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US Medicine · 2027 Entry

University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine

2027 Entry Requirements & Interview Format

University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine is a US MD program in San Juan, PR that takes 2027-entry applications through AMCAS. Its published class profile lists a median MCAT of 505 (range 504–515), a median GPA of 3.80, a 12.0% acceptance rate and a class of 105. The school holds a traditional interview: October 2026–February 2027. Decisions for 2027 entry: March 30, 2027 (AAMC standard).

Location
San Juan, PR, United States
Established
1950
Interviews (2027 entry)
October 2026–February 2027
Decisions (2027 entry)
March 30, 2027 (AAMC standard)
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University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine (MD) — The iconic Roosevelt clock tower of the University of Puerto RicoUniversity of Puerto Rico School of Medicine (MD) — Old "Residencia de Señoritas"at University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras…

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Full guide

How to get into University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine (MD) medicine

Step-by-step: entry requirements, MCAT prep, personal statement, interview format and the key deadlines.

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Interview guide

Prepare for the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine (MD) interview

Format breakdown, school-specific sample questions, FAQs and prep tips from tutors who interviewed here.

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Overview

About University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine (MD)

The University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine was founded in 1950 and sits on the Medical Sciences Campus in Rio Piedras, San Juan. It is the only public medical school in Puerto Rico, and the oldest on the island.

It is the main training ground for Puerto Rico's physician workforce, with a strong primary care and community health mission backed by its public university mandate. Affiliations with major public hospitals, including the Puerto Rico Medical Center complex, give students high-acuity clinical exposure.

What makes University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine (MD) different

As the only public medical school in Puerto Rico, UPR Med offers the lowest in-state tuition of any PR medical school and has a formal mandate to train physicians for Puerto Rico's public health needs.

It is part of the University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, which also houses schools of pharmacy, dentistry, public health, and nursing — enabling unique inter-professional training. UPR Med graduates have historically comprised the backbone of Puerto Rico's physician workforce.

University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine (MD) course & teaching

Integrated curriculum. 4-year MD. Years 1–2 at the Medical Sciences Campus in San Juan; clinical rotations Years 3–4 at Puerto Rico Medical Center hospitals and affiliated community sites. Bilingual instruction throughout; public health and community medicine are integrated from Year 1.

University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine (MD) research strengths

University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine (MD) is strong in these research areas:

  • Cancer epidemiology in Puerto Rico
  • Cardiovascular disease
  • HIV/AIDS
  • Health disparities
  • Tropical and infectious disease

How the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine (MD) interview runs

Format: Traditional individual faculty interviews; panel format for some applicants

UPR Med's MD admissions pages do not describe the interview format, length or setting. As the only public medical school in Puerto Rico, UPR Med selects mostly Puerto Rican residents. Interviewers probe the depth of your ties to the island, your Spanish fluency, your motivation for community service, and your academic preparedness.

Applicants are expected to show strong command of both English and Spanish, and to explain how they will contribute to Puerto Rico's healthcare workforce.

University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine (MD) intake

Approximately 105 students per year.

Where University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine (MD) is

University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine was founded in 1950 and is based in San Juan, PR.

Programmes offered:

  • Primary Care
  • Internal Medicine
  • Pediatrics
  • Family Medicine
  • Public Health
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Entry requirements

What you need to apply to University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine (MD)

University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine (MD) at a glance

University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine Medicine — 2027 entry at a glance
MCAT / GPA (medians)505 · 3.80 (MCAT range 504–515)
Acceptance rate12.0%
Class size105
In-state matriculants98%
Interview formatTraditional interview
IntakeApproximately 105 students per year
Decisions (2027 entry)March 30, 2027 (AAMC standard)
University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine Medicine admissions profile — 2027 entry
Admission overviewBachelor's degree and MCAT required. Applications via AMCAS. Puerto Rico residency is effectively required — the school's mandate is to train physicians for Puerto Rico's public health system, and non-residents are rarely accepted. Spanish proficiency is required. Strong academic preparation and community service background are expected. Secondary application required.
MCAT median505 (range 504–515)
GPA median3.80 overall / 3.58 science (BCPM)
Acceptance rate12.0%
Class size105
In-state preferenceStrong — primarily in-state
In-state matriculants98%
CASPerNot required
AAMC PREviewNot required
Holistic review emphasisPuerto Rico residency; commitment to island's public health workforce; bilingual proficiency; community service background.
NotesEstimates from public AAMC FACTS / class-profile data; verify current cycle. Acceptance rate reflects near-exclusive PR resident admissions.
Specialities offeredPrimary Care, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Family Medicine, Public Health

MCAT, GPA, acceptance-rate and class-size figures are taken from University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine's published admissions data. Class profiles are republished each year — confirm which entering class these numbers describe before you rely on them.

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Interview

How University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine (MD) interviews applicants

University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine Medicine interview — 2027 entry
FormatTraditional individual faculty interviews; panel format for some applicants
Interview window (2027 entry)October 2026–February 2027
Decision date (2027 entry)March 30, 2027 (AAMC standard)
Post-interview chancesEstimated post-interview acceptance rate approximately 40–55% given strong in-state preference and large class size relative to PR applicant pool. Puerto Rico residency and mission fit are the primary determinants.
Tutor insight
UPR Med is effectively reserved for Puerto Rico residents — non-residents face an extremely steep path regardless of academic credentials. For island residents, it represents exceptional value: lower tuition, the largest PR class, and affiliation with high-volume public hospitals that provide broad clinical exposure. In your interview, demonstrate deep engagement with Puerto Rico's public health challenges — not just generic medicine motivation. Spanish proficiency is non-negotiable; your clinical training will be bilingual from Year 3. The Puerto Rico Medical Center complex provides exposure to a high-acuity patient population that rivals many mainland academic medical centers, which is an underappreciated strength to highlight in essays.
Practice

Practise for your University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine (MD) interview

PrometheusQuestion Bank621 medicine questions inside

Interview questions matched to University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine (MD)

Two questions from our US bank that match University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine (MD)’s panel format. Try answering them out loud, then open Prometheus for the model answers and follow-up tips.

HardMMI · PanelQ1

Physicians and Gun Violence

Gun violence kills approximately 45,000 Americans per year and is the leading cause of death for children and adolescents in the United States. Some physicians argue that this is a public health crisis requiring physician engagement, including universal screening and counseling. Others argue that physicians should stay out of a politically charged policy debate.

How do you think about the physician's role in addressing gun violence, and what specific actions are within the scope of medicine?

Likely follow-up · What is the Dickey Amendment, and how has it historically limited gun violence research funding at the NIH and CDC?

3 expert tips in Prometheus
MediumMMI · PanelQ2

Cultural Humility and Herbal Remedies

An attending physician you are shadowing tells a patient, a recent Haitian immigrant, that she needs to stop drinking herbal teas prepared by a community healer and switch entirely to her prescribed blood pressure medications. The patient agrees in the office but the attending later tells you she probably will not be adherent.

What do you think went wrong in this interaction, and how would you approach the conversation differently?

Likely follow-up · What is the difference between cultural competence and cultural humility, and why does the distinction matter clinically?

3 expert tips in Prometheus
Open Prometheus for University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine (MD)Free medicine interview question bank for University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine (MD) applicants →
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MCAT Strategy

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Interview preparation

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Sources

Where University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine (MD)'s figures come from

Compiled from University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine's published admissions material and checked for internal consistency. Not independently re-checked against the school's own website for 2027 entry — confirm the figures with the school before you rely on them.

University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine (MD) — official course page →Entry requirements, interview format and deadlines published by the school itself. The primary source for everything on this page.
FAQ

University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine (MD) — frequently asked questions

University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine (MD) matriculants have a median MCAT of 505. The middle range of matriculants is 504–515. US schools publish medians rather than cut-offs, and committees review holistically — the MCAT is weighed alongside GPA, clinical and research experience, letters of recommendation and secondary essays.

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