Anyone know?

[cpb80]

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Hello, I was wondering if anyone is applying to Ponce School of Medicine in Puerto Rico or what your perceptions are of Ponce SOM. Just to give you a brief background of myself so you may gauge whether or not Ponce would be a good school for me...

MCAT: 28Q
BCPM GPA 3.31, Overall GPA 3.4
Undergrad: Cornell
Speak Spanish (Puerto Rican)
Interested in Surgery, possibly Emergency Med, possibly Trauma surg
Want to practice in the states (ie New York)
Interested in working with Spanish speaking pop's
Currently an ESL teacher

I am currently applying to allopathic schools in the states for the fall of 2005.
So far I have received some interviews at allopathic schools in the states, but I am seriously considering going to Ponce SOM if I do not receive any acceptances.

I have heard that students from Ponce do not have trouble matching, but how is the training? Is there good clinical experience?

Should I improve my MCAT and GPA and apply again to schools in the states for fall of 2006 (though I wouldn't be able to improve my BCPM GPA significantly before fall of 2006) instead of going to Ponce?

Is going to Ponce, which is LCME accredited more highly regarded than going to the other schools in the carib (ie SGU, Ross, AUC etc)?

Any help is much appreciated!

 

[getunconcsious]

I really don't know, but i'll bump this so maybe someone who does will read it...

I know Ponce is usually listed in books with the US Med schools so it stands to reason that it would be better thought of than the other offshores, but who knows.

 

[rambo]

I know very little, but just judging by stats I would say you've got a decent shot at many of the MD programs here on the mainland.

 

[TexPre-Med]

Seriously reconsider ever attending Ponce. Your stats aren't bad, keep trying.

 

[DieselPetrolGrl]

Hello, I was wondering if anyone is applying to Ponce School of Medicine in Puerto Rico or what your perceptions are of Ponce SOM. Just to give you a brief background of myself so you may gauge whether or not Ponce would be a good school for me...

MCAT: 28Q
BCPM GPA 3.31, Overall GPA 3.4
Undergrad: Cornell
Speak Spanish (Puerto Rican)
Interested in Surgery, possibly Emergency Med, possibly Trauma surg
Want to practice in the states (ie New York)
Interested in working with Spanish speaking pop's
Currently an ESL teacher

I am currently applying to allopathic schools in the states for the fall of 2005.
So far I have received some interviews at allopathic schools in the states, but I am seriously considering going to Ponce SOM if I do not receive any acceptances.

I have heard that students from Ponce do not have trouble matching, but how is the training? Is there good clinical experience?

Should I improve my MCAT and GPA and apply again to schools in the states for fall of 2006 (though I wouldn't be able to improve my BCPM GPA significantly before fall of 2006) instead of going to Ponce?

Is going to Ponce, which is LCME accredited more highly regarded than going to the other schools in the carib (ie SGU, Ross, AUC etc)?

Any help is much appreciated!

wth ur stats are OK mr.OP
btw think of the hurricanes!!!
i am in florida and hurricanes alone scare me bad enough to scurry inland!
i dont think PR is safe from those bad boys..but then again u have toucans...such such pretty birds!




apply to state schools + a bunch of out of state private
also if you are Female and Hispanic try Meharry - i know i will get a flame torch on my bk for saying this but a lot of my classmates from down here in miami got in there during the last two cycles..a few even atteneded and seem happy..via xmas cards atleast ..good luck in week of 11/29

 

[Dr Who]

wth ur stats are OK mr.OP
btw think of the hurricanes!!!
i am in florida and hurricanes alone scare me bad enough to scurry inland!
i dont think PR is safe from those bad boys..but then again u have toucans...such such pretty birds!


WTF... Dude there are NO toucans in Puerto Rico. LOL You are mistaking Puerto Rico for some other place. Toucans are native in CENTRAL AMERICA and Puerto Rico is in the Caribbean.

Just wanted to let you know.

 

[vanelo]

Seriously reconsider ever attending Ponce. Your stats aren't bad, keep trying.

Texans... 👎 👎

 

[TexPre-Med]

Texans... 👎 👎

Not just Texans. Why go to a school that is made fun of in most parts of America when you have those stats? It will be incredibly hard to get a decent residency no matter what they say.

 

[PineappleGirl]

Is going to Ponce, which is LCME accredited more highly regarded than going to the other schools in the carib (ie SGU, Ross, AUC etc)?

Yes, yes, by all means yes! Definitely opt for PR before the Carib.

Good luck to you. Like those who posted above, I also think you have a good shot at mainland schools.

 

[PineappleGirl]

Hi again,

I forgot to add, if you have strong ties to Puerto Rico, (e.g., born there, parents live there, went to HS there, etc.) you should apply to UPR. You can't beat the tuition!

http://medweb.rcm.upr.edu/

 

[vanelo]

Not just Texans. Why go to a school that is made fun of in most parts of America when you have those stats? It will be incredibly hard to get a decent residency no matter what they say.

Maybe you should travel more often and visit some residents that graduated from Ponce and are now PGY-2 in radiology UMASS or dermatology in a top 3 program, or maybe PGY-3 in surgery at Baylor, orthopedics in the top program... Oh, and say hi to the ophthalmology chief resident at NYEEI (top 15 program)

Do you want me tro continue the list?

 

[TexPre-Med]

Congrats, you listed a few successful people. I could do that for any school. The point is, if you want to get a residency in the U.S., you will be much more competitive from a U.S. school. You know the pecking order as much as I do: M.D. (U.S.) - D.O. - M.D. (non-U.S.) . I'm not saying it is right or wrong to do this, but it is fact. Comparing shear numbers in top residencies/positions in medicine, Ponce pulls the bottom of the list. Sure Ponce students can excel and do, the road is much longer at Ponce. Acquiring a spot in the U.S. is SOOOOOOOOOOO much easier if you attend school in the U.S.

 

[melimi]

Congrats, you listed a few successful people. I could do that for any school. The point is, if you want to get a residency in the U.S., you will be much more competitive from a U.S. school. You know the pecking order as much as I do: M.D. (U.S.) - D.O. - M.D. (non-U.S.) . I'm not saying it is right or wrong to do this, but it is fact. Comparing shear numbers in top residencies/positions in medicine, Ponce pulls the bottom of the list. Sure Ponce students can excel and do, the road is much longer at Ponce. Acquiring a spot in the U.S. is SOOOOOOOOOOO much easier if you attend school in the U.S.

dude..... uhm.... sorry to burst ur bubble and completely tear apart that last statement, but...... Ponce is a US allopathic med school. so it would actually fall under your little "M.D. (U.S.)" classification.

 

[nena]

exactly what i was about to post! PONCE, UCC, and UPR are all US schools!! so all three would be first on your little list.. 😀 sorry..don't cry, dry your eye... oh, and for the first person who posted, go to the intl forum, general discussion, you'll find some great but limited info there...

 

[Dr Who]

Congrats, you listed a few successful people. I could do that for any school. The point is, if you want to get a residency in the U.S., you will be much more competitive from a U.S. school. You know the pecking order as much as I do: M.D. (U.S.) - D.O. - M.D. (non-U.S.) . I'm not saying it is right or wrong to do this, but it is fact. Comparing shear numbers in top residencies/positions in medicine, Ponce pulls the bottom of the list. Sure Ponce students can excel and do, the road is much longer at Ponce. Acquiring a spot in the U.S. is SOOOOOOOOOOO much easier if you attend school in the U.S.

Before you go on giving bogus advice to those impressionable pre meds out there, I just wanted to let you know that Ponce is an accredited US MED SCHOOL!

 

[TexPre-Med]

If so, I have to admit that I was misinformed. I had always been told that Ponce was similar to Caribbean schools in nature, and my pre-med advisor has shown little respect for such schools. I apologize and for the original poster, keep on trucking. With your stats, you will get in somewhere.

 

[Dr Who]

Its ok man,
To all Pre meds out there:
BUY THE MSAR!!!
It will answer most if not all your questions.