Puerto Rico

Nontraditional Premed Discussion
1

Has anyone applied to any of the 3 schools in PR? I know there are 4 but only three are accredited by the LCME and 1 is for PR residents only. Which leaves 2 the average Americano can apply to. So…anyone bother applying? Was the Spanish requirement enough to detract from applying?

2

Crooz -


Check out the MSAR. I believe the Spanish requirements are indeed pretty stiff. Additionally, I think they take very few applicants who are not residents of Puerto Rico or of Puerto Rican descent.

3

Emergency,


I appreciate the reply. However I’m looking for more than the average replies. I bought the MSAR, read the schools websites, and called the schools to hear what they had to say. Now I’m wondering who has applied and what they thought or experienced. The info you posted is inaccurate according to the websites and admission counselors at the schools. Unless what you posted is from experience then I would love to see more.

4

Crooz -


I did not personally apply to the Puerto Rican schools, so I am just going from what I remember from my research when I applied a couple of years ago. Even though the two PR med schools accept applications from non-PR residents/descendants, from what I remember of the stats that year, the two schools only accepted about 5 people between the two of them who were non-residents.


As for the Spanish requirements - The actual number of credit hours of Spanish classes required, is actually not that many, it’s the caveat that they throw in there about fluency:


Ponce - completely bilingual


UPR - demonstrated fluency in speaking, reading and writing both languages is required


Universidad Central del Caribe - Applicants must demonstrate proficiency in both Spanish and English


Since I have no idea what your level of Spanish is, I can’t speculate on whether or not you meet those criteria. I also didn’t go through their testing for fluency, so I have no idea how rigorous it is. I just know that I didn’t feel that I could meet their fluency requirements, and I have a degree in Spanish, taught Spanish for 10 years and have visited PR. I would have had to made a serious effort to get my Spanish (especially w/ Puerto Rican requirement) up to snuff via some sort of immersion program prior to applying.


The PR schools are definitely attractive - tuition is dirt cheap compared to US schools, and obviously the location and weather are beautiful. Please don’t think that I am discouraging you from applying there when the time comes. If you have done your research and feel you meet the requirements, then apply. Even though (IMO), the odds don’t seem that good if you are non-resident/non-bilingual, you never know unless you try.


You might try browsing/posting your questions in the Latino/Hispanic thread on SDN. Your odds are probably better there of finding someone with first hand experience about the PR schools.


Amy

5

Thanks Amy.


I’m Cuban-American, so my native language is Spanish. I’m hesitant to post on SDN. Not worth the flames from the juvenile wannabe gunners.

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Ah, see - I was not aware that your native language was Spanish. Obviously, the language requirement will not be an issue for you then. Seems the main issue then for you will be the PR resident thing, how many non-PR students the schools accept and whether or not you want to spend the money applying there (one of them wanted $100 for their secondary!) If my Spanish was better (and my spouse not totally opposed to the idea of living anywhere south of Tennessee) I might have applied to the PR schools just for the heck of it.


As an interesting side note - I think the PR schools will be increasngly less likely to accept non-residents in the future. According to a recent news report PR is facing a potential crisis because so many professionals (doctors, teachers, etc) are leaving PR for the mainland where they can make a much better living.


Amy

7

Croooz;


If I correctly recall, you are of Latin American descent? If you are fluent in Spanish, I’d say give it a go! No doubt, it supposed to be a gorgeous place.


I would think, esp as low as tuition there vs mainland schools, that it would be worth the expense of applying. I strongly suspect, at least from a number perspective, if you are a competitive applicant stateside, then you would be as well in PR.


Worst thing they can do is no…but, they sure as hell can’t say YES if you do not give it whirl.

8

Yep! Guilty as charged.





Thanks OMD! I’ve got a little while till I play the MCAT game but I’m starting to look at different schools. The PR schools would be great since my wife has gotten into geneology and since her parents are from PR it would be a great 4 years for her. Not to mention my attraction to PR…cadavers.


I mean I would definitely love to study in PR. I’m just pointing out how it would be great for my family. I mean, heck, I’m into diving so it would be great to have the that as a stress relief along with the scenery…

  • OldManDave Said:
Croooz;

If I correctly recall, you are of Latin American descent? If you are fluent in Spanish, I'd say give it a go! No doubt, it supposed to be a gorgeous place.

I would think, esp as low as tuition there vs mainland schools, that it would be worth the expense of applying. I strongly suspect, at least from a number perspective, if you are a competitive applicant stateside, then you would be as well in PR.

Worst thing they can do is no...but, they sure as hell can't say YES if you do not give it whirl.

9
  • croooz Said:
Has anyone applied to any of the 3 schools in PR? I know there are 4 but only three are accredited by the LCME and 1 is for PR residents only. Which leaves 2 the average Americano can apply to. So....anyone bother applying? Was the Spanish requirement enough to detract from applying?



Hi. I did apply to both schools. The one in Ponce and the other one. I heard back from the Unversidad del Caribe, or whatever it is called... I think that's the one in Ponce. They wanted to know if I was planning on taking the 6 semester hours of Spanish, in which case, it sounded like I might have gotten an interview. At that point I already had one acceptance and things were looking good from my interview in my first choice school, so I kind of blew them off.

My Spanish is barely even conversational, although I have a knack for languages (and my original degree was in Linguistics). I had originally thought I could get conversational enough to make it through an interview, but after I started looking into it in earnest, realized no way. I blieve they have the applicant(s) read a Spanish article and then discuss it... or maybe write a short essay about it, something liket that. When I saw that I was happy I had decided to not follow up with them anyway. I want to become fluent in Spanish, but I'll get to do that in San Antonio with much less pressure of course.

Anyway, it sounded to me like you have to have a pretty decent Spanish speaking ability (which you obviously do) before you ever even make it in there.

I agree, the area looks pretty, although Ponce is one of the most populated areas of PR.
10

Thanks for the info Sam.


I PM’d a few people at SDN and the responses were all the same. I feel good about my chances as long as my application is competitive for continental US schools then I should be fine with PR. I was even looking into moving on the island and finishing my prereqs there. I would then qualify for University of PR which has a tuition of $6500k/year… I wish! It would require too much to move and such but man that would be sweet.


My wife has already warned me about keeping my eyes inside my head if we do go to PR. There was also mention of Loraina Bobbitt but I wasn’t sure what that meant…