But after a fierce struggle to get into medical school, she foresees challenges in finding hands-on medical training — known as a residency — in Puerto Rico. And because of poor job prospects on the island afterward, she expects her career to steer her far from home. University authorities and the A.M.A. conducted separate studies to determine the viability of such a school; both concluded that Puerto Rico could support a medical college, but endorsed only a “Class A” school. puerto rico medical school There was less of a consensus concerning the benefits and objectives of the school, its location, and the relationship between the proposed institution and the existing School of Tropical Medicine. These issues embroiled a number of academic and political parties in a struggle which lasted five years. All four medical schools in Puerto Rico are AAMC member institutions and are key contributors in generating diversity among the U.S. physician workforce and beyond.

The consequences of the projected PCP shortage may represent a more significant challenge for the US territories such as Puerto Rico compared to the mainland. The estimated average of PCPs per 100,000 people in the continent is 156.7, while in PR, this number is reduced to 120.7. Thank you for your interest in supporting Kaiser Health News , the nation’s leading nonprofit newsroom focused on health and health policy. We distribute our journalism for free and without advertising through media partners of all sizes and in communities large and small.

I am currently finishing up my second year in Puerto Rico as an out of state student and am beginning to study for step. University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine has the most enrolled first-year students of 109 and San Juan Bautista School of Medicine has the least enrolled students of 60. Discover the schools, companies, and neighborhoods that are right for you. Each school lists on their website that they are accredited by the LCME. Ponce School of Medicine has been in existence for about 41 years, and they have graduated some 2,000 physicians. Also, graduation requirements mandate that all students take and pass the USMLE exam, which is nice, but expected since Puerto Rico is part of the US.

UCC, U of PR, and San Juan Bautista, are among the four LCME-accredited medical schools on the island. “I don’t think that all four schools had gotten together before to do this type of educational event, and it was unique because it was for medical students solely,” said Vázquez. Parrilla enjoyed the opportunity to speak with students at other schools with a shared purpose. University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine is located in San Juan, PR, founded in 1950 and it has total 468 medical school students.

The school has a strong emphasis on community intervention, and students are encouraged to be involved in the community as well as in student organizations. The UPRSM has a selective admissions process and only accepts a limited number of students each year. The admissions committee looks at each applicant’s academic record, MCAT score, letters of recommendation, and personal statement when making their decision.

HEALTHCARESTUDIES connects students with medical schools and healthcare degrees around the world. And because healthcare is a global need, HEALTHCARESTUDIES is available in 40+ languages, making it easy for the right healthcare students to find the right medical degrees. The San Juan Bautista School of Medicine is a 4-year MD-granting program that welcomed their first class in 1979. It is a community-based medical school focused on providing humanistic medicine. San Juan Bautista School of Medicine follows a traditional curriculum, with the first two years focused on biomedical sciences.

It took Reyes four rejections, two schools and a master’s degree to secure her place in med school. The Latino Medical Student Association represents Latino medical students from across the United States, and a fair number of us are Puerto Rican. We had been hearing stories about Puerto Rican medical students who were really struggling, so another student and I reached out to see what we could do to help.

The school has produced many notable alumni, who have made significant contributions to the field of medicine. When a child in Puerto Rico needs a specific kind of medical procedure, their primary care doctor contacts Dr. Carlos Llorens. The head of Interventional Radiology at Puerto Rico’s University Pediatric Hospital , he’s the only pediatric specialist of his kind on the island.