San Juan Bautista School of Medicine, founded in 1978 and located in Caguas, Puerto Rico, is a small private medical school with an explicit mission to serve underserved communities across Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. The school emphasizes primary care, community medicine, and social responsibility.
Its small class size affords students close mentorship from faculty and early clinical exposure at affiliated community health centers and hospitals across the island.
What makes San Juan Bautista School of Medicine (MD) different
San Juan Bautista School of Medicine is the smallest of Puerto Rico's medical schools, so students get a close-knit community and a lot of faculty contact. Its focus is training primary care physicians for medically underserved areas of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean, and many graduates stay on the island for residency and practice.
Per its own overview, SJBSM is LCME-accredited but currently fully accredited on probation. That is a material status, and applicants should weigh it when assessing the program.
San Juan Bautista School of Medicine (MD) course & teaching
Integrated curriculum. 4-year MD. Years 1–2 cover basic and clinical sciences in Caguas. Years 3–4 involve clinical rotations at affiliated hospitals and community health centers in Puerto Rico. Bilingual instruction throughout; strong emphasis on primary care and underserved medicine from Year 1.
San Juan Bautista School of Medicine (MD) research strengths
San Juan Bautista School of Medicine (MD) is strong in these research areas:
- Community health
- Primary care workforce
- Chronic disease in Puerto Rico
- Health disparities
- Tropical medicine
How the San Juan Bautista School of Medicine (MD) interview runs
Format: Traditional individual faculty interviews
San Juan Bautista interview day is held on campus in Caguas and includes one or two individual interviews with faculty members lasting approximately 20–30 minutes each. Interviewers focus on the applicant's commitment to underserved community health, experience serving vulnerable populations, Spanish fluency, and personal motivations for choosing medicine in Puerto Rico.
The day also involves a campus tour, an orientation session with admissions staff, and informal interaction with current students over lunch. Applicants should arrive prepared to discuss specific clinical or volunteer experiences in detail.
San Juan Bautista School of Medicine (MD) intake
Approximately 65–70 students per year.
San Juan Bautista School of Medicine (MD) at a glance
Founded in 1978. Based in Caguas, PR.
Programmes offered:
- Primary Care
- Family Medicine
- Community Medicine
- Internal Medicine
- Obstetrics & Gynecology