San Juan Bautista School of Medicine

About San Juan Bautista School of Medicine:

The San Juan Bautista School of Medicine also known as (SJBSM) is a non-profit, private college, consolidated with the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. San Juan Bautista School of Medicine is governed by a board of trustees and they ensure that the school is compliant with its vision and mission. There are around 6 members in the board and representatives in the Dean/President all actions concerning the appointment of deans, administrative personnel, and faculty. The School of Medicine was established in 1978 to enhance the community’s health by paying attention to community medicine and the healthcare need for having more physicians serving underserved and underrepresented populations.

Initially, the School was located in the capital of Puerto Rico, San Juan, which was named San Juan Bautista by the Spaniards. The School moved its facilities to one of the most important urban centers in Puerto Rico that has a population of 150,000, the city of Caguas. Due to its prosperous location, the city is easily accessible through airports and ports facilities that allows convenient and fast transport. This location facilitates tourist expansion, individual, and commercial activities. As of today, the San Juan Bautista comprises undergraduate and graduate programs i.e. Bachelor in Science of Nursing (BSN), Master in Public Health (MPH in the evening), and Medical Doctor (MD).

Mission & Vision:

The Mission of the SJBSM:

The mission of San Juan Bautista School of Medicine is to educate a culturally diverse population of physicians and other healthcare professionals. SJBSM graduates will have the skills, knowledge, competence, and values to pursue their career options in public health, medicine, and nursing. The College aims at delivering high-quality care services and conduct basic and clinical research. The school’s interest is focused on researching translational community medicine, community health, and on graduating healthcare physicians and other health professionals who are reactive to the healthcare needs of underrepresented and underserved populations.

The Vision of the San Juan Bautista School of Medicine:

The School envisions to hold a leadership position among the assessors of remarkable education in community medicine and basic and primary care to strengthen and support the efforts of local and state government in enhancing the health conditions and making care accessible to rural and urban communities.

Goals & Objectives:

1. Provide high-quality medical education to the graduates who will be well-trained in team base and consolidated care, outcome standards, and ethics to manage the care of the entire community.
2. Promote translational research by developing collaborative associations among clinical faculty, basic scientists, and community practitioners.
3. Improve and maintain the use of IT as a tool for research, performance measurement, teaching, and improving communication within the community of the school of medicine.
4. Encourage an educational environment that supports research, life-long learning, interprofessional education, academic freedom, and a culture of quality improvement.
5. Improve the school’s image as an academic center dedicated to enhancing community medicine, and excellence in nursing, public health, and primary care.
6. Establish a system that can evaluate measurable outcomes of nursing, medical education, and public health accurately.
7. Improve the efforts to attract students from culturally diverse backgrounds and develop partnerships to promote diversity among students.

Contact Information:

• Location: Salida 21 Carr. 172 Urb. Turabo Gardens, Caguas, P.R. 0072.
• Phone: 787-743-3038.

Educational Programs:

MD Program:

The San Juan Bautista School of Medicine offers an updated, service-oriented, and interdisciplinary academic program leading to the M.D. degree program. The curriculum of this degree is arranged in a longitudinal and coherent sequence in 2 phased through 4 years of study; 2 years of Biomedical Sciences and 2 years of Clinical Sciences.

Admission Requirements:

All the applicants must comply with the following requirements for consideration:

• It is recommended to have a Bachelor’s Degree in Science with the required Pre-Medical course credits completed at a US accredited college/university. The minimum Science and General GPA must be 2.75 (on a scale of 4.00). However, the GPA of a graduate degree doesn’t substitute for an undergraduate degree.
• Pre-medical coursework consists of:

1. General Biology I and II with labs (8 credits)
2. Spanish (9 credits)
3. English (9 credits)
4. General Chemistry I and II with labs (8 credits)
5. General Physics I and II with labs (8 credits)
6. Behavioral and Social Sciences (Sociology, Psychology, Political Sciences, Economics, and Anthropology) (9 credits)
7. Organic Chemistry I and II with labs (8 credits)

• Applicants are required to submit the following material to initiate the admission process:

1. An application through AMCAS. The complete application must be processed and verified by AMCAS between June 1st and December 15th of the year before admission.
2. A non-refundable application fee of $100.
3. Official transcripts and documents from all the institutions attended.
4. MCAT with a minimum score of 492. MCAT scores not older than 3 years will be considered.
5. Two academic letters of recommendation from science professors.
6. One letter of recommendation from a community leader.

MPH Program:

The San Juan Bautista School of Medicine offers the Master in Public Health Program that focuses on the study of the aspects of population and community health. The graduates of public health are expected to gain the skills and knowledge for the diagnosis of community health needs and issues.

Eligibility Criteria:

• The MPH Program requires a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college/university with a minimum GPA of 2.5 (on a scale of 4.00).

Initial Application:

All the applicants are required to submit the following documents, to begin with, their admission process:

• Application form available at the Admissions Office or online.
• Official results of GRE and EXADEP Admission Tests. Scores of these tests must not be older than 5 years.
• A non-refundable application fee of $100.
• Official transcripts and documents from all the institutions attended.
• A negative criminal record report.
• An essay or a personal statement explaining the applicant’s interest in the degree program.

Personal Interview:

The individual interview plays an important role along with the admission documents. This personal interview will take into account the applicant’s interpersonal characteristics, language skills, and communication skills.  The applicant is required to submit all the documents mentioned above and meet all the requirements to be considered for an interview. However, an interview does not guarantee admission and it is just a part of the overall process.

Required Documents upon acceptance:

If an applicant is granted admission in the San Juan Bautista School of Medicine, he/she is required to submit the following documents:

• Copy of birth certificate
• Health Certificate
• Immunization Certificate (PVAC – 3 Form)
• Physician’s Report
• One “2 x 2“photo

BSN Program:

The San Juan Bautista School of Medicine offers a Bachelor’s Degree in Science of Nursing (BSN) which is a 4-year degree program divided into 8 semesters to complete 120 credits hours. These 120 credits consist of 46 general courses, 20 pre-requisite, and 54 credits in Nursing Science (major courses) that includes practice and theory. BSN Program is a bilingual program that is offered from Monday to Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Candidates applying directly from High School:

• Must have completed a high school from a high school accredited by the Department of Education of Puerto Rico or the jurisdiction where the school operates with a minimum GPA of 2.50.
• Applicants must submit the following documents:
1. Application form available online.
2. A non-refundable application fee of $25.
3. Official high school transcript.
4. Negative criminal record report.
5. Official results of the SAT or PAA Admission Test.
• Qualified applicants will be invited for an interview by the Admission Office.
• If the applicant is granted admission, he/she must submit the following documents:
1. One “2 x 2 “photo
2. Copy of birth certificate
3. Health Certificate
4. Immunization Certificate (PVAC-3 form)
5. Physician’s Report

Applicants with an Associate Degree in Nursing:

• The candidates who have completed an Associate Degree in Nursing from a recognized college will be considered by the SJBSM for admission with a minimum GPA of 2.75 or higher.

Initial Application:

Applicants are required to submit the following along with the necessary documentation needed for the Regular Admission Process:

• Official transcript from the institution where the candidate completed his/her associate degree.
• Two letters of recommendation from professors.

PA Program:

The San Juan Bautista School of Medicine offers a Physician Assistant (PA) Program that has applied for Accreditation-Provisional from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA and it anticipates matriculating its first class in January 2021.

Admission Requirements:

• International Students:

  Applicants whose native language is not English are required to take a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) examination with a minimum score of 220 (computer-based), 560 (paper-based), or 83 (Internet-based).

• Pre-requisite Coursework:

  Applicants must have passed the following courses with a minimum grade of C:
1. General Biology I & II with Labs (8 credits).
2. General Chemistry I & II with Labs (8 credits)
3. Organic Chemistry I with Lab OR Biochemistry with Lab (4 credits)
4. Anatomy and Physiology with Lab (8 credits)
5. English Composition/Literature (6 credits)
6. Behavioral Science (i.e. Psychology, sociology, anthropology) (6 credits)
7. Humanities (History, philosophy, language, art) (6 credits)
8. Mathematics (pre-calculus or higher) (3 credits)
9. Statistics (3 credits)

Additional Admissions Requirements (submitted through CASPA)

• An essay or a personal statement.
• Three letters of recommendation with at least one from a college professor or a practicing physician and one from a supervisor from a volunteer or paid experience.
• An overall GPA of 3.00.
• A science GPA of 3.00.
• Official transcripts from all the institutions attended.
• Submission of a complete CASPA application.

Recommended (Not Required):

• Microbiology, acceptable as additional biology course
• Medical Terminology course
• A minimum of 30 hours shadowing a PA to understand the PA Role.

Departments:

Biomedical Sciences Departments:

• Anatomy
• Biochemistry/Pharmacology
• Microbiology
• Physiology/Pathology
• Clinical Skills

Clinical Sciences Departments:

• Anesthesiology
• Surgery
• Emergency Medicine
• Family Medicine
• Internal Medicine
• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Pathology

Estimated Tuition Fee for 2020-2021:

Key Stats:

The enrollment rate, the acceptance rate, and the average graduation rate at San Juan Bautista School of Medicine is 100%. As of today, around 308 students are attending the school and it does not provide any on-campus housing facility to its students. It offers several student services including academic/career counseling, remedial services, and employment services for students,

Student Services:

Counseling & Advisory Services:

The Counseling Services Program is provided by Student Affairs and it strives to encourage the integral development of the student through academic, personal, and professional counseling. Through the counseling services offered at the San Juan Bautista School of Medicine, students will have the opportunity to identify their weaknesses and strengths, identify adequate coping skills, and analyze and evaluate their situation.

Restaurants near San Juan Bautista School of Medicine:

• El Manjar Criollo
• Restaurante Raices
• Raices
• Lechonera Figueroa
• IHOP
• Burger King
• C-PO Bar & Restaurant
• Jendy’s Heladeria Artesanal
• Burrillos

How to get successful in a Medical School?

Resistance is an evil thing that encourages us to procrastinate and stops us from doing our work. Different studies show that our brain is not good at multi-tasking because it is designed to work on tasks serially, not in parallel. Moreover, there are so many distractions these days that we’ve have trained our brain to not be able to focus properly. But one needs to overcome these distractions to get successful in a medical school because medical school demands hard work of sleepless nights and a lot of hardships.

If getting into a medical school was easy, everyone would have been in a medical school today. Yes, getting into a medical school is difficult but surviving in a medical school requires a lot of hard work. So how you focus on your education when there are so many other equally important tasks that demand your attention? Here are a few tips that’ll help you succeed in a medical school if you’ll follow them.

Pick a few topics the night before:

At the end of every day, ask yourself a question before going to sleep, “If I could only get a few topics done tomorrow, what would it be?” Now, make sure that you focus on those particular topics that you have in your mind in the morning and complete that task. Make sure to complete that ask and take help from someone if you don’t understand anything. In this way, you won’t leave everything on the last day. However, you’ll have a hard time to keep up with your school if you keep your focus on only a few topics every day, but the idea behind this is to:

• Build momentum so that you do something every day instead of doing nothing.
• Just get started on something.

Make a Weekly Plan:

If you develop this habit, it will not only help you get organized but also calm your anxious brain. At the start of every week i.e. Monday, take at least 30-40 mints to map out what your week is going to look like in a diary and then at the end of every day, quickly plan out the tasks you have to do the next day. The main perk of making a weekly plan is that if you’ll have everything you need to do on time, it will help you focus on the assignments that’ll be in front of you when you’re studying because you won’t be worrying about the other stuff you have to do because you would have allocated a specific time for that task.

Defend your Rest:

Let’s get one thing straight that sleeping for at least 8 hours every night or taking time off for yourself is not considered as laziness. In fact, by giving yourself time to relax and freshen up your mind, you’re doing good to yourself. So if you find yourself scrolling on Facebook and watching a video over video when you’re supposed to work on an assignment, don’t beat yourself up over that. Push away all the books, take a deep breath, and build the courage to close all the books, call it a day, and TRY AGAIN TOMORROW.

Help everyone and pick your friends wisely:

This step is very important and should be kept in mind from day one. Be very careful and very picky about people. No, it doesn’t mean that don’t talk to anyone but chose your friends wisely. Help every person who asks for help from you and avoid getting into any conflict with anyone. If you end up getting into one, try to resolve that as soon as possible, so that you don’t get distracted from your studies because of that.

Carefully observe the people around you and make friends very carefully because friends can help you spend the rest of your time in college nicely or they can ruin it. Making more allies than enemies is a good option, help people a lot because they’ll help you out too when you’ll need it. Try to be a little sharp-minded and keep yourself from getting exploited. Help out others because this way, you can make more allies than enemies and they could end up helping you in your time of need.

Dr. Najeeb’s Lectures:

Surviving in a medical school and keeping with your schoolwork every day will be very difficult for you at the start. You might think of finding online resources available for you but perhaps you don’t have the experience of studying online at all. However, taking online classes instead of face-to-face classes has its advantages and perks as it gives you more flexibility and you can fit your study schedule according to your routine. If you’re studying online, you don’t have to log in to a class at a specific time and interact with your classmates and teacher at your own pace. Are you searching for an online platform that is a solution to all your problems and provides all the study materials in one place? If yes, Dr. Najeeb Lectures are at your disposal.

These lectures accommodate students with different learning styles, by addressing a diverse set of students with different capabilities. Thus, these lectures are understood widely by every student all over the world, and they’re likely to be your best option. These topics cover a wide canvas encompassing Neuro-anatomy, Embryology, Histology, Physiology, Biochemistry, Genetics, Pharmacology, Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology. These lectures cover almost all the topics currently in the medical curriculum of almost all the medical institutes. Thus, with so many strong aspects of these lectures, these lectures should be your go-to, making your life easy without any constraints and barriers therein.

In the end, all we can do is that we can struggle against Resistance to complete the most important task of the day. When we do this, we put on more tick on our side to beat Resistance. However, as we build resistance, every day becomes easier and easier! The goal of these tricks was to help you organize your life when you get into a medical school so that you can beat resistance day after day. When you’ll start to string together your days of productive work, this is when you’ll see the magic happening. Good Luck!

For more information, please visit the official website of the University.