Residency... in Puerto Rico?

[Cuts]

I'm gonna be graduating from a Caribbean school next year, and I'm going for (1)Rads and (2)Anesthesia. What do y'all think about doing a residency in Puerto Rico? I mean, the programs there all participate in the Match, so they're just as good as "real" U.S. programs, right? Or, is it considered in some way inferior to doing residency within the 50 states? I'm worried b/c after having carried the Caribbean school stigma on me for the last 4 years, I'm not too eager to prolong it for another 4. Thanks!

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[Future GI Guy]

If you're going to do Anesthesia, why not try for some state programs (not that PR isn't a state--well it's not, but you know what I mean.)

I realize Anesthesiology is becoming more and more competitive these days, and that may put a damper on where you'd want to apply, but there should still be plenty of spots available to you, especially if you've done well on boards, etc.

As for Rads, I mean, it's so hard to say. Everyone knows that it's become ultra-competitive this year, so that may factor into your decision.

Good luck with your application problem, it's a tough one. I don't know how employers view PR residencies, but I'd assume that it's not as good a view as the state programs (perhaps this is unfair, but that's the way it is). You'll probably be just as good a physician, maybe better than the everage Joe, simply because you'll be fluent in Spanish. Seriously--you'll be able to treat the Spanish speaking population much better than an Anesthesiologist from Missouri, where I am.

 

[Cuts]

Bump for more input...

 

[dbiddy]

Howdy! Do you speak spanish? I've been to Puerto Rico and love it. Tropical weather and beautiful women. If I could speak spanish fluently I'd be there in a heartbeat. I think they have a radiology program there as well.

 

[Neurogirl]

I've heard that to even be considered for PR programs, you MUST be fluent in spanish.

 

[shirazsyrah]

Although I am a meager buddying med student w/ not much knowledge about residencies, I am from Puerto Rico and have a cousin who graduated from UPR and, I believe, did a residency there. Current status: oncologist at MD Anderson (not bad in my opinion). Note: Being bilingual can only help you amigo.

 

[hndrx1a]

Believe it or not, it might actually be tougher to land residency in P.R...competition there is great for # positions..

 

[Cuts]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by dbiddy:
•Howdy! Do you speak spanish? I've been to Puerto Rico and love it. Tropical weather and beautiful women. If I could speak spanish fluently I'd be there in a heartbeat. I think they have a radiology program there as well.•••••I don't speak Spanish... yet, but... if there's beautiful women there, I'm sure I'll learn quickly :wink: ...

 

[Cuts]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by hndrx1a:
•Believe it or not, it might actually be tougher to land residency in P.R...competition there is great for # positions..•••••Tougher? Competitive? Why would that be? Can you elaborate please...

 

[Pilot Doc]

The current anesthesia residents at UPR are listed below. Looks like they don't take many (any?) mainlanders.

Dimaris Dom?nguez-Ayala
Jos? R. Oller-L?pez
Jorge A. Acevedo-Orengo
Rafael A. L?pez-Torres
Jessica S?nchez-G?mez
Rosa Frasqueri-R?os
Ernesto Jusino-Rom?n
Ana I. Corripio-S?nchez
Griselle Casado-Cartagena
Hector R. Maym?-Mu?oz
Carlos A. Bux?-Tirado
Francisco Lebr?n-Arz?n
Ivette Resto-Le?n
Orlando Aponte-Rivera
Linka Matos
Karina Fuentes-Figueroa
Mario V?zquez
Grisel Pedraza
Enid Garc?a-Ortega
Lymari Vargas

 

[trixnjoks]

A friend of mine went to med school down there. He told me there aren't enough residency spots to take in the seniors from the 3 accredited schools and in fact many seniors must seek training in the continent.

 

[VERAJAN]

You should be checking some spots in the states, why do I say this? There are three medschools there and the guys from Ciencias Medicas get all the top spots there. You can squash the usmle but there are many people in P.R who do too, and the fluent spanish is a must