Using your Philippines education to advance your healthcare career in the US

If you want to be a healthcare professional or study in the US, you may be overwhelmed by the options and requirements. Learn about using your Philippines education for the best pathway into a US healthcare career.

Shortage of healthcare workers in the US

There is a growing demand in the US for healthcare workers, such as nurses, lab techs, assistants, and physicians for primary, preventative, home, and specialty care. To meet the demand, many US employers are turning to foreign-educated staff, and colleges are recruiting students from the Philippines. To get started some applicants need to meet US education admissions requirements.

Admissions requirements

To get acceptance letters from US colleges and nursing programs, first check their websites to see what to include in your application for an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), or other degree or certificate. Often you will need a Philippines or foreign high school degree with a Course-by-Course credential evaluation showing your studies in biology, chemistry, and math with at least a grade of C or higher, and an overall grade-point-average (GPA) above 2.75 or 3.0. You may be able to transfer credit to reduce the time you need to spend in school. To improve your chances, you may want to apply to multiple schools.

How to meet the requirements

To determine if you meet the requirements many schools require a Course-by-Course credential evaluation from a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). Check to see if the agency’s fee includes sharing your foreign educational degree evaluation results with multiple schools or if they charge extra for sending results to multiple programs.

Personal qualifications

You may also need to take the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) for school applications. Be prepared to write a personal essay describing your desire to attend college and pursue a clinical career. Your English proficiency may be tested in an admission interview to determine if you can answer ethical and practical questions, such as what to do in a low blood sugar situation. There are practice tests online to help you prepare.

Internships and jobs

Many Filipino students advance their careers with internships and employment while attending school. Some students work as Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs), helping patients while becoming a Nursing Technician (NTEC), Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), Registered Nurse (RN), or Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners (ARNP). Each level requires specific qualifications and testing, depending on the state.

Certification and compliance

When applying for US jobs your employer will check your credentials, foreign transcript evaluation, certifications, and licensing to make sure you comply with state requirements. Once hired, you will go through onboarding as your employer sets up payroll taxes, benefits, and establishes your wage in US dollars. You can set up remittances to send home in dollars or Philippine Pesos.

Bringing family to the US

Many global healthcare workers bring their families because they earn higher salaries in the US. Depending on your qualifications, you may qualify for an F, J, EB, Diversity Visa, or other immigration visa or green card. There is also the H-1B specialty occupation visa requiring a Document-by-Document credential evaluation showing your equivalent of a four-year bachelor’s degree or higher, and you may need an Expert Opinion from a qualified professor to meet USCIS requirements.

Choosing the Best Credential Evaluation for using your Philippines education in the US

With decades of credential evaluation experience helping people in the Philippines work or study in the US, Foundation for International Services (FIS) is a leading credential evaluation agency. FIS is a member of NACES, the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services and provides Course-by-Course and Document-by-Document and credential evaluation service, plus Expert Opinions by professors via mobile phone, online or email application.

FIS also provides foreign document translation into English from Spanish, Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon, and more. FIS can provide your credential evaluation results to multiple schools, licensing boards and employers, all included in the single fee. All to advance your healthcare career in the USA!

Using your Philippines education to advance your healthcare career in the US is Smart and Easy!

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