Build the Clinical Skills Necessary for a Career in Medicine
The Medical Education Program at Ponce Health Sciences University (PHSU-SOM) is a 4-year program with a duration of 166 weeks. It grants a doctor of medicine degree (MD degree). The program consists of two years of pre-clinical (basic science) courses in the core disciplines of Gross Anatomy, Histology and Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Physiology, Pathology, Pharmacology, Microbiology/Immunology and Neurosciences.
MD Program Overview
PROGRAM LENGTH:
4 years (166 weeks)
CREDITS:
209 credit hours
IMPORTANT DATES
MD Admission Requirements
For more than 40 years, the MD program at PHSU has been producing diverse leaders for the medical profession.
PHSU St. Louis looks for students with a passion for serving others and keen interest in the medical sciences, demonstrated through scholastic achievement and persistent pursuit of volunteering, employment, extracurriculars, or other activities relevant to healthcare.
Applicants must meet the following criteria to apply:
- Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.7 on a 4.0 scale
- Minimum science GPA of 2.7 on a 4.0 scale
- Minimum MCAT score of 494 within the first 3 attempts, taken within the past five years.
- Completed prerequisite courses
Within the studies of the degree all applicants are requested to have completed the following courses:
| Course | Credits |
|---|---|
| Biology I & II, with Laboratory | 8 |
| Chemistry I & II, with Laboratory | 8 |
| Organic Chemistry I & II, with Laboratory | 8 |
| Physics I & II, with Laboratory | 8 |
| Mathematics | 6 |
| Behavioral and Social Sciences** | 6 |
| English | 3 |
**Any of the following: Anthropology, Psychology, Sociology, Political Science or Economics.
In addition to the above requirements, we strongly recommend coursework in Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Genetics, Microbiology, Liberal Arts and/or Humanities.
MD Application Process
All applicants must submit an AMCAS application and a PHSU secondary application to select the PHSU-SOM campus for which they are applying to (Ponce, PR or St. Louis, MO.) Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis to determine eligibility and offer interview invitations.
- Gather all necessary materials.
- Official transcript from all institutions attended
- Three letters of recommendation. Two from previous professors and one written by an individual familiar with the applicant’s skills and abilities.
- Official MCAT score
- Non-refundable $90 application fee*
- Fill out AMCAS application HERE
- Submit secondary application specific to PHSU St. Louis campus by deadline.
- If selected, complete admissions interview.
- Interviews are conducted virtually in the Multiple Mini Interview format to support a holistic admissions process and evaluate premedical competencies that align with PHSU-SOM’s mission to train ethical professionals who provide compassionate, culturally competent health care and generate high impact research to reduce health disparities in the populations we serve in Puerto Rico and the US.
- Interviews will be conducted in Spanish and English for applicants applying to the Ponce, PR Campus and in English only for applicants applying to the St. Louis Campus.
- After acceptance, students must submit the following:
- Confirmation of acceptance
- Official Transcripts
- Deposit of $100 to secure their seat in the upcoming class
- Evidence of up-to-date immunization record**
- Fill out the Policy on Technical Standards
*Waived with proof of AAMC Fee Waiver
**Tdap booster, MMR (2 doses), Hepatitis B (3 doses), Varicella (2 doses), Polio (if under 21 years old), COVID-19, Influenza
These requirements may vary according to Centers of Disease Control CDC and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and Centers of Disease Control (CDC) recommendations.
Selection Criteria
When evaluating MD program applicants, the MD Admissions Committee aims to select the most competitive applicants with integrity, maturity, service orientation, as well as leadership, and enthusiasm for working with others. Preference will be given to local residents for the Main Campus (Ponce), but US citizens from the mainland are also invited to apply.
Through a holistic admissions process, the MD Admissions Committee evaluates applicants considering the following premedical competencies and attributes:
1. academic performance
2. commitment to a career in medicine
3. critical thinking
4. cultural competency
5. ethical responsibility
6. humanism
7. integrity and maturity
8. language and communication skills
9. leadership
10. resilience and adaptability
11. service orientation