MD Medical Schools in Puerto Rico
4 allopathic MD programs in our catalogue for Puerto Rico. Use the profiles below to compare MCAT medians, GPA ranges, in-state preference, and AMCAS strategy.
Last reviewed August 15, 2026
About Puerto Rico: Pop. ~3.2M; the San Juan metro is the medical hub, with Ponce and Bayamón also hosting health-sciences campuses. Four LCME-accredited MD programmes and three dental schools serve the territory — more MD programmes than most US states.
In-state preference: Puerto Rico is a US jurisdiction: its medical schools are LCME-accredited, students use AMCAS and graduates enter the US residency match on the same terms as any other US school. The public University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine strongly favours PR residents; the private programmes (Ponce, Universidad Central del Caribe, San Juan Bautista) admit more broadly but still draw heavily from the island. Clinical teaching and patient contact are largely in Spanish, so working Spanish is expected regardless of residency — confirm each programme's stated language requirement before you apply.
Major health systems
- Puerto Rico Medical Center (Centro Médico)
- Hospital Auxilio Mutuo
- HIMA San Pablo
- Metro Pavía Health System
- VA Caribbean Healthcare System
4 MD Programs in Puerto Rico
- Ponce Health Sciences University School of Medicine (MD)
Ponce, PR
Ponce Health Sciences University School of Medicine was founded in 1977. It is a private bilingual medical school in Ponce, Puerto Rico's second-largest city. The school has strong biomedical research infrastructure and runs a PhD program alongside the MD. Its mission is to train physicians to serve underserved populations across Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. Because it participates in AMCAS, it attracts both Puerto Rico-based and mainland US applicants, particularly those with Hispanic heritage or Spanish-language skills.
MCAT 499GPA 3.624.0% acceptanceModerate in-state pref. - UCC Bayamon School of Medicine (MD)
Bayamon, PR
Universidad Central del Caribe School of Medicine, founded in 1976 and located in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, is a private medical school with a strong biomedical science research program and a community health mission focused on Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. The school is situated in the densely populated northern Puerto Rico metro area, providing students with access to a diverse urban and suburban patient population. Affiliated clinical training includes the Dr. Ramón E. Betances Hospital and partnerships with community health centers across the region.
MCAT 499GPA 3.774.0% acceptanceModerate in-state pref. - University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine (MD)
San Juan, PR
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.
MCAT 505GPA 3.8012.0% acceptanceStrong in-state pref. - San Juan Bautista School of Medicine (MD)
Caguas, PR
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.
MCAT 499GPA 3.654.0% acceptanceModerate in-state pref.
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