Post Graduate Studies

Learning is not a spectator sport. 

– D. Blocher

Not everyone is born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Many people with luck are able to finish secondary education, since most of the time it is compulsory to most countries around the world, but not an undergraduate degree. All over the world, tertiary education seems to be luxury still for most people but for those who dream bigger, also look forward to what's available beyond a Professional Degree. 

When I was younger, I always wanted to be doctor. In the country where I came from, one must need to study a 4-year or a 5-year course then take the National Medical Admission Test to enter any medical school in the Philippines. This system is similar to the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) of the United States which was developed to resolve the high drop-out rate problem in the past. 

What do I look forward to doing in the future after finishing an undergraduate degree in Pharmacy here in Chile? 

Basically, I have many options but things may become difficult for me since I will be in a big debt after finishing the course. It is a common knowledge that tertiary education in Chile is one of the most expensive in the region. To be fair though, the country has the few of the best Universities in Latin America. In University of Chile, its Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences offers a lot of post graduate programs from diploma courses to Doctorate degrees in the different areas of specialization in Chemistry, Food Engineering and Pharmacy to further enhance the capabilities of Chemists, Food Engineers and Pharmacists in the country. On top of that, if time and budget allows it, you can skip taking a Master's Degree all together and take a Ph.D which is very much unlike in some other countries where it is a requirement to have an M.S or M.A to take a Ph.D. 

I haven´t really decided yet what to study but most probably, it would be pursuing Medicine in the future in the Philippines or in the US to fulfill my childhood dream of becoming a Doctor. Having been here in Chile for a long time, I can't help but to feel homesick at times so going back there for some time is always in my mind. I have seen many possibilities of also pursuing postgrad in the Philippines like taking a Master's Degree or even a PhD in Pharmacy in the Royal and Pontifical University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines, a well-known centre of excellence in the field of the Pharmacy in the region being also the oldest University in Asia having been founded by the Spaniards in 1611. 

Having a postgraduate degree would certainly open a lot more avenues for me to explore the science of Pharmacy. The future is bright for those who dream big and work hard to reaching their dreams. 

All the best in the future!