San Juan Bautista Loses LCME Accreditation

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Worked for me but just in case, cut and pasted:

dated Oct. 9, 2011

The AAMC offices will be closed on Monday, Oct. 10, 2011, for the Columbus Day holiday.

Information for San Juan Bautista School of Medicine Students and Applicants

"Effective October 3, 2011, the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) has withdrawn accreditation from the educational program leading to the M.D. degree at the San Juan Bautista School of Medicine. This decision was based primarily on the LCME's assessment of inadequate clinical resources. This decision is final. The notification letter sent to the program informed it of its right to provide official comment to the U.S. Department of Education and to the LCME. If the program chooses to exercise this option, copies of the comments will be made available to the public by request. A copy of the letter notifying the program of this decision is available here."
(LCME Web site, Oct. 3, 2011, www.lcme.org)

This page is intended to provide general information for students and applicants, as well as to identify resources for more specific information.

For San Juan Bautista Students

Will San Juan Bautista be able to operate without LCME accreditation?
At this time, we have no information about San Juan Bautista’s plans for the future. Students should contact the school for more information at [email protected].

If I am interested in transferring to another medical school, how do I find out information about other schools?
Some medical schools have indicated they have a limited number of openings in their medical education programs and would consider transfer applications from San Juan Bautista students. This information is available on a Web page only available to San Juan Bautista students. You will need to log in using your existing AAMC account. If you need assistance obtaining your AAMC username and/or password, contact [email protected].

Will my credits still be valid?
Each accredited medical education program has its own curriculum and would need to determine which credits it would accept toward a student’s degree and which it would not.

How do I reapply to medical school as a first-year student?
The American Medical College Application Service® (AMCAS®) application for the 2012 entering class is currently available on the American Medical College Application Service® site.

Information about application deadlines can be found on the AMCAS® Medical School Deadlines page.

Can I still take my Step exam?
According to the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Web site, on the day of your test you must be a “medical student officially enrolled in, or a graduate of, a U.S. or Canadian medical school program leading to the M.D. degree that is accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME).” For more information visit the USMLE General Information site.

I am a fourth-year student. What should I do?
Participation in residency training programs sponsored by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) is limited to U.S. students who:

Graduate from an LCME-accredited medical education program
Graduate from a medical education program accredited by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA), or
Graduate from an international medical school who meet Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) certification criteria.
According to ACGME eligibility requirements, students who might graduate from San Juan Bautista in 2012 are ineligible to participate in ACGME-sponsored residency programs.

Now that my school’s medical education program is no longer LCME-accredited, what is the impact on my student loan?
Each student loan has its own terms and conditions. To resolve or dispute any issues regarding your student loan, contact the office of the Department of Education Ombudsman. In addition, you can visit the appropriate site from the list below to address your specific situation.

Servicer Contact Information
Direct Loan Servicing Center
NSLDS Servicer Code: 00100 800-848-0979
www.dl.ed.gov
ACS Education Services
NSLDS Servicer Code: 700577 800-835-4611
www.acs-education.com
FedLoan Servicing (PHEAA)
NSLDS Servicer Code: 700579 800-699-2908
www.myfedloan.org
Great Lakes Educational Loan Services
NSLDS Servicer Code: 700581 800-236-4300
www.mygreatlakes.org
Nelnet
NSLDS Servicer Code: 700580 888-486-4722
www.nelnet.com
Sallie Mae
NSLDS Servicer Code: 700578 800-722-1300
www.salliemae.com
Where can I get more specific information?
If you have additional questions, please e-mail [email protected] and provide the following information:

Full name
Permanent mailing address
AAMC ID
Phone number
Program year you are currently in
For Applicants to Residency Programs

I am a San Juan Bautista student and I am applying for residency. If matched, will I be able to begin a residency program?
ACGME-accredited programs require trainees to either graduate from an accredited U.S. medical education program, a COCA-accredited program, or have ECFMG certification. Because San Juan’s Bautista’s LCME accreditation was withdrawn before you graduated, you are not eligible to enter an ACGME-accredited residency training program unless you transfer to and graduate from an accredited medical education program.

I applied to training programs via the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS®) before I learned that the school had lost its accreditation. Am I eligible for a refund?
If you remain at San Juan Bautista, you are no longer eligible to pursue an ACGME-accredited residency training position.

Under those circumstances, ERAS® will refund your application fees. ERAS also has been authorized by the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) to refund the $70 USMLE fee.

No action is required on your part. ERAS will take care of processing the credit and refunding your payment.

Even though San Juan Bautista has lost its LCME accreditation, I have been told I can continue my application to residency programs. Who will process my supporting documents?
LCME has withdrawn accreditation of San Juan Bautista’s medical education program effective Oct. 3, 2011. Only applicants who graduated from San Juan Bautista between Aug. 1, 2007 and Oct. 3, 2011 may continue the application process for ACGME-accredited residency programs. If you are scheduled to graduate in 2012, you may not continue the application process to ACGME-accredited residency programs unless you transfer to and graduate from an accredited medical education program. ERAS® will contact programs to withdraw your applications if you are ineligible to pursue a position at an ACGME-accredited residency program.

I received my degree before 2007 at a time when San Juan Bautista was not accredited by LCME. This year I am re-applying for a residency in a new specialty. How does this accreditation issue impact me?
The same rules apply for you as before LCME accreditation was withdrawn. Graduates who completed the M.D. degree at the school prior to Aug. 2007 are not eligible to train at an ACGME-accredited residency program. You may not use ERAS to apply for residency programs.

I graduated from San Juan Bautista at a time when the school was LCME-accredited. I am re-applying for a residency this year in a new specialty. How does this accreditation issue impact me?
If, at the time of your graduation, San Juan Bautista’s medical education program was accredited (Aug. 1, 2007 to Oct. 3, 2011), you may use ERAS to apply to residency programs.

For Applicants to Medical School

I submitted an AMCAS® 2012 application to San Juan Bautista before the LCME withdrew the school’s accreditation. Is that application still valid?
San Juan Bautista is no longer eligible to participate in AMCAS®. The designation to this school will remain visible in your application record, but AMCAS® will no longer participate in the application process. You will be issued a refund for that medical school designation. If you have been approved for the Fee Assistance Program (FAP), AMCAS® staff will contact you with details about how to receive FAP credit for an additional medical school designation.

Will the school still be able to admit students for the 2012 academic year?
The LCME has withdrawn accreditation from the educational program leading to the M.D. degree at San Juan Bautista. We have no information at this time about San Juan Bautista’s plans. Please contact the school directly for more information.

I have submitted a secondary application to San Juan Bautista and paid the associated fees. Am I eligible for a refund of those fees?
Please contact the school at [email protected] for a response to this question.

I may still wish to apply to San Juan Bautista outside of AMCAS®. How can I send my MCAT® scores to their admissions office?
Examinees can release their scores electronically, through the MCAT Testing History System (THx), to other centralized application services (i.e., AACOMAS), as well as to other individual institutions. If the institution to which you want to send your scores is not listed in the THx system, you may use the system to print and mail a copy of your score report.

What are the roles of the AAMC, the LCME, and other organizations in this process?
The AAMC is the member organization of the U.S. M.D.-granting medical schools as well as more than 400 academic teaching hospitals.

The LCME accredits U.S. M.D.-granting medical education programs. The LCME is jointly sponsored by the AAMC and the Council on Medical Education of the American Medical Association (AMA). The LCME independently makes all decisions on accreditation status (as well as any appeals), with no involvement of the sponsoring organizations.

The ACGME is a private, nonprofit council that accredits medical residency programs and their institutional sponsors in the United States.

The USMLE, sponsored by the Federation of State Medical Boards of the United States, Inc. (FSMB), and the National Board of Medical Examiners® (NBME®), is the multi-part professional exam (Step exams) all doctors are required to pass before being allowed to practice medicine in the United States.

Additional resources

Students seeking information about transfers or applicants with questions can e-mail [email protected].
For information about San Juan Bautista Medical School and its plans, contact the school directly at [email protected].
For information on the accreditation process, visit www.lcme.org.

Members don't see this ad.
 
Rough. I feel terrible for all the SJB people
 
This whole situation should make anyone wary of attending any medical school that is newly LCME accredited and still under review. This includes Virginia Tech, Pennsylvania Commonwealth, and Florida Atlantic. You're pretty much screwed if something happens during the probation period.
 
Last edited:
Members don't see this ad :)
If it's any relief, don't federal loans get forgiven if you can't achieve graduation d/t a school losing accreditation, closing, burning to the ground, etc? Obviously, you aren't a doctor, but you shouldn't be indebted, right?

nope. fed loans get cancelled if the school closes, but not if it merely loses accreditation or can't provide an education that gets you the position you want.
 
nope. fed loans get cancelled if the school closes, but not if it merely loses accreditation or can't provide an education that gets you the position you want.

but......will the school close if it is sued to oblivion?

If so, we have derived a plan of action for SJB students:

1) Sue SJB to oblivion
2) Get complete federal loan forgiveness when school closes due to bankruptcy
3) ????
4) Profit

#3 may or may not be do everything you can to transfer to another lcme school :p
 
Reliable sources indicate that the LCME has extended PSM's probation till February 2012. Mainland student applicants should take note..
 
Reliable sources indicate that the LCME has extended PSM's probation till February 2012. Mainland student applicants should take note..

I'm going to keep checking in on this thread just to see how large your font can get. :rolleyes:
 
Reliable sources indicate that the LCME has extended PSM's probation till February 2012. Mainland student applicants should take note..

Take note of what? Schools are rarely placed on probation (I know of one within the last decade, not including PR and Commonwealth, which hasn't even opened).
 
Take note of what? Schools are rarely placed on probation (I know of one within the last decade, not including PR and Commonwealth, which hasn't even opened).

wat

Commonwealth is currently accepting applications for their third class.
 
I think it just wasn't enough to both get everything started and also ensure that it could keep going. after hearing that I did a google search and found news sources reporting that they have recently secured the additional $54 mil that they needed from Blue Cross, so I guess if they fix the other 4 areas that the lcme identified then they will be in the clear? :shrug:
 
I doubt every student will get an opportunity to transfer. The school has 200 students for each year...meaning 800 total students. Where are you going to find 800 slots at existing US schools?


there are a total of 276 students the compose all 4 years, thats roughly 69 students per class
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Sector 9 posted this link in pre-allo. Seems to give a bit more info into the situation.

http://newsismybusiness.com/?p=5016

Thanks for the link. That is interesting.

While it's tough for the SJB students (they're the people who are really screwed by this decision), that article did shed some light on the issues. Namely, the average census at their primary hospital is only 85 patients, which means that you have ~130 med students / 85 patients (assuming that half of those are on outpatient rotations at any given time, which is generous, that's still 1:1 student:patient ratio). Clearly they did not have adequate clinical facilities. I'm not sure how it is at most US schools, but at least here we're closer to 1:9/10 student:patient ratio, which I would assume is closer to the norm for most US allo schools.


To the poster above who said people should be wary of going to any school on probation (aka VTech, FAU, etc) -- I don't think you have to be as concerned that LCME would yank the accreditation of a mainland school. That would be much, much more politically difficult for the LCME. The only reason they got away with doing this to SJB is because it's not a mainland school and thus there's an inherent stigma attached (and the school has a lot less political weight to throw around). I'm not saying that as justification at all (I think it's awful what they did, especially to the current 4th years), just as a fact as to why they were able to do it.
 
According to the article, SJB was accredited for 5-years in 2007 until 2012, which is when it would be up for review. I'm confused. Do accrediting agencies review schools regularly even during those 5 years? When was SJB put on probation?
 
Yeah, I wonder if it's like Jan 1st 2012 that it was good through, or what. It's a little disconcerting though if you were a student or applicant thinking your school was good through 2012 and then in Oct 2011 you're homeless.

As far as the hospital census goes, I'm wondering if that's the only hospital they had or the main one for some rotations. I'd be a bit surprised if that was the only one the students rotated at. Plus the article makes it look like they did find other institutions for students to rotate at.
 
According to the article, SJB was accredited for 5-years in 2007 until 2012, which is when it would be up for review. I'm confused. Do accrediting agencies review schools regularly even during those 5 years? When was SJB put on probation?

2007 was their initial LCME accreditation. New schools are provisionally accredited for their first five years, and I believe there is an interim review that established med schools wouldn't have.
 
According to the article, SJB was accredited for 5-years in 2007 until 2012, which is when it would be up for review. I'm confused. Do accrediting agencies review schools regularly even during those 5 years? When was SJB put on probation?
Initial accreditation is probationary until you graduate a class. LCME visits and monitors much more during new school probation.
 
Update on Accreditation Actions

The United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico has

ordered the LCME to respond, on or before October 20, 2011, to the action
filed by the San Juan Bautista School of Medicine, seeking injunctive
relief to preserve the School’s MD degree program accreditation. After
studying the LCME’s response the Federal Judge will decide if it is
necessary to hold a hearing.



The Federal Judge has also invited and is strongly urging the following

entities to appear as _amicus curiae_ (friends of the court) in this case
due to the impact of this case on medical education:

1. The USDepartment of Education


2. The Middle States Commission on Higher Education


3. The Federation of State Medical Boards


4. The Puerto Rico Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline


5. The Council of Higher Education of Puerto Rico


6. The Puerto Rico Department of Justice


7. The Puerto Rico Department of Health




Yocasta Brugal, MD

President/Dean
 
but what does it really mean for the school? esp for the 4th yrs? if the court grants an injunction, does it mean that the school will be LCME accreditated until a decision is made...and WHEN will the court decide...and will it really make a difference for the 4th years...its the midst of interview season and even if the injunction restores accreditation for the moment, will residency programs really give back interviews (or offer them) to these students when its uncertain if they will be able to join the residency.

for those close to taking step I or CS or CK, if accreditation is restored...go take that exam asap! if you can (i didn't even think about the fact that students wouldn't be able to sit for licensing exams....what a mess!).
 
This clan is so powerful it needs to be infiltrated by the feds.
logo_syr_print.gif
National group recommends probation for Upstate Medical University's medical school

Published: Friday, October 21, 2011, 5:33 PM Updated: Friday, October 21, 2011, 6:09 PM

1.png
By James T. Mulder / The Post-Standard

10168964-large.jpg
David Lassman/The Post-Standard, file photo, 2011Upstate Medical University has been informed the Liaison Committee on Medical Education has recommend the school be placed on probation.
Syracuse, N.Y. -- An accrediting organization has recommended that Upstate Medical University’s medical school be put on probation because of concerns over its curriculum and other issues.
Upstate said it will appeal the recommendation. A final decision is expected in February.
The SUNY academic medical center in Syracuse also announced Dr. Steven J. Scheinman has resigned as dean of the medical school and that Dr. David Duggan, associate vice president of clinical affairs, has been named interim dean.
The recommendation was made by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, the nationally recognized accrediting authority for medical education programs leading to the M.D. degree in U.S. and Canadian medical schools. The LCME is sponsored by the Association of American Medical Colleges and the American Medical Association.
Accreditation is important because it shows a medical school meets national standards. Graduating from an LCME-accredited school is a prerequisite for getting a medical license in most states.
Despite the recommendation, Upstate remains fully accredited by the LCME and will remain accredited even if it is put on probation. The probation recommendation only applies to Upstate’s undergraduate medical education program. Upstate also operates colleges of nursing, health professions and graduate studies which are unaffected.
“While the LCME recommendation is very disappointing, I believe we will continue to attract highly qualified and motivated students to our college,” said Dr. David Smith, Upstate’s president, in a letter sent out Friday to faculty, staff and students.
Dr. Lynn Cleary, vice president for academic affairs, said medical students are worried by the LCME’s recommendation. “They are looking for us to move quickly and definitively to address this and that’s what we’re doing,” she said.
If Upstate is placed on probation it won’t “threaten the integrity of a student’s degree,” Cleary said.
“What probation means is you are under closer surveillance and you need to address very specific issues they have outlined,” she said.
LCME representatives visited Upstate in March and talked to faculty, students and staff.
One of their major criticisms was Upstate’s lack of a central committee with the authority to make changes in the school’s courses.
The LCME was concerned over a cheating scandal that occurred earlier this year involving many fourth-year medical students who helped each other on online quizzes in a required medical literature course. Many students had complained about the course. In the wake of the cheating incident, Upstate decided to suspend the course for at least one year in order to improve it.
“It (cheating scandal) illustrated to them the curriculum committee did not have the authority to monitor and modify the learning environment,” Cleary said. Upstate has already started taking steps to address that issue, she said.
Historically Upstate and other colleges have given professors autonomy to determine the content of their courses, she said. “You really need some good central oversight to coordinate it and continually review it for quality,” she said.
Cleary said the LCME has no concerns over the quality of the school’s teachers or students.
The LCME also was troubled by what it sees as a lack of consistency in some courses offered at Upstate’s Syracuse and Binghamton campuses. Cleary said those minor differences have existed for 30 years and were never cited before by the LCME. She said the accrediting group has been scrutinizing schools much more closely in recent years and making more recommendations of probation.
The medical school has 640 students.
LCME officials did not return calls from The Post-Standard. As a rule it does not disclose details of its surveys.
The LCME recently withdrew accreditation for the San Juan Bautista medical school in Puerto Rico.
Cleary said she does not believe the LCME’s recommendation will make Upstate less attractive to prospective students and faculty. “We have a lot of faith in our education program,” she said. “Our students are highly thought of and well trained.”
While Scheinman has stepped down as dean, he will remain on the faculty.
Scheinman, a veteran professor and researcher at Upstate, was named dean in 2004.
He replaced Dr. Michael Roizen, a national best-selling author, who was ousted as dean for undisclosed reasons in 2002 after nine months on the job.



© 2011 syracuse.com. All rights reserved.
 
What's with the cheating scandal? A medical literature course? Fourth years risking their degree by cheating on ONLINE quizzes? WTH?
 
What's with the cheating scandal? A medical literature course? Fourth years risking their degree by cheating on ONLINE quizzes? WTH?

Any school that turns a blind eye to cheating should be put on probation IMHO. In the case of upstate, it was clearly more than lead to that decision.
 
This clan is so powerful it needs to be infiltrated by the feds.

What? The LCME? Their job is to certify that med schools are meeting certain standards. In order for them to be effective at this, it's important that they not act as a simple rubber stamp, but that there by a credible threat of decertification if schools don't measure up. Instead of just springing this on schools in a completely unexpected fashion, the LCME will warn schools who are drifting in to trouble, so that they have ample opportunity to pull it around. Placing a school on probation is a strong warning.

You might reasonably argue that the LCME is being over- or even underzealous in their job. But to call them a powerful criminal clan is absurd. Do you think they're using their powers of certification for personal enrichment? Extorting money from schools? Destroying political enemies? Where is your argument?
 
Any school that turns a blind eye to cheating should be put on probation IMHO. In the case of upstate, it was clearly more than lead to that decision.

Did they turn a blind eye? Were the fourth years never held accountable?
 
Did they turn a blind eye? Were the fourth years never held accountable?

Not really sure what the poster who said that a blind eye was turned is talking about. Fourth years were held accountable, and the incident wasn't even remotely referenced by the LCME as one of their concerns.
 
Not really sure what the poster who said that a blind eye was turned is talking about. Fourth years were held accountable, and the incident wasn't even remotely referenced by the LCME as one of their concerns.

What happened to the fourth years? Were they kicked out of school?

The article says that one of the LCME's concerns was that cheating scandal.
 
What happened to the fourth years? Were they kicked out of school?

The article says that one of the LCME's concerns was that cheating scandal.

They weren't kicked out, they basically remediated prior to graduation and were able to graduate and go along to residency.

The quote from the article: "“It (cheating scandal) illustrated to them the curriculum committee did not have the authority to monitor and modify the learning environment,” Cleary said."

The number one concern (in terms of sequentially, but I guess also in order of importance) by the LCME was that the curriculum deans and committee didn't have enough autonomy/authority to change courses. I hadn't heard it presented in light of the cheating scandal, more in terms of a big curriculum change that was proposed and advocated by our deans and was shot down ultimately by a few directors of clinical rotations.

In terms of relation to the cheating, it really again is about the issue of the efficacy/authority of the people in charge of the curriculum to make changes. So, fourth years were incredibly unhappy about a number of aspects of a course, raised their concerns to the administration, the concerns were not really addressed adequately in their opinions, and the end point was some people working together to do the on-line quizzes. The LCME's issue would only be related insofar as the dean's ability to actually change said course that the fourth year's were unhappy with. Not sure if I'm making any sense; exam tomorrow and I haven't slept much.
 
They weren't kicked out, they basically remediated prior to graduation and were able to graduate and go along to residency.

The quote from the article: "“It (cheating scandal) illustrated to them the curriculum committee did not have the authority to monitor and modify the learning environment,” Cleary said."

The number one concern (in terms of sequentially, but I guess also in order of importance) by the LCME was that the curriculum deans and committee didn't have enough autonomy/authority to change courses. I hadn't heard it presented in light of the cheating scandal, more in terms of a big curriculum change that was proposed and advocated by our deans and was shot down ultimately by a few directors of clinical rotations.

In terms of relation to the cheating, it really again is about the issue of the efficacy/authority of the people in charge of the curriculum to make changes. So, fourth years were incredibly unhappy about a number of aspects of a course, raised their concerns to the administration, the concerns were not really addressed adequately in their opinions, and the end point was some people working together to do the on-line quizzes. The LCME's issue would only be related insofar as the dean's ability to actually change said course that the fourth year's were unhappy with. Not sure if I'm making any sense; exam tomorrow and I haven't slept much.

Actually, that's not how I read it at all.

“It (cheating scandal) illustrated to them the curriculum committee did not have the authority to monitor and modify the learning environment,”

That quote is talking about monitoring the learning environment and changing the learning environment, i.e. to prevent cheating. This part has nothing to do with changing the curriculum.

As for the fourth years, they were pissed off about a course, it wasn't changed, so they cheated? That's inexcusable, from my point of view and I do think the LCME is right to be concerned about it and about the school's lack of oversight of the on-line quizzes.
 
Actually, that's not how I read it at all.

"It (cheating scandal) illustrated to them the curriculum committee did not have the authority to monitor and modify the learning environment,"

That quote is talking about monitoring the learning environment and changing the learning environment, i.e. to prevent cheating. This part has nothing to do with changing the curriculum.

As for the fourth years, they were pissed off about a course, it wasn't changed, so they cheated? That's inexcusable, from my point of view and I do think the LCME is right to be concerned about it and about the school's lack of oversight of the on-line quizzes.

I'm not really going to nit pick at what the intended meaning of the Post Standard article was. I'm giving you the information as we received it straight from our administration, as opposed to the gospel according to John Q Journalist.

And there's nothing in my statement that indicated I condoned the actions of the fourth years at all. They're happily in residency, and the rest of us are left to mire in the BS that they left behind. I assumed I didn't need to explicitly say "Cheating is bad!" for that to be understood. So, please don't misunderstand me. And again, you can extrapolate to whatever degree that you want, but the LCME's stated issues were about governance of the curriculum as a whole, not sitting over students shoulders as they take quizzes. The way the administration handled the cheating incident was never cited (and was apparently commended by the LCME).

Anyway, I did my best to chip in here an honest perspective of what's going on, but that's not what this thread is about, and I'm not going to go back and forth about this BS. Deuces
 
I just had a look at the PACER information and it appears that the federal judge has signed a temporary restraining order against the LCME from withdrawing accreditaiton.

Source: http://dockets.justia.com/docket/puerto-rico/prdce/3:2011cv02014/90328/

October 28, 201148
menu-gavel1.png
ORDER re 2 MOTION for Temporary Restraining Order (and Memorandum of Law in Support) MOTION for Preliminary Injunction. Signed by Judge Gustavo A. Gelpi on 10/28/11. (AH)

I wonder what will happen next.
 
I just had a look at the PACER information and it appears that the federal judge has signed a temporary restraining order against the LCME from withdrawing accreditaiton.

Source: http://dockets.justia.com/docket/puerto-rico/prdce/3:2011cv02014/90328/



I wonder what will happen next.

This was discussed in the pre-allo forum. Basically, the LCME has to appoint a different panel within a month or two to reevaluate SJB. What will happen is that the new committee will reaffirm the original committee's findings and SJB will still have its accreditation rescinded. Also, the fourth years are still screwed. No residency program will interview applicants who have this dark cloud hanging over them. It's like trying to unring a bell, as far as the reputation that SJB has.
 
http://www.swrnn.com/2011/11/04/llusm-welcomes-displaced-medical-students-from-puerto-rico/

LLUSM welcomes displaced medical students from Puerto Rico
By Guest Contributor, on November 4, 2011, at 1:33 pm

Eleven medical students from Puerto Rico were welcomed to Loma Linda University School of Medicine this week following the closure of their former school.

The students – two seniors and nine juniors – were among the 275 students, some from California, of San Juan Bautista School of Medicine in Caguas, Puerto Rico, U.S., who were unable to continue their education after the school lost its accreditation early last month. The selected transfer students will resume their education at LLUSM and plan to graduate with the classes of 2012 and 2013, respectively...
 
http://www.swrnn.com/2011/11/04/llusm-welcomes-displaced-medical-students-from-puerto-rico/

LLUSM welcomes displaced medical students from Puerto Rico
By Guest Contributor, on November 4, 2011, at 1:33 pm

Eleven medical students from Puerto Rico were welcomed to Loma Linda University School of Medicine this week following the closure of their former school.

The students – two seniors and nine juniors – were among the 275 students, some from California, of San Juan Bautista School of Medicine in Caguas, Puerto Rico, U.S., who were unable to continue their education after the school lost its accreditation early last month. The selected transfer students will resume their education at LLUSM and plan to graduate with the classes of 2012 and 2013, respectively...

Well they just traded up....big time.
 
How abt the 1st/2nd yr students, given the main LCME citation to withdraw accreditation is based on the school's lack of clinical resources, I would assume their 3rd and 4th yr students shld receive more scrutiny than those in their basic science years. To me, it is ironic that 3rd and 4th students are in a better position to transfer with questions remain on the quality of their training.

Also, if LCME has a mechanism to pull the accreditation, it is only responsible to have a plan for the students affected. I think these professional committee sitters tend to forget that they were once this vulnerable many years ago eh:eek:

If it is true that it would be more difficult for LCME to do the same to a mainland sch, then here we have many victims of some bureaucracy at work

my 2cents
 
UPDATE: San Juan Bautista third and fourth year students boycotted second semester matriculation. The school has not been able to meet payroll last two bi monthly payments. General consensus is that the school is near the end...
 
Ah. That's what happens when you choose to go to less reputable schools.
 
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT, November 18, 2011
Pursuant to an October 28, 2011 Order of the federal district court for the District of Puerto Rico in the case entitled Escuela de Medicina de San Juan Bautista v. Liaison Committee on Medical Education et al., on November 16, 2011, an Appeals Hearing was held regarding the June 2011 LCME decision to withdraw accreditation from the educational program leading to the MD degree at the San Juan Bautista School of Medicine. The LCME Appeals Panel affirmed each of the areas of non-compliance originally cited by the LCME. The panel placed the medical education program on probationary status pending the LCME's consideration of the results of a full survey visit to take place as previously scheduled on January 29 - February 1, 2012.
.
 
Just found out that MSU-CHM is absorbing 4-5 Juan Bautista students.
 
Hats off to Loma Linda and MSU, hopefully more schools follow their lead and absorb SJB students, they really shouldn't be left out in the cold, they're innocent in all this...
 
AAMC is telling SJB seniors that they are straight-up ineligible to participate in ERAS. That's absolutely hideous. Not that i blame AAMC or ERAS, but... wow...

If I were a SJB senior I'd get a lawyer and he and I would march into the administrative office to give them two choices:

1. double my tuition fees and cost of living over 4 years refunded immediately

2. I sue everyone there into oblivion for ruining my career.
 
I'm an LLU 3rd year student and I just want to say we're really proud of our school for stepping up and finding a way to bring in these students.

Logistically I guess it's been difficult, and I've heard the clerkship coordinators are a little frazzled trying to find space, but I'm now rotating with one of the students and I think they're going to do all right here.

For those that did find a spot, another challenge is that their rotation year starts later so they had completed fewer rotations and they don't have as much experience as any of us so far, yet are graded as equals. They're working hard though and we're glad to have them.

Bonus: (For some) Extra native Spanish speakers on the team here in Southern California = huge help.

So welcome SJB students, we know you're going to do great.
 
There are many left at SJB at the mercy of incompetent faculty and administration, whose career is a big question mark...
 
Top