Puerto Rican Schools?

[nairopil]

Is it a complete pipe dream for a non-native Spanish speaker (me) to get into one of the Puerto Rican schools? Ponce will probably be my top choice, but I would be thrilled to get into SJB or UCC as well. Iknow they don't accept many people from outside Puerto Rico (I heard SJB accepts more than the others?), and I also worry my Spanish is not good enough. I took Spanish throughout college, including an advanced Latin American Literature class (in Spanish), but I've been out of school for almost 7 years now, and I'm very rusty. I worry that I'll sound ridiculous during the interview. Also, I heard that the few slots of non-Puerto Ricans are quite competitive (not to imply the others aren't), and my stats aren't that great (MCAT 29: ps 8, bs 10, vr 11, sGPA 3.4, cGPA 3.7).

Any advice or information from previous or current applicants/students would be much appreciated. What was the interview process like? How many non-native speakers are in your class, and how good was their Spanish when they started?

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[SoccergalGK1]

I think your stats are pretty good when compared with the averages of PR schools. You are above average for Ponce SOM science GPA and above average for their cumulative which are 3.2 and 3.5 as stated on their website. My major is Spanish and I am dreaming of attending a school in PR as well. I have like 2 more years to figure that out though. Lol

 

[Hospitalized]

Do not go to the Caribbean!!! Your stats are somewhat competitive for DO schools. In fact, you might even have a shot at low-tier MD if you have some unique ECs. Consider a post-bacc or SMP. Just avoid the Caribbean!

I think your stats are pretty good when compared with the averages of PR schools. You are above average for Ponce SOM science GPA and above average for their cumulative which are 3.2 and 3.5 as stated on their website. My major is Spanish and I am dreaming of attending a school in PR as well. I have like 2 more years to figure that out though. Lol

That goes for you too!

 

[NurWollen]

Do not go to the Caribbean!!! Your stats are somewhat competitive for DO schools. In fact, you might even have a shot at low-tier MD if you have some unique ECs. Consider a post-bacc or SMP. Just avoid the Caribbean!



That goes for you too!

Puerto Rican med schools are not Caribbean med schools. They are US MD schools. LCME accredited.
Every single time someone on SDN asks about PR schools, someone chimes in saying, "don't go to the Caribbean." Every single time.

 

[SoccergalGK1]

PR schools are also a part of the AAMC. Puerto Rico may be a territory of the US. But Puerto Ricans are US citizens. As long as the individual is sufficient in Spanish, there should be no reason NOT to apply.

 

[candbgirl]

Do not go to the Caribbean!!! Your stats are somewhat competitive for DO schools. In fact, you might even have a shot at low-tier MD if you have some unique ECs. Consider a post-bacc or SMP. Just avoid the Caribbean!



That goes for you too!

Very inaccurate advice! Are you new here? Check your facts before advising anyone.

 

[darkeon]

Here's an article I read long ago, for any curious eyes.

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/doctors-flee-puerto-rico-us-mainland

 

[Goro]

Lo más probable es cero

Is it a complete pipe dream for a non-native Spanish speaker (me) to get into one of the Puerto Rican schools? Ponce will probably be my top choice, but I would be thrilled to get into SJB or UCC as well. Iknow they don't accept many people from outside Puerto Rico (I heard SJB accepts more than the others?), and I also worry my Spanish is not good enough. I took Spanish throughout college, including an advanced Latin American Literature class (in Spanish), but I've been out of school for almost 7 years now, and I'm very rusty. I worry that I'll sound ridiculous during the interview. Also, I heard that the few slots of non-Puerto Ricans are quite competitive (not to imply the others aren't), and my stats aren't that great (MCAT 29: ps 8, bs 10, vr 11, sGPA 3.4, cGPA 3.7).

Any advice or information from previous or current applicants/students would be much appreciated. What was the interview process like? How many non-native speakers are in your class, and how good was their Spanish when they started?

 

[nairopil]

Lo más probable es cero

¿en serio? :-( ¿es sólo por mi español, o es porque mis resultados no son suficientemente altos?

 

[darkeon]

¿en serio? :-( ¿es sólo por mi español, o es porque mis resultados no son suficientemente altos?

No, not the grades. it's only because they highly tend to take students who live in Puerto Rico. In fact, if you look at previous school threads, you see that IS applicants are reviewed, interviewed, and accepted first (beginning of app cycle) Then in December, they only start to review apps from OOS and will just pick a few for kicks. You are right stating that San Juan has the highest percentage of oos acceptances (according to MSAR) but your interviews for all schools will be in english and spanish so your spanish really needs to be up to standard (which you said it's not). If you demonstrated strong committment serving hispanic communities then maybe you got a shot.

 

[Goro]

Usted necesita las habilidades lingüísticas español.

¿en serio? :-( ¿es sólo por mi español, o es porque mis resultados no son suficientemente altos?

 

[NurWollen]

Es difícil saber si la razón por tener estas escuelas de medicina a pocos estudiantes no puertorriqueños es resultado de una política propia de las escuelas, o si es por tener relativamente pocos candidatos no puertorriqueños. Hay hasta médicos en los EEUU que no saben que existen las escuelas de Puerto Rico.

 

[darkeon]

While we're going all spanish here...

Cuando vamos a tener una escuela osteopathica en Puerto Rico?

 

[darkeon]

While we're going all spanish here...

Cuando vamos a tener una escuela osteopathica en Puerto Rico?

 

[NurWollen]

While we're going all spanish here...

Cuando vamos a tener una escuela osteopathica en Puerto Rico?

That would be awesome.

 

[nairopil]

An update for anyone who might be reading back on this thread: I received IIs from all three PR schools that accept OOS applicants (Ponce, SJB and UCC). I was accepted to both SJB and Ponce and I turned down the II at UCC (it arrived after my acceptance to SJB).

As for the Spanish, my entire interview at Ponce was in Spanish, and SJB was about 50/50. I did stumble on some conjugations and vocabulary and I had to throw in an English word a couple times, but I found I was able to have largely the same conversations that I had at English interviews on the mainland. I think the interviewers were more interested in seeing if I could communicate and cared less about how polished my Spanish was (the assumption being it will improve by the time I begin clinical rotations in 2 years). My interviewer at Ponce even implied that they are looking at relaxing their Spanish requirements, and according to their website it seems that they now only require 3 credits of Spanish. I think UCC has a reputation for being the most strict about their Spanish language requirements, but obviously I can't speak to that from first-hand experience.

So for any non-native Spanish speakers looking at PR schools, I'd say if you are at least conversational and have the requisite Spanish credits (6 for UCC, 12 for SJB, and 3 for Ponce), you have a chance.

Stats:
MCAT 29: ps 8, bs 10, vr 11, sGPA 3.4, cGPA 3.7
Nontraditional Student
Plenty of clinical experience (paid as a social worker, unpaid as a free clinic volunteer)
Plenty of volunteer experience, both clinical and nonclinical
No traditional shadowing
15 credits of Spanish