2010-2011 Ponce School of Medicine Application Thread

[ksmi117]

Reserved for prompt.

Please PM the essays or lack thereof to me (ksmi117) when the secondary is available.

with your application!

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[CrazedNDiffused]

So am I just the only person who even thought to apply here? Or just the only one who checks these forums?

 

[notorious725]

So am I just the only person who even thought to apply here? Or just the only one who checks these forums?

I'm hoping for the former lol that way we have a better chance of getting in...when did you apply? have you heard anything from them yet?

 

[CrazedNDiffused]

Yeah, but it's making me muy loco! I got this e-mail not to long ago saying that I was missing a few credits, but its because they were APs, and my school doesn't do "semester hours" in its credit system.

Aside from that though, I haven't heard anything, no.

 

[notorious725]

i hope that doesnt happen to me as i took AP spanish while in high school but my school did give me college credits...are you bilingual? where from if u dont mind me asking

 

[CrazedNDiffused]

Technically I'm triligual (not that I'm bragging, or anything ^^, but my Spanish comes mostly from school (pre-K-college), and speaking a Spanish-adjacent language at home. I also use Spanish a lot at my work site, so I'm getting pretty well-practiced that way.

 

[Imagainstthis]

Could anyone post more information on Ponce? How are they viewed compared to other Puerto Rican schools and why? What is it like going to school there? Grading system?

 

[rjr2467]

does anyone know when this school begins to notify non- puerto rican applicants about interview invites? also, what is the best way to check status of all documents sent to ponce?

 

[Imagainstthis]

just got an email of acceptance today!!! i'm going to be a doctor!!! email said they'd send an official letter soon

 

[L1zz]

just got an email of acceptance today!!! i'm going to be a doctor!!! email said they'd send an official letter soon

Hi Imagainstthis,
I applied to PSM and but I am not from PR. I have heard the non-residents get interviews until next year. Are you from PR? When did you get your interview?

Congrats for your acceptance!!!! =)

 

[L1zz]

just got an email of acceptance today!!! i'm going to be a doctor!!! email said they'd send an official letter soon

I was reading the thread from SJB and I got the answer...
But I have another question: how do you compare Ponce with San juan bautista? which one did you like better? I have only been to SJB, but I have heard great things about Ponce.

Congrats once again

 

[Imagainstthis]

I liked San Juan Bautista better. Maybe it was because my Ponce interview was pretty impromptu. I called a few days after landing in Puerto Rico and asked for an interview and they granted it. But San Juan Bautista had a great "feeling" to it. Loved the people I interacted with, love the location, love how much patient contact you get. hope this helps.

i do have to say Ponce was pretty awesome too. Unlike SJB it's right on the water, that side of puerto rico is way different in terms of landscape. Ponce's website is much better, they actually list where their students matched which is pretty impressive. That makes me lean towards Ponce although it's much more expensive than SJB.

 

[rjr2467]

has any non-puerto rican resident received an interview invite? (not including interviews given for being in the area to interview at a different school)

Also, does anyone know the typical time frame for non-puerto rican interview invites?

 

[bonaire]

has any non-puerto rican resident received an interview invite? (not including interviews given for being in the area to interview at a different school)

Also, does anyone know the typical time frame for non-puerto rican interview invites?

SJB gives about a month or so. I'm a non resident, I interviewed in December.
UCC, Universidad Central del Caribe, called me December 23rd for an interview at the end of January.

 

[bonaire]

I liked San Juan Bautista better. Maybe it was because my Ponce interview was pretty impromptu. I called a few days after landing in Puerto Rico and asked for an interview and they granted it. But San Juan Bautista had a great "feeling" to it. Loved the people I interacted with, love the location, love how much patient contact you get. hope this helps.

i do have to say Ponce was pretty awesome too. Unlike SJB it's right on the water, that side of puerto rico is way different in terms of landscape. Ponce's website is much better, they actually list where their students matched which is pretty impressive. That makes me lean towards Ponce although it's much more expensive than SJB.

I'm also trying to figure out which ones are better. I know Ponce is on Probation. I called LCME last week and they told me the school was still fully accredited, but that they couldn't tell me why they went on probation. I also spoke with some 2nd year students and they didn't seem worried at all.

 

[Morgaine]

Hi everyone!
I am still waiting on an interview from Ponce. I'm not Hispanic but I have taken Spanish throughout high school and college and satisfied their 12 credit requirement.

I am wondering if anyone who's not a resident of PR and is of non-Hispanic heritage has gotten an interview yet. I called them and they said they begun their out of state interviews 2 weeks ago and will be interviewing through April.

 

[Imagainstthis]

I'm out of state and completely "gringo" (no hispanic background unless you count that I had a lot of hispanic friend growing up). Interviewed in November and accepted in December.

Any truth to these?:

1) Ponce is on probation with their LCME accreditation? Why?Does that scare anyone?

2) We have to be on campus in mid July for orientation and classes start mid-late July/early August?

3) Most people take out about $40,000 in student loans per year (covers total expenses tuition, housing, food, travel, etc)

Any help would be awesome thanks!

 

[Fluxie]

I'm out of state and completely "gringo" (no hispanic background unless you count that I had a lot of hispanic friend growing up). Interviewed in November and accepted in December.

Any truth to these?:

1) Ponce is on probation with their LCME accreditation? Why?Does that scare anyone?

2) We have to be on campus in mid July for orientation and classes start mid-late July/early August?

3) Most people take out about $40,000 in student loans per year (covers total expenses tuition, housing, food, travel, etc)

Any help would be awesome thanks!

Hi Imagainstthis,

1. Yes ponce is on probation according to the LCME site. Personally im worried about this, but in older threads the students seems optimistic in PSM maintaining its accreditation. Also it seems it isn't the first time that Ponce is on probation.
http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2003/03/10/prbf0310.htm

On their newsletter there is a vague mention of the issue by the school president:
http://www.psm.edu/PSM Newsletter/PSM Newsletters 2009.htm

2. I dont know the exact date of orientation but according to their academic calendar for last year the "matricula" was on July 22 and classes began on August 2.

3 heres a link on a suggested budget at PSM:
http://psm.edu/PDF Document/Financial Aid 2009-2010/Budget MD 4yrs 2010-2011.pdf


Im really considering Ponce as my first choice at this moment but the accreditation issue scare me. Hopefully some current student can give us more information about the issue.

 

[DrHartman]

I just received a letter telling me I'm put in a "Lista de Alternos". Does anybody know how this process works in Ponce? From what I read on the related forum from last year, most of the replies were related to the strike at the moment, but no mention of when and how and more or less how many students are put on the list and move eventually to the accepted list. Thanks

 

[psmhsgrad]

I just finished at Ponce. If I were in your shoes I would think hard about coming here. The price just keeps going up. I am glad to be graduating so I can finally say how I feel bout the place. $36,000 next year. All the schools in PR: SJB, UCC, UPR and PSM have the same reputation. People in the US think they are all caribbean schools. Its really not worth the price any more. I would advise you to go to the cheapest school you can. The facilities here are ****ty, despite $500 facilities fee every term. The library had no internet for the entire 2 weeks before match! Honestly, I interviewed at UCC and wish I went there. Nice facilities, cheaper cost. Ponce has been having accreditation problems for years now due to rumors the school will be sold to Catolica (which it probably will be) and cheating among students. Not a quality education.

Ultimately, as a graduate I am thinking about costs at this point as I enter the payback zone. PSM might have been more affordable for me but in the last few years the price has skyrocketed. Its not worth it anymore, give your hard earned money to a school with decent fcilities and good professors.

 

[psmhsgrad]

Yes. First year starts super early with orientation (a lot of drinking). Its 2 weeks long, plan on mid-july start. Classes start aug 1. Tuition will be more like $36,000 plus fees which are another couple thousand. Maybe $42,000 total for non-residents. School still on probation for LCME which sucks for you guys. If I were you I would go elsewhere, no reason to risk $200,000 on a non-lcme school

 

[1913BabyDoc]

wow

 

[gsainz]

yeah wow are my words exactly. does any other former/current student share in those sentiments? for the most part i have heard positive things about this school. does anyone else know anything about the ponce lcme present/future status?

 

[PSMms4]

Hey guys,

To start with if you are considering Ponce I have a beautiful condo on the water for sale!! Completely furnished and perfect for a medical student (it is where I lived for all 4 years). Look out over the water from your desk while you study! It is cheaper then renting! And there is no better way to regain your sanity during exams then by taking a moment to sit on the balcony, enjoy the water view and watch the sunset over the water! PM me if interested!

Of course I can't ignore your questions about PSM. I'm also a 4th year at PSM, and I'm fairly confident I know which of my classmates posted under the username "psmgrad," lol...

Anyway, here is my input and answers to some of your questions:

-the information we received regarding our probationary standing with LCME accreditation is that it was widely due to the school's financial situation. How they ended up in said financial situation is widely speculated, but we do know that the school did two things to immediately fix that issue: they raised tuition, and they applied for a technology grant. The school was awarded $19 million in technology grants (will be disbursed over so many years), but since those incoming funds are "theoretical" until the money is in the school's hands, tuition continues to be adjusted and raised to manage the debt situation.

-Ponce versus other PR schools: I disagree with what psmgrad said, I don't think all PR school have the same reputation. IMHO, UPR and Ponce have the better reputations. Yeah, maybe SJB and UCC have better facilities, etc, but they are much younger programs - SJB just received accreditation 4 yrs ago. I have no doubt they will continue to succeed in the long run, but short term advantages of Ponce is that it has been around for 30+ yrs and there are residency programs that know Ponce students very well (programs in Florida, New York, Penn, for example) I interviewed at a handful of residency programs that knew PSM and talked about residents they loved from Ponce over 20 years ago. (Unfortunately, there are those few residency programs that are close-minded and ignorant and will choose to miss out on a great interview candidate because in their mind PR grads are IMG grads, which we are not. But they are few and far between.)

-Quality of education: Not the best. I often wonder what kind of education I would have received at another institution. PSM has a disconnect in what they want to teach and what we as students need to know for boards, etc. It was frustrating, and in the end a lot of us feel we received a "self-made" education. It wasn't the teachers or the clinical experiences that got us to where we are, it was the hard work we put in. But the reality is this was the best school we got accepted at, the majority of us struggled with MCATs and med schools are getting more and more competitive, so we took what we were offered. In terms of education, you get what you put in.

-In the end: we had an 85% match rate in my class! I matched in my top choice in primary care. I am more than ready to get out of Ponce! It is a difficult four years no matter where you go, at least in Ponce you have a beach to escape to every now and then!

Sorry for the long post. I hope it helps give you all another perspective when making your decisions. If you have any other questions let me know, or PM me. I'd probably do better with direct questions, I was trying to do a general sweep of the main issues with this post.

Exito in your careers!

 

[psmalum]

The school will undergo another review by the LCME at the beginning of June. Ive attended the meetings with the administration and yes, the probationary status was mainly due to financial difficulties which have been worked on and starting to look much better. Its definitely true that the education here is what you make of it....if you approach it with a negative attitude and expect to be spoon fed then you're in for a big surprise. If you're looking for a U.S. education at an accredited medical school and you have no other mainland options, then PSM is a damn good place. We had a really good match rate compared to other years and personally, I feel very satisfied with the education I got here. I matched in one of my top choices and I have no complaints. The reputation is definitely not the same...UPR and PSM are the two more well known places here on the island as well as by residency programs in the US. Yes, its getting even more expensive, then again, I doubt you'll want to pay an even higher tuition at Ross or SGU and be considered a foreign grad when it comes time to apply for residency...trust me it makes a huge difference. Think twice before you listen to extremely negative reviews.

 

[psmalum]

If anyone is interested, here's a few things I have for sale:

Kenmore Washer/Dryer Combo in excellent condition: $325 OBO

Brown Microfiber Sectional Sofa Living Room Set: Includes Sofa, Ottoman with storage, glass top coffee table. Excellent condition, no tears or stains:

$600 OBO


Full size bed (mattress, boxspring, steel base): $ 50
Black, glass-top office desk with chair: $30
Haier black/silver microwave: $20
Lasko Model 2517 Tower Fan: $15
Black leather office chair: $10

 

[gsainz]

has anyone heard anything about movement off of the lista de alternos?

 

[MDrican]

This is the match list for the class of 2011, the list is available on the school's webpage, but i'll post it here anyway. The match is dependent on individual factors, but definitely the fact that PSM is the better known PR medical school (together with UPR) in mainland US definitely helps.




Anesthesiology = Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH

Dermatology = Univ. of South Florida COM, Tampa; Univ. of Puerto Rico

Emergency Medicine = Univ. of Florida COM, Jacksonville; Univ. of Connecticut Health Center, Boston; Univ. of Medical Center, MA; San Luke’s Episcopal Hospital, PR

Family Medicine = Good Samaritan Penn State; Ball Memorial Hosp., IN; Lehigh Valley Hosp., PA; Jackson Memorial Hosp., FL; Northridge Hosp. Medical Center, CA

Internal Medicine = Univ. of Massachus- setts Medical School; Ohio State Univ medical Center., OH; Ochsner Clinic Foundation, LA. San Juan VA Medical Center., PR; Damas Hospital, PR; Univ. of Connecticut Health Center.; Texas Tech Univ. Affiliate El Paso, TX; Orlando Health, FL; Univ. of South Florida COM, Tampa; Virginia Commonwealth Univ. Health System

Neurology = Emory Univ SOM, GA

Obstetrics-Gynecology = Univ. of Puerto Rico; Western Pennsylvania Hosp.; Lehigh Valley Hosp., PA; Washington Hospital Center, DC; Nassau Univ. Medical Center, NY

Ophthalmology = UMDNJ, New Jersey, MS

Pediatrics = St. Christophers Hosp., PA; Univ. of South Florida COM, Tampa; San Luke’s Hospital, PR

General Surgery = St. Luke’s-Bethlehem, PA

PGY1 preliminary in General Surgery = Duke University; PennState Hershey; Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.; York Hospital, PA; UPMC Mercy, Pittsburg, PA; University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas

Orthopeadic Surgery = UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical, Newark

Urology = Univ. of PR, San Juan

Radiology Diagnostic = Univ. of Puerto Rico

Transitional = San Luke’s Episcopal Hosp., PR; Damas Hospital,PR

Research-One Year = Univ. of Puerto Rico, Univ of New Mexico, Univ of Minnesota