A few questions regarding this school...
1. How difficult is it to get a US residency if you go here?
"Ponce School of Medicine is a fully accredited by the
Liaison Committee on Medical Education(LCME). Our graduates can hold residency or practice anywhere within the US through the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP) and Electronic Residency Application System (ERAS)." - taken from PSoM´s website.
http://www.psm.edu/Student_Affairs/Admissions/faq_admission.htm#faq6
2. How fluent must you be in Spanish? and 3. Are classes taught in Spanish?
To answer both questions:
"Are the classes taught in English or in Spanish?
Either or both languages, depending on the preference of the instructors. Textbooks and exams are in English, however, students must be fully bilingual in English and Spanish. Six credits of college level Spanish are required."- taken from their PSoM´s website.
http://www.psm.edu/Student_Affairs/Admissions/faq_admission.htm#faq6
4. Is this school accredited by the US? Is it better than a Caribbean school?
For accreditation see question number 1 or LCME's website (
http://www.lcme.org/directry.htm ). If it is better or worse than Caribbean school is a matter of opinion, but the facts are:
Tuition in PSoM is 18,000/year vs. AUC´s $11,000/year or Ross´ 13,000/year
Ponce is LCME accredited, none of the caribbean´s schools is.
Puerto Rico has most US commodities (big shopping malls and US chains) most lower antilles don´t.
Lower Antilles islands get hitted by hurricanes almost every year, Puerto Rico doesn´t.
Puerto Rico is part of the United States the other islands are not.
Puerto Rico has a population of almost 3,500,000 people what translates on plenty of more clinical exposure than in 30,000 to 60,000 people islands.
Criminality in Puerto Rico is higher than the lower antilles islands.
Thanks!