My first semester at IAUPR School of Optometry

[deleted943444]

I choose IAUPR because it made sense economically for me, even though I got accepted into other schools, I was scared because of all the things I read here so I wanted to share my overall experience for my first semester and I hope it helps people who are apprehensive about coming to PR.

CLASSES
The first block of the test was the hardest for me because I was making very extensive reviews from lectures + books and the grades I got where below what I expected. I was studying in a very comprehensive manner, trying to understand concepts rather than memorizing random facts, but then I noticed that the hardest classes where memorization heavy. I quickly changed to flashcard systems (like Anki and Quizlet) and started using the books only when I did not understand a concept in the lecture, except for Optics where I always used the books. Academically this semester was a LOT harder than I expected, but I studied as I had never before and ended up with very good grades. I read here once that people had old tests for classes and I saw some of them (they are mostly things students mark/write that they remember from tests) and If you studied only from what other students have you will fail. Most professors did not repeat a lot of questions, it may help you to know the way they ask questions, but that's about it. At the end, a big chunk of students did not pass pharmacology, which may be the hardest class in my opinion.

FACULTY
The professors are nice, and most of them have the student's best interests in mind. A couple of them were very mediocre and I did not like their style of teaching at all, which is why I dedicated those classes the most time and at the end, it paid off. I did not like that there is a pattern of bad communication about simple things like what is going to be tested, punctuality from the faculty, and quiz dates. Just like in college, there are some very good professors, and there are very bad ones, I would say most of them are good. The school is extremely attentive to students that are from the US, which is good. Yes, a lot of professors have a thick accent and they make grammatical mistakes even in tests, I really do not think an accent means that you don't dominate a language, but I know some people may not like that.

STUDENTS/HOUSING/PUERTO RICO
The first month was very hard for the students that were not from PR, especially if they were used to being close to their families, but it got better with time. I feel like a lot of students from the US complain a lot, even about simple things and are very entitled. Maybe they come off that way to people from the Island because they are used to a certain style of education, teaching, grocery stores, and culture in general, which I completely understand. If you are moving to PR you must know the town where the school is located is not pretty, but it is close to all of the relevant places to eat, drink and to nice touristy places on the metropolitan part of the island. The housing was the best part of the whole experience, I had amazing roommates and it was literally 2 minutes away from the classroom so it is very convenient. Also, I did not have to buy furniture which was great. It is completely possible to live without a car, a lot of my classmates did it, but obviously it would be comfortable to have a car. The best option is to buy a used car from upperclassmen or to lease, I do not recommend buying from random sellers because they sell mostly pieces of junk that are very pricey and will give you a lot of trouble and extra stress that you don't need. You have to uber to get groceries and the closest place is 10min away. There is a Costco and sams 20min away and the biggest mall in the Caribbean (Plaza Las Americas) is 25min away. I did not go out/party a lot, maybe 2 or 3 times during the whole semester, but a lot of students go out every weekend, that depends on your style of studying and whatever works for you.

In general, this semester was a challenge academically and a very big change, but I'm glad about picking the school. If anyone something specific you want to know about the school or PR just let me know.


SECOND SEMESTER UPDATE

Hello! I just wanted to give an update regarding my feelings towards the school, now that I'm about to finish my second semester of Optometry. I still feel like the stuff I read in threads here is very discouraging and way worse than what it actually is.

Over this year I have learned by the students that take the Spanish course that if your goal is to become fully fluent in Spanish that definitely won't happen. The Spanish class (given only during the first year) helps you in basic communication and in medical terms so you can perform optometric procedures in Spanish, but it is very basic knowledge. I feel like I got the hang of classes and I'm doing very well, again what works to study is spaced repetition and active recall. Additionally, you have to be very organized or else you will fall behind and it will make getting good grades impossible (since the material for classes like pharmacology is not really taught in a coherent easy way, you have to work harder in order to understand)! I got accepted in NSU, MCPHS & Salus and I don't regret picking IAUPR, but I do understand when people say you may have a better experience in other schools. Professors here are very hit or miss, you either love them or you hate them, and there are definitely better & more efficient ways of teaching complicated concepts. I am biased because I studied in PR's public education system where you have to be able to teach yourself, so I am used to this style of teaching. But you definitely get all the materials you need to do good in class, you just have to study the class presentations and supplement with the books for practice questions.

Regarding the COVID-19 situation, the school was extremely unorganized in the first weeks of online classes, they gave us 2 weeks off so they could prepare and it was still very messy at the beginning. Now that a few weeks have gone by it seems like the professors are more organized, but at the beginning, it was a hot mess. We are definitely working way harder online and spend more time on a computer than we do in class, but I've heard from friends in other graduate programs that the same thing is happening to them.

I know other graduate programs are system based so they take only one test which includes material from all their classes, at IAUPR we get individual tests from every class, they usually don't overlap and the most we have in a week is 2 tests. That system does make finals very intense because you have to take comprehensive finals of each and every class. Its definitely not easy, the stress levels get to you sometimes, but it's doable. Besides that, I have no other complaints for now, my first year of optometry has been pretty good.

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[optsuker]

If your goal is to practice in the states, choosing IAUPR is by far the riskiest move you can make.
Until their NBEO pass rate improves, why risk the chance that you will have a diploma, but no choice in where you can practice.

IMO, it should never be chosen if you've been accepted somewhere else.

 

[jilliberta]

I choose IAUPR because it made sense economically for me, even though I got accepted into other schools, I was scared because of all the things I read here so I wanted to share my overall experience for my first semester and I hope it helps people who are apprehensive about coming to PR.

CLASSES
The first block of test was the hardest for me because I was making very extensive reviews from lectures + books and the grades I got where below what I expected. I was studying in a very comprehensive manner, trying to understand concepts rather than memorizing random facts, but then I noticed that the hardest classes where memorization heavy. I quickly changed to flashcard systems (like anki and quizlet) and started using the books only when I did not understand a concept in lecture, except for Optics where I always used the books. Academically this semester was a LOT harder than what I expected, but I studied like I had never before and ended up with very good grades. I read here once that people had old tests for classes and I saw some of them (they are mostly things students mark/write that they remember from tests) and If you studied only from what other students have you will fail. Most professors did not repeat a lot of questions, it may help you to know the way they ask questions, but that's about it. At the end a big chunk of students did not pass pharmacology, which may be the hardest class in my opinion.

FACULTY
The professors are nice and most of them have the students best interest in mind. A couple of them were very mediocre and I did not like their style of teaching at all, which is why I dedicated those classes the most time and at the end it payed off. I did not like that there is a pattern of bad communication about simple things like what is going to be tested, punctuality from the faculty and quiz dates. Just like in college, there are some very good professors and there are very bad ones, I would say most of them are good. The school is extremely attentive with students that are from the US, which is good.

STUDENTS/HOUSING/PUERTO RICO
The first month was very hard for the students that were not from PR, specially if they were used to being close to their families, but it got better with time. I feel like a lot of students from the US complain a lot, even about simple things and are very entitled. Maybe they come off that way to people from the Island, because they are used to a certain style of education, teaching, grocery stores and culture in general, which I completely understand. If your are moving to PR you must know the town where the school is located is not pretty, but it is close to all of the relevant places to eat, drink and to nice touristy places on the metropolitan part of the island. The housing was the best part of the whole experience, I had amazing roommates and it was literally 2 minutes away from the classroom so it is very convenient. Also, I did not have to buy furniture which was great. It is completely possible to live without a car, a lot of my classmates did it, but obviously it would be comfortable to have a car. The best option is to buy a used car from an upperclassmen or to lease, I do not recommend buying from random sellers because they sell mostly pieces of junk that are very pricey and will give you a lot of trouble and extra stress that you dont need. You have to uber to get groceries and the closest place is 10min away. There is a costco and sams 20min away and the biggest mall in the Caribbean (Plaza Las Americas) is 25min away. I did not go out/party a lot, maybe 2 or 3 times during the whole semester, but a lot of students go out every weekend, that depends on your style of studying and whatever works for you.

In general, this semester was a challenge academically and a very big change, but Im glad about picking the school. If anyone something specific you want to know about the school or PR just let me know.

I am interested in IAUPR, but I am hesitant because I’m not from PR. I am “near-native” fluent in Spanish. I was an exchange student in Mexico, I lived there 1.5 years total, and my first degree was in Spanish. I’ve also worked in healthcare with Spanish speaking communities here, and I’m comfortable with it. I adapt well to different cultural environments, I’ve lived in 5 states as an adult, but I’m still apprehensive. I don’t know that much about PR, most Spanish speakers I know are from the states or Mexico. Do you think it’s hard for students who aren’t from PR, even if they speak Spanish well? Also, hurricanes are terrifying, I’ve only ever dealt with tornadoes and the fear of earthquakes. Is that a deal breaker?

 

[deleted943444]

If your goal is to practice in the states, choosing IAUPR is by far the riskiest move you can make.
Until their NBEO pass rate improves, why risk the chance that you will have a diploma, but no choice in where you can practice.

IMO, it should never be chosen if you've been accepted somewhere else.

Although I understand where you are coming from, it is not completely true, since it is the only optometry school in PR and all of the excellent optometrists I have shadowed and met during the years graduated from IAUPR and a lot of them have worked in the states to pay off their student loans faster than in PR. It is a known fact that the school accepts students with low GPA's and OAT scores, which may influence the fact that a lot of students dont pass some classes that first semester and may have an effect on the board pass rates.

 

[deleted943444]

I am interested in IAUPR, but I am hesitant because I’m not from PR. I am “near-native” fluent in Spanish. I was an exchange student in Mexico, I lived there 1.5 years total, and my first degree was in Spanish. I’ve also worked in healthcare with Spanish speaking communities here, and I’m comfortable with it. I adapt well to different cultural environments, I’ve lived in 5 states as an adult, but I’m still apprehensive. I don’t know that much about PR, most Spanish speakers I know are from the states or Mexico. Do you think it’s hard for students who aren’t from PR, even if they speak Spanish well? Also, hurricanes are terrifying, I’ve only ever dealt with tornadoes and the fear of earthquakes. Is that a deal breaker?

I think it would be way more comfortable for an already Spanish speaking student to live in PR, in comparison to people who dont know the language or have never been in different cultures. One of the things people from the US find different from their states is the infrastructure, which has always been sub par but got worse after María, and the grocery stores which are way smaller than in the states. From you living in Mexico for a while I can assure you that you may get used to PR quickly. The hurricanes can be a deal breaker, since each hurricane season gets more active as the years pass. The school has water reserves and generators for every housing building but hurricanes can be though even with those resources.

 

[Bell101]

Hi!
I saw your post about iaupr and was so thankful that there was somebody saying good things about the school LOL.
So I was recently accepted and was wondering if students are able to work while in school?

 

[deleted943444]

Hi!
I saw your post about iaupr and was so thankful that there was somebody saying good things about the school LOL.
So I was recently accepted and was wondering if students are able to work while in school?

Hi, you may work as a class scribe and if you do well in classes you can become a tutor, but that's about it. There is really not enough time in a day to work and be up to date academically, plus sometimes the schedules are not great and you may have classes from 10am to 7 pm.

 

[optometry97]

Hello OP!! I'd like to ask you a few questions about the school if you didn't mind?? I'm unable to send you a message for some reason, can you PM me??
Thank you!!!

 

[eye.believe]

If your goal is to practice in the states, choosing IAUPR is by far the riskiest move you can make.
Until their NBEO pass rate improves, why risk the chance that you will have a diploma, but no choice in where you can practice.

IMO, it should never be chosen if you've been accepted somewhere else.

Based on my experience, it doesn't matter where you graduated. Students from other schools struggle with the board exams as well. Yes, the pass rate is low for IAUPR for first time test takers but it doesn't mean you will never pass. Students from IAUPR will eventually pass all parts of boards, just like from any other school. But it all depends on the student, not the school. The student will have to put in the hard work to succeed.

 

[mmart77]

Hello Milky way!!
Can you tell me more about the dorms, how are the bathrooms? Do you have pics or videos you can share! And is there a gym?

 

[deleted943444]

Hello Milky way!!
Can you tell me more about the dorms, how are the bathrooms? Do you have pics or videos you can share! And is there a gym?

HI! The dorms are in really good condition. They are a decent size apartment with 4 rooms and 2 bathrooms, so you share a bathroom with 1 person. They have all the basics (fridge, washer, and dryer, bed, sofa, dining room, etc). The gym is small it was under construction this year, and I haven't gone recently so I don't know if the construction had finished, but it was too small for me, so I paid for one outside the school. I'll try to send you some pictures, but I think there are some available in the school website.

 

[Palz]

Hi!
I saw your post about iaupr and was so thankful that there was somebody saying good things about the school LOL.
So I was recently accepted and was wondering if students are able to work while in school?

Hey are you going to IAUPR

 

[2020od]

Hi!
I saw your post about iaupr and was so thankful that there was somebody saying good things about the school LOL.
So I was recently accepted and was wondering if students are able to work while in school?

Classes at IAUPR are challenging but it is very possible to excel academically. I studied constantly during the week and especially weekends my whole time there. Starting the second semester of my 1st year, I really increased my studying and time management. I do not recommend working during school. You'll definitely be sacrificing at least one element of your life whether it'll be school, sleep, or social life. Hope this helps!

 

[futureoptt]

Hello, I wanted to ask if you heard of any students transferring to IAUPR from other optometry schools. I am scared I will get dismissed due to poor academic performance (family health related story why). I was thinking to apply here to see if they can take me and I can complete my degree there. Also for the fourth year are all the rotation sites in PR? or do they have ones available in the states? Thank you so much for anyone in advanced

 

[2020od]

Hello, I wanted to ask if you heard of any students transferring to IAUPR from other optometry schools. I am scared I will get dismissed due to poor academic performance (family health related story why). I was thinking to apply here to see if they can take me and I can complete my degree there. Also for the fourth year are all the rotation sites in PR? or do they have ones available in the states? Thank you so much for anyone in advanced

I know a few students during my time at IAUPR (recently graduated) who were transfers from other US programs. They were all able to finish and receive their degrees from IAUPR. Not sure if you’ve looked into this already, but I’ve heard that transfer students need to repeat their most recent academic year. For example, if I transferred during or immediately after my 2nd year at whichever other opto program then I would be a 2nd year at IAUPR. I belive this is a general optometry academic policy among all the schools. Just wanted to bring this up with you. As far as the 4th year rotations, you basically spend 6 months on island and 6 months off island. During your time on island you must rotate through at least 4 of the 6 clinic sites which last for about a month each location. (Please don’t quote me exactly on the numbers, but just trying to give you an idea of what to expect). Depending on the other students and demand, you are able to choose which sites to rotate at. A few of the sites are a bit more rural than the touristy/ better developed sites that are closer to San Juan and Bayamon (where the school is located). So don’t expect to be looking out the window at the beach at any of the sites lol. For my time OFF island, I chose only 2 sites. Most locations have a minimum 4 week rotation time and I know some who spent their whole 6 months off island at only 1 site. Hope this helps! Please feel free to pm me for anything else.

 

[futureoptt]

I know a few students during my time at IAUPR (recently graduated) who were transfers from other US programs. They were all able to finish and receive their degrees from IAUPR. Not sure if you’ve looked into this already, but I’ve heard that transfer students need to repeat their most recent academic year. For example, if I transferred during or immediately after my 2nd year at whichever other opto program then I would be a 2nd year at IAUPR. I belive this is a general optometry academic policy among all the schools. Just wanted to bring this up with you. As far as the 4th year rotations, you basically spend 6 months on island and 6 months off island. During your time on island you must rotate through at least 4 of the 6 clinic sites which last for about a month each location. (Please don’t quote me exactly on the numbers, but just trying to give you an idea of what to expect). Depending on the other students and demand, you are able to choose which sites to rotate at. A few of the sites are a bit more rural than the touristy/ better developed sites that are closer to San Juan and Bayamon (where the school is located). So don’t expect to be looking out the window at the beach at any of the sites lol. For my time OFF island, I chose only 2 sites. Most locations have a minimum 4 week rotation time and I know some who spent their whole 6 months off island at only 1 site. Hope this helps! Please feel free to pm me for anything else.

Thank you so so much for all that helpful information !! I will pm you now

 

[journeyes]

Hello! does anyone in this thread know how long it will take for IUAPR to offer interviews after the application is verified? Thanks!

 

[2020od]

Hello! does anyone in this thread know how long it will take for IUAPR to offer interviews after the application is verified? Thanks!

I don't remember when I submitted my application but it was around the same timing of regular deadlines for other US programs. I had my Skype interview in early December and received an acceptance letter 2 weeks later. This was about 5-6 years ago but I don't think it would have changed too much. Good luck!

 

[journeyes]

I don't remember when I submitted my application but it was around the same timing of regular deadlines for other US programs. I had my Skype interview in early December and received an acceptance letter 2 weeks later. This was about 5-6 years ago but I don't think it would have changed too much. Good luck!

I actually got an email with an interview invitation shortly after I posted that question! haha. Thank you for answering Any tips and/or advice?

 

[future dr. b]

I choose IAUPR because it made sense economically for me, even though I got accepted into other schools, I was scared because of all the things I read here so I wanted to share my overall experience for my first semester and I hope it helps people who are apprehensive about coming to PR.

CLASSES
The first block of the test was the hardest for me because I was making very extensive reviews from lectures + books and the grades I got where below what I expected. I was studying in a very comprehensive manner, trying to understand concepts rather than memorizing random facts, but then I noticed that the hardest classes where memorization heavy. I quickly changed to flashcard systems (like Anki and Quizlet) and started using the books only when I did not understand a concept in the lecture, except for Optics where I always used the books. Academically this semester was a LOT harder than I expected, but I studied as I had never before and ended up with very good grades. I read here once that people had old tests for classes and I saw some of them (they are mostly things students mark/write that they remember from tests) and If you studied only from what other students have you will fail. Most professors did not repeat a lot of questions, it may help you to know the way they ask questions, but that's about it. At the end, a big chunk of students did not pass pharmacology, which may be the hardest class in my opinion.

FACULTY
The professors are nice, and most of them have the student's best interests in mind. A couple of them were very mediocre and I did not like their style of teaching at all, which is why I dedicated those classes the most time and at the end, it paid off. I did not like that there is a pattern of bad communication about simple things like what is going to be tested, punctuality from the faculty, and quiz dates. Just like in college, there are some very good professors, and there are very bad ones, I would say most of them are good. The school is extremely attentive to students that are from the US, which is good. Yes, a lot of professors have a thick accent and they make grammatical mistakes even in tests, I really do not think an accent means that you don't dominate a language, but I know some people may not like that.

STUDENTS/HOUSING/PUERTO RICO
The first month was very hard for the students that were not from PR, especially if they were used to being close to their families, but it got better with time. I feel like a lot of students from the US complain a lot, even about simple things and are very entitled. Maybe they come off that way to people from the Island because they are used to a certain style of education, teaching, grocery stores, and culture in general, which I completely understand. If you are moving to PR you must know the town where the school is located is not pretty, but it is close to all of the relevant places to eat, drink and to nice touristy places on the metropolitan part of the island. The housing was the best part of the whole experience, I had amazing roommates and it was literally 2 minutes away from the classroom so it is very convenient. Also, I did not have to buy furniture which was great. It is completely possible to live without a car, a lot of my classmates did it, but obviously it would be comfortable to have a car. The best option is to buy a used car from upperclassmen or to lease, I do not recommend buying from random sellers because they sell mostly pieces of junk that are very pricey and will give you a lot of trouble and extra stress that you don't need. You have to uber to get groceries and the closest place is 10min away. There is a Costco and sams 20min away and the biggest mall in the Caribbean (Plaza Las Americas) is 25min away. I did not go out/party a lot, maybe 2 or 3 times during the whole semester, but a lot of students go out every weekend, that depends on your style of studying and whatever works for you.

In general, this semester was a challenge academically and a very big change, but I'm glad about picking the school. If anyone something specific you want to know about the school or PR just let me know.


SECOND SEMESTER UPDATE

Hello! I just wanted to give an update regarding my feelings towards the school, now that I'm about to finish my second semester of Optometry. I still feel like the stuff I read in threads here is very discouraging and way worse than what it actually is.

Over this year I have learned by the students that take the Spanish course that if your goal is to become fully fluent in Spanish that definitely won't happen. The Spanish class (given only during the first year) helps you in basic communication and in medical terms so you can perform optometric procedures in Spanish, but it is very basic knowledge. I feel like I got the hang of classes and I'm doing very well, again what works to study is spaced repetition and active recall. Additionally, you have to be very organized or else you will fall behind and it will make getting good grades impossible (since the material for classes like pharmacology is not really taught in a coherent easy way, you have to work harder in order to understand)! I got accepted in NSU, MCPHS & Salus and I don't regret picking IAUPR, but I do understand when people say you may have a better experience in other schools. Professors here are very hit or miss, you either love them or you hate them, and there are definitely better & more efficient ways of teaching complicated concepts. I am biased because I studied in PR's public education system where you have to be able to teach yourself, so I am used to this style of teaching. But you definitely get all the materials you need to do good in class, you just have to study the class presentations and supplement with the books for practice questions.

Regarding the COVID-19 situation, the school was extremely unorganized in the first weeks of online classes, they gave us 2 weeks off so they could prepare and it was still very messy at the beginning. Now that a few weeks have gone by it seems like the professors are more organized, but at the beginning, it was a hot mess. We are definitely working way harder online and spend more time on a computer than we do in class, but I've heard from friends in other graduate programs that the same thing is happening to them.

I know other graduate programs are system based so they take only one test which includes material from all their classes, at IAUPR we get individual tests from every class, they usually don't overlap and the most we have in a week is 2 tests. That system does make finals very intense because you have to take comprehensive finals of each and every class. Its definitely not easy, the stress levels get to you sometimes, but it's doable. Besides that, I have no other complaints for now, my first year of optometry has been pretty good.

In regards to housing, would you recommend 1st year students stay in the on campus dorms or off campus?

 

[2020od]

In regards to housing, would you recommend 1st year students stay in the on campus dorms or off campus?

I recommend staying in the dorms. They are well maintained with good A/C and right next to all your classes and labs. It's also a really good way to meet other people and find your group of best friends which may or may not be your roommates. I'm assuming the generator is still there to give the dorms power if needed (happens at least a few times a year but never for multiple days in a row unless it's hurricanes or weather). The whole campus including the undergrad campus is gated with patrolling security and security at both entrances so that's good if you're worried about safety too.