuff, but my mother would never let me take a year off, in her mind i would never go back

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adrimm says on Aug 15, 2005, 12:05:

Your life, your money, your time. unless your parents are paying for school. IMHO, if they are then they'll be so relieved you went back that they'd be happy to pay.

There is a lot more in healthcare aside from medicine. Physiotherarpy, Dietetics, Tech Specialists (people that run machines during surgery - big bucks there).

Also, more and more companies and firms are becoming more flexible, offering flex time and job share etc. Small proportions now, but I expect it to grow.

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adrimm says on Aug 15, 2005, 12:08:

Stepping stone approach ie unit clerk, etc will also give you more exposure to what there is out there. I'm still amazed by the variety of fields and positions that exist in the background that we never hear about.

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Diez Y Siete says on Aug 15, 2005, 12:32:

I KNOW i want to work with special care babies my sister and mother were both in the nicu for quite sometime, my grandmother(age:49) is a rn for a level 3 nursery, its my thing, i know thats what i want, just trying to decide weather to become a doctor or a nurse,

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adrimm says on Aug 15, 2005, 13:04:

Your grandmother is 49?? She was 35 when you were born... Wow talk about having kids young.

IMHO nursing is better, less $ to get into, less stress once you are in and easy to move around with, and still able to specialise for higher wages.

(everyone wants nurses these days).

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miamimike says on Aug 15, 2005, 14:05:

Medical Courses out of the US If you are MD or Nurse from OOC(USA) you need to have your courses evaluated and translated(official) Here in Miami(south) there is a state approved agency that charges from $300-$500. If all your courses are in order, the package is sent to the Dept. of Professional Regulation for review and they notify you of their official decision. Many times(99%), FMGs need to take additional courses. Cuba is the only exception(not sure why) and their University courses transfer 100%, at least in Florida. The test notification is only to take the test here in english, not to work. Same for thOse fOREIGN Nurse's Visas, they are an entry to sit for the Test, not to work here in the USA. English has to be at the Technical Level.There may be a few Carribbean Schools that have USME approval so all the grads have to do is sit for the USME(us medical exam) test here after graduation. I beleive the Universidade del Este in Santo Domingo,DR and the Universidade de Autonomo en Guagalajara, Mexico is another. Not 100% sure. Nursing here in the USA-Very Stressful. There is a reason they run all those Nurse Help Wanted Ads in the Sunday Papers and its not for because the job pays big Bucks with low stress. The average retention rate for nurse graduates here in the US is around 3-4 years and then they leave the Industry to study something less stressful.And with less of % of contracting AIDS, Hepatitis ect.This Shortage is going to Worsen bigtime here in the USA in the next few years as many Nurses of Baby Boomer Age are looking to hang it up and kick back in early retirement! A crisis for sure! Study Physical Therapy, Good $$, cleaner aand with MUCH less stress!

"Wait a minute. What did you just say? You're predicting $4-a-gallon gas? That's interesting. I hadn't heard that." -- Feb. 28, 2008 --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C.

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adrimm says on Aug 15, 2005, 15:32:

OK No it isn't easy, but compared to medicine usually doesn't follow you home (pager etc) like medicine can. Most RNs I know work 12hrs X 3 per week, allowing them decent time at home. Easier also to justify working part time to spend time at home since it costs significantly less than becoming a medical Dr.

I know 2 medical specialists, and they have a nanny raising their kids, because have they no time. But as pointed out Nursing is great leap-off thing into better things with less stress.

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lala96 says on Aug 15, 2005, 19:40:

check local medical licensing board I have worked with Medical licensing boards and how it usually goes is that you first have to make sure the University you attend in Colombia or anywhere else in the world is listed in the American Medical Association as equivalent in the US, one school I know is the Andes in Bogota but that is suppose to be very expensive. Then you do your course of study in Colombia and have to find a residency program in the US to accept you for a 3 year program, you get paid for this about $40,000 a year like the American Medical Docs in training except they do it for 1 year and you do it for 3. You don't have to validate anything like many tales you hear out there you just have to translate your transcripts and diploma.
Another option is Ireland, great affordable medical schools.

lala96

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jaramillo says on Aug 16, 2005, 14:50:

boards Lala is right:you do not have to validate anything. However, to get a U.S. teaching hospital to offer you a residency with a colombian degree is highly unlikely, to put it mildly. At the very least, you will have to do well at the foreign boards, i.e. two days of testing with a passing rate below 10% for those taking the basic sciences and clinical components. By the way, one year residencies are virtually gone. Internal medicine is typically 3-4 years.

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Diez Y Siete says on Aug 16, 2005, 20:49:

Do nurses get paid enough in colombia, more particularly bogota, like i have heard that they get paid alot less then in the US, not like exact amount but ratio wise

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miamimike says on Aug 17, 2005, 00:28:

Nurses Salaries in Bogota??? Foreign Course Validation... Depends probably on whether you are a Nurse "Jefe"(professional-Bachelor's Degree or a Nurse "Technico"-less then a Bachelor's Degree. Speciality, years of experience you have probably also affect salary(or should anyhow, unless you have a machismo element in play). Have heard the salaries were 80% less then salaries here in the US and Canada but have not seen a Colombian Nurse's Paystub firsthand so maybe others here that have seen such can comment on Salaries.

Course Validation: Evidently there are different trains of thought on Validation/revalidation but the following Article in "Comunidad" is more or less what is followed here in Florida(unless your are from Cuba-as far as latin countries are concerned-aforementioned--courses transfer 1:1). BTW, a Colombian(from Bogota)friend who is a U of Miami Graduate(BSN-Nursing)and is originally from Bogota decided to return home(to bogota) from Miami(where she works at Jackson Memorial Hospital in ICU-last 11 years, so lots of experience)She assumed that it would be a relatively simple matter to show her Florida License, Demonstrate her Clinical Skills if need be, Colombian Passport, resume,Diploma from U of Miami with her transcripts and go to work within a few months or when a Position turned up. WOW-was she in for a Surprise-seems the equiv. to what would be our board of Nursing in Col. intended to put this RN back through Nursing school again, informing her how she would have to repeat her science courses,some nursing courses ect. NO courtesy of Validation so she could get credit for these courses. She related to me, "It's a wonder they didn't ask me to repeat Spanish 101, but they passed on this(she was a Spanish Teacher having graduated from Los Andes as a teacher(spanish) in the early 80s, guess they figured this + 40 years of speaking spanish sufficed. Speaks perfect English also-she seemed like a shoo-in, a Bi-lingual Nurse who was willing to work for maybe $15K in Bogota to be close to her aging parents. So, Unless the Foreign School's Curriculm has been evaluated by the US Credentialing organizations they then should have to perform this step here to insure Parity of Course content. Many don't like it but for patient safty(consumer)its needed.

Comunidad------------











How to Revalidate Your Profession in the United States



Many immigrants come to the United States resigned to work in any job that is available to them, because they assume that the language barrier, tests, textbooks and license validation make for a difficult process. If he or she is truly dedicated, tenacious and willing to follow the correct steps, the road to revalidating a vocation or career becomes much easier.

The majority of technical, post-graduate and doctorate degrees require a license from the state where the person is seeking employment. Before doing that, the applicant must first validate the degrees obtained in his or her native country. It may be also necessary that he or she enroll in additional educational courses, pass technical exams and the TOEFL, among other procedures.

The state department or office whose branch relates to that particular profession is the party that grants the license. For example, the Department of Health regulates any health-related profession, teachers should direct their application to the Department of Education, and the Board of Professional Engineers supervise engineers.

The first step that an immigrant (who is a college graduate) should take is to have his or her academic credentials *******evaluated***********. An institution accredited by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES : www.naces.org) should examine all titles and certifications in order to verify their validity.

English-language skills may be a requirement for some careers, such as medicine, law, odontology, engineering and accounting. Therefore, the majority of exams are written in English and the applicant must also pass the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language -- www.toefl.org).

The procedures for each particular career differ in time, type of exam and fees. You should investigate the proper procedures for your line of work keeping in mind that your state may have a profession that does not require a license. For example, in Florida, journalists, PR professionals, computer technicians, graphic designers, retailers, trade experts, chefs, etc. do not need licenses.

An applicant can also decide on a secondary license related to his or her profession. For example, in odontology, the applicant can opt for a dental hygienist license, and in medicine, he or she can apply for a medical assistant's license. For psychology, he or she can decide to apply for a counselor license; in law, they can submit an application for a license as a paralegal, or a legal consultant with an emphasis on the laws of his or her native country, etc.

If you are determined to follow the complex but more satisfying route in order to work in your own profession, the following is a brief overview that explains the revalidation procedures for certain careers:

PROCEDURE FOR DOCTORS

Foreign doctors must submit academic credentials from their native country's school of medicine to the Education Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). To obtain ECFMG certification, they will be required to satisfy a series of tests offered throughout the year. Soon after, he or she must complete a Residency Program. A year after they complete their residence program, they should take the (United States Medical Licensure Exam). Then they should complete the second year of the Residency Program, among other steps.

PROCEDURE FOR ODONTOLOGISTS

Dentists should first submit their credentials for evaluation to the Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) agency. Later they should pass Part I and II of the National Board Dental Examination and present their results to the American Dental Association's Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations. Afterward, they should complete two years of supplementary education in Odontology at a US accredited university, among other steps.

PROCEDURE FOR LAWYERS

The foreign lawyer needs to attend Law School in the United States in order to obtain a diploma. He or she must also validate the titles and certification they achieved at their country of origin. After three years of study, he or she may be eligible to receive a Juris Doctor title. The applicant must present his or her request to the bar association in the state where he or she intends to practice, and undergo a background check. Once completed, he or she can begin practice, among other steps.

PROCEDURE FOR ACCOUNTANTS

Accountants must be admitted to an Accounting program at an accredited university and complete a minimum of 15 semester hours of post degree. Nine hours must correspond to accounting, and he or she should at least three semester hours on tax education. The university must also verify that the applicant has exemplary conduct. Additionally, the applicant must present his or her credentials before an agency accredited by the Board of Accountancy, posses a license from an unaccredited school (from his native country) and demonstrate that they have completed a pre-determined amount of semester hours in accounting and business. Lastly, the applicant will have to pass the Uniform CPA Examination in order to obtain his or her state license.

PROCEDURE FOR TEACHERS

A teacher must obtain an evaluation of his or her credentials. After that, they need to present it along with a certified copy of their diplomas (clearly showing the date of graduation) to the Department of Education's State Board for Educator Certification. They can go to any public notary or directly to the School Board office to notarize the original diploma. They should then submit the results of their evaluation, a certified copy of their diploma, and a request for certification along with the corresponding fee. After approval, they will be presented with a certificate and he or she will now be authorized to teach in the United States.

"Wait a minute. What did you just say? You're predicting $4-a-gallon gas? That's interesting. I hadn't heard that." -- Feb. 28, 2008 --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C.

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Diez Y Siete says on Dec 5, 2005, 14:19:

its not common for a woman to stay at home with her kids and helo them grow up, i read that somewhere, did anyones mom here stay at home, and still live ina nice house, (in colombia)

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Lucia Rojas says on Dec 6, 2005, 19:36:

My mom stayed at home... most of the time. I hava a lot of young friends my age who have small babies and are trying to figure ways of staying home.They have carreres and all but now that they have babies they would love to stay home or free lance...

The basic medicine program is five yeras, then you would have to go two more years for neonatology. There are some excellent medicine faculties in Colombia, so you would have to research into that too. You will definetely have to learn spanish, but that is the easy part.

Nurses are not well payed in Colombia.

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Lucia Rojas says on Dec 6, 2005, 19:36:

When do you travel? Are you excited?

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jccg says on Dec 7, 2005, 06:19:

I think it would be easier All the complex procedure to pass the burocratics barriers would be true, if you do not inform yourself properly.
Colombia also put a lot of problems to professionals to be recognized... but you can avoid this problems if you validate the diplomas with the "haya" convention seal. USA and Colombia are members, so if you have the seal, any other member of the convention have to recognize you as an acredited professional.
I understand that the law field is complicated, because laws are different in each country, but medicine and other carriers are just the same in any country

This is just the true!!

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Cerealkiller says on Dec 7, 2005, 13:52:

It is indeed cheaper to get a degree here. However, if you want to work in the states you will be required to validate your courses by taking new ones which usually will take like 2 years in an american college. My parents knew a colombian doctor who moved to the states and couldnt even get into nursing, it is apparently quite difficult when you have a Colombian diploma. Have you considered taking up Nursing or Biology in the states? That would be another option.

Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are conservatives -John Stuart Mill

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