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Ponce Health Sciences University

Ponce, PR Class Size: 180 Visit School Website →

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Statistics Tuition Friendliness Mission Statement

Situational Judgement Tests Dates, Deadlines, and Fees Prerequisite Courses Dual Degree Tracks

Contact Information Secondary App Questions Interview Questions

Gaining admission to Ponce Health Sciences University is Moderately Competitive. Applicants typically have an average GPA of 3.65 and an average MCAT score of 500.

📊 STATISTICS

To summarize, listed below are the most important academic statistics for Ponce Health Sciences University applicants:

Average GPA: 3.65

Average MCAT: 500

Competitiveness: Moderately Competitive

Note: Competitiveness is assessed based on the school's acceptance rate, average MCAT, and average GPA.

💸 TUITION

Affording medical school can be tough, often requiring students to take on significant loans. Information about the yearly tuition for Ponce Health Sciences University is below.

In-State Tuition: $43691

Out-of-State Tuition: $68180

For more information about tuition at Ponce Health Sciences University, visit the following link: https://www.psm.edu/doc/Tuition%20and%20fees%202023-2024.pdf

😀 FRIENDLINESS

Some schools prefer in-state candidates, while others are more receptive to out-of-state or international applicants. View our school "friendliness" scores for Ponce Health Sciences University below:

🏠 IN-STATE

In-State Friendliness: Friendly

🚗 OUT-OF-STATE

Accepts Out-of-State: Yes

Out-of-State Friendliness: Friendly

✈️ INTERNATIONAL

Accepts Canadian: No

Accepts International: No

International Friendliness: Not Friendly

Note: Most schools will be labelled "Neutral" for In-State Friendlines because they don't have a strong bias for in-state applicants compared to out-of-state applicants. In other words, we believe these schools view In-State and Out-State applicants more or less equally. Schools labelled as "Out-of-State Friendly / Very Friendly" have a high proportion of their class filled with Out-of-State applicants.

⭐️ MISSION STATEMENT

It is always important to read and understand a medical school's mission statement before applying. Often, you will find out what the medical school stands for, and if you fit in with the general "vibe" of the medical school. However, being honest, most medical schools have the same run-of-the-mill mission statement as everybody else. Anyways, you can be the judge. Below you can find the mission statement for Ponce Health Sciences University:

Ponce Health Sciences University Mission Statement:

To educate bilingual 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, through high quality education in a diverse environment.

For more information on the mission statement for Ponce Health Sciences University, visit the following link: NA

🤷‍♂️ SITUATIONAL JUDGEMENT TESTS

Ponce Health Sciences University does not require the completion of either the CASPer® nor the AAMC PREview™ examinations.

CASPer®: No

AAMC PREview™: No

📅 DATES, DEADLINES, AND FEES

Throughout your application cycle, there are many dates to be cognizant of in order to ensure the successful completion of your application.

Primary Application Deadline: December 31

Secondary Application Deadline: Jan 31

Secondary Application Deadline: $90

Note: The primary application deadline refers to when your primary application (i.e., the initial AMCAS/AACOMAS/TMDSAS application) needs to be completed. Please be aware that there are processing times associated with primary applications—for instance, there can be a several week processing time associated with verifying your acadmic transcripts when initially submitting the AMCAS application. Upon receipt of the primary application, most schools will then shortly send you a secondary application with targeted essay questions relevant to the specific school.

The secondary application deadline is the final day for all your application materials to be together, which includes submitting the secondary essays, all letters of recommendation, all test scores, etc. Sometimes, schools may have earlier deadlines for letters of recommendation. However, note that for the vast majority of schools it is best to submit your secondary application as soon as possible: within 2 weeks of receiving the secondary application is a good rule-of-thumb.

Below are some other helpful dates:

Interview Cycle Start: NA

Interview Cycle End: NA

INTERVIEW COMING UP?

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📚 PREREQUISITE COURSES

Most schools have a list of prerequisite courses that you need to have completed before matriculating. View information provided for Ponce Health Sciences University below:

Interpreting Semester Hours

Typically,

3 Semester Hours = A single semester-long course = 1 or 2 quarters

4 Semester Hours = A single semester-long course + associated lab unit

6 Semester Hours = Two semester-long courses = 3 quarters

8 Semester Hours = Two semester-long courses + two associated lab units

⚙️ PHYSICS

Semester Hours:

Lab?

Required

🧪 CHEMISTRY

GenChem = General Chemistry

OChem = Organic Chemistry

Biochem = Biochemistry

GenChem Semester Hours:

GenChem Lab?

Required

OChem Semester Hours:

OChem Lab?

Required

Biochem Semester Hours:

Biochem Lab?

Not Required

Biochemistry recommended.

🫀 BIOLOGY

GenBio = General Biology

HL Bio = Higher Level Biology

GenBio Semester Hours:

GenBio Lab?

Required

HL Bio Semester Hours:

HL Bio Lab?

Not Required

Cellular biology and microbiology recommended.

🔍 HUMANITIES & BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES

Semester Hours:

Chosen between Anthropology, Psychology, Sociology, Political Science or Economics.

✍️ ENGLISH/WRITING

Semester Hours:

Intensive writing classes may be considered as substitute

📈 MATHEMATICS/STATISTICS

Mathematics Semester Hours:

Statistics Semester Hours:

Statistics strongly recommended.

OTHER REQUIRED COURSES

3 Semester-hours in Spanish required.

OTHER RECOMMENDED COURSES

Liberal Arts and/or Humanities recommended.

SOURCE: https://www.psm.edu/school-of-medicine/md-program/

🎓 SPECIAL PROGRAMS

Many schools have dual-degree programs for motivated applicants. View the ones offered at Ponce Health Sciences University below:

MD+PhD (MSTP - Medical Scientist Training Program):

MD+MPH (Public Health):

MD+MBA (Business, Healthcare Administration):

MD+JD (Law):

MD+MA (Master of Arts):

MD+MS (Master of Science):

📲 CONTACT INFORMATION

View contact information (phone and email) available to contact Ponce Health Sciences University below:

CONTACT #1

Title

E-mail

admissions@psm.edu

Phone

CONTACT #2

Title

E-mail

Phone

📝 SECONDARY APPLICATION ESSAY PROMPTS

Below are the past secondary (supplemental) application essay prompts for Ponce Health Sciences University.

List/describe: Academic honors, Research experience/ Publications, Community service/ volunteer work

Explain your interest in graduate studies and your long-range professional plan.

🙋‍♀️ INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

Below are common interview questions that you might encounter on your important day for Ponce Health Sciences University.

Have you conducted any research in your field of interest?

Should you be admitted to all the schools you applied to, would you still choose to attend Ponce?

If your sibling was dying and needed your heart for a transplant, what would you do?

How do you feel about the commitment to studying non-stop for the next four years and accumulating debt?

How should healthcare reform be addressed and fixed?

Who is a person you find inspiring and why?

Have you considered the challenges and adjustments involved in moving to Puerto Rico for medical school?

If two applicants have identical GPA and MCAT scores, what sets you apart and makes you a stronger candidate?

How do you see the field of medicine evolving in the next decade?

What do you do to maintain mental health and balance outside of academics?

What recent current event has had a significant impact on you?

Give your opinion on genetically manipulating an unborn child to save the life of its sibling.

Have you experienced any recent clinical situations that have shaped your understanding of medicine?

How do you plan to adapt to the move to Puerto Rico?

Tell us about yourself and your educational background.

Share your thoughts on the US healthcare system and potential areas for improvement.

Discuss your clinical experiences and any recent hands-on training you have received.

Share a recent news topic that has surprised or affected you and explain why.

Tell us about your volunteer work and community service involvement.

How would your parents or family react to your decision to attend medical school in Puerto Rico?

Do you have any hobbies or participate in any sports that contribute to your overall well-being?

How do you handle difficult decisions or problem-solving situations?

Which recent class has been your favorite and why?

Why do you want to pursue a career in medicine?

Explain the relationship between Puerto Rico and the United States.

What do you know about the healthcare reform in Puerto Rico?

What are three current medical/health issues that you believe will become more important in the future?

How do you perceive the future of healthcare in Puerto Rico over the next 10-15 years?

Describe your research experience and any publications or posters you have created.

Describe a situation where you successfully resolved a problem within a group setting.

Discuss your virtues and personal strengths that make you a good fit for medical school.

How do you stay organized and maintain academic rigor in your studies?

What do you understand about medical school and the expectations of being a medical student?

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