Puerto Rico Anyone?

[adamant]

Is anyone familiar with Ponce SOM or UCC SOM in Puerto Rico?
I have interviews scheduled at both schools next month but haven't been able to find much info about either.
I'm not from PR but I am bilingual English/Spanish.
I am specifically interested in hearing from other applicants or students at these schools.
Thanks!

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[Papi]

hey!

I actually drove by both SOM's over the winter. Let me tell you, I'd go there just for the nice weather and chicas

 

[vinsanity]

Hi, I'm from PR and applied to University of Puerto Rico only. However I know a bit of the other two schools. Ponce, is a school that is devoted to creating primary care physcians. Del Caribe I believe is also devoted to primary care physicians. Did you apply UPR?? To be honest UPR is the better of the three schools in PR.

 

[vinsanity]

Sorry can't be more informative. Both of the schools have a website. Search them in yahoo.

 

[none]

Does anyone else find it odd that such a small and relatively sparsely populated island has three medical schools? Sure would be nice if CA had the same person to med school ratio.

 

[adamant]

Hey guys,
Thanks for the replies. I would have applied to UPR except I hear they only take PR residents or people with direct family ties to PR. That's not me, unfortunately.
I have also interviewed at a couple of schools in the Northeast but would really like to be in a bilingual program.
Do you guys know any students at either school?

Thanks again

 

[RetroMan]

Hi Adamant:

I just want to give you my advice and thoughts on Ponce. I interviewed there a couple of weeks ago and recently got accepted.

The school is really great. I was very impressed with the administration and they are a school that really worries about their students. Because the class size is 60, everybody get's to know each other and the faculty put a lots of efforts in order to get the students well trained. Also, when I interviewed I saw a bucnh of students in the library which where from the states (I'm from PR). I think that they really have a nice blend from Puerto Ricans and students from the states. They also have a strong program to prepare you for the USMLE. From the last 2nd year class, only one didn't pass in the first time. I think that is pretty good and much better than many schools in the US.

So you can be sure that you will certainly get good training. Most of the students come to the US to pursue residency and several of them end in very desirable places.

I have a couple of friends there and they seem to enjoy it a lot. Also, if somebody says that the UPR-Medical Sciences is better, that's just because it has been there longer and because its cheap (5K vs. 18K).

If you have any other questions please let me know.

RetroMan

 

[adamant]

Thanks for the feedback RetroMan, congratulations on your acceptance!
I hope I get in too, Ponce has been my first choice from the beginning.
What was the interview like? Any advice for how I should prepare? Types of questions, etc?
I was also wondering about the cost of living in Ponce, since the school is quite expensive I was hoping maybe it would be a little cheaper to live there than in the U.S.
Do you know anything about UCC? I am interviewing there the day after Ponce, I have heard Bayamon is not very nice, but I can't find much info about the school itself.

 

[RetroMan]

Adamant:

In terms of the interview...Just relax and be yourself. As always, be prepared to answer the usual questions: Why Medicine?, Tell me about yourself?, Extracurriculars, Etc. Be ready to say why should they take you instead of the many other applicants. Also make sure that you know your spanish (I say so because in all the interviews if you are form the US they may interview ou in English but will check that you know your Spanish). You will have two interviews, one alone and one will be other current applicants.

Ponce is cheap! You will be able to find a nice place to live for 500 and food is extremely cheap (ie. a combo in McDonalds is 3-4bucks , here is like 7 dollars). If you like to cook it would be even better. So you don't have to worry about that. The area is very safe and the school is close to Plaza del Caribe (a big shopping mall with pretty much everything that you may need). On plus there are many other attractions and in PR everything is close (1-2 hours driving will take you to any place that you may want to go).

About UCC, I do not really know much, but I don't like Bayamon to much. That area is more "caliente" and I think is is even more expensive than Ponce.

Let me know if you have any more questions. Keep me posted on how the interviews go. Good luck!

RetroMan

 

[adamant]

Hey RetroMan,

Thanks for all the good info!
Ponce does sound nice, my parents lived there for about 3 months back in the early 70's and they loved it. I am going down there March 23rd for my interview. I have always wanted to visit PR but never got around to it, been to most of the rest of S. America before.
Another question I have is about the job situation around Ponce. My wife is a Psych. major who has worked for several years in teaching and with disabled adults. I wonder how hard it would be for her to find a job down there?
Why don't you give me your e-mail and I will let you know if I get accepted, it would be cool to at least "know" one person there. My e-mail is: [email protected]
I'm going to be in Mexico for the next 2 weeks for vacation/ work(as little as possible), so this thread will probably die before I get back.
Que tengas un buen fin de semana!