San Juan, PR
Allopathic Medical Schools | Private Non-Profit
Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 34% of interviews, indicating it is moderately regarded. They found the interview mixed with a moderate stress level, and felt they did well.
⭐ Overall Impressions ▼
How did the interview impress you?
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
What was the stress level of the interview?
Most respondents rated their interview as high stress.
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?
Most respondents rank this school above all other schools.
How do you rank this school among other schools to which you've applied?
Most respondents rank this school above other schools they applied to.
0 = Below, 10 = Above
💬 Interview Questions ▼
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools include inquiries about motivation for pursuing medicine, important extracurricular experiences, future goals, teamwork skills, awards received, public health knowledge, and personal growth from extracurricular activities. Additionally, some respondents may have experienced an MMI format with a nondisclosure agreement in place during their interviews.
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What are your three most important extracurricular experiences?
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Where do you see yourself in ten years?
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Why are you here? Why do you want to be a medical student?
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Tell us about you
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What awards did you receive
What was the most interesting question?
Students said the most interesting question asked at San Juan Bautista School of Medicine discussed a hypothetical patient scenario involving choosing between patients of different ages for organ transplants, with additional twists such as drug addiction and HIV status. Other notable questions included exploring the major reason behind obesity and chronic diseases, and how to communicate the effectiveness of medical prescriptions to a patient convinced of alternative remedies. These questions suggest a focus on ethical dilemmas, patient care considerations, and communication skills during the interviews.
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Hypothetical patient scenario: 3 patients needing a heart (15, 35, and 85 years old), 2 hearts. Who do you save and why? Twist after first answer: 15 year old is a drug addict. How does that change your answer and why? Twist after second answer: 35 year old is HIV+. How does that change your answer and why?
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What is the major reason behind obesity, chronic diseases? I forgot how the question was framed but I said socioeconomic factors.
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If a patient was convienced that a plant can cure his disease, how would you tell him that your prescriptions would work better?
What was the most difficult question?
Students said most difficult question asked at San Juan Bautista School of Medicine discussed the challenge of convincing interviewers about unique qualities that set them apart from other candidates, along with addressing concerns about language proficiency, particularly in Spanish.
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Why should we choose you over other candidates? (They were wanting to see how you sell yourself, for what makes you different to other applicants, what makes you unique, all in a confident but not arrogant way.)
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For me, was trying to convince them that my Spanish is not that bad and will be improved!
🤝 Interview Format and Logistics ▼
How long was the interview?
Most respondents had an interview of more than 50 minutes.
How many people interviewed you?
Most respondents were interviewed by 2 people.
What was the style of the interview?
Most respondents had a in a group interview.
What type of interview was it?
Most respondents had a closed file interview.
Was this interview in-person or virtual?
Most respondents had a virtual interview.
Data includes both pre- and post-COVID interviews.
No responses
Where did the interview take place?
Most respondents were interviewed at the school.
📍 On-Site Experience ▼
Who was the tour given by?
Tours were most commonly given by a Student
How did the tour guide seem?
Most tour guides were enthusiastic about the school.
How do you rank the facilities?
Most respondents rank the facilities as average.
What is your in-state status?
Most respondents rank the facilities as below average.
What were your total hours spent traveling?
Most respondents spent 4-6 hours traveling to the interview.
What was your primary mode of travel?
Most respondents traveled by automobile to the interview.
About how much did you spend on room, food, and travel?
Most respondents spent between $101 and $200.
What airport did you fly into?
Respondents who flew to the interview generally used San Juan Airport (SJU)
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San Juan
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SJU
Where did you stay?
Most respondents stayed either Hotel or at a hotel.
What is the name of the hotel you stayed in?
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N/A
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Four Points Sheraton in Caguas
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Coqui Inn
How would you rate the hotel?
Most respondents rated their hotel as average
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
Would you recommend the hotel?
Most respondents would recommend their hotel.
What is your ranking of this school's location?
Most respondents rate the school location as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?
Most respondents rate the area’s cultural life as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What are your comments on where you stayed?
No responses
✅ Interview Preparation and Impressions ▼
How is the friendliness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was friendly.
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.
How did you prepare for the interview?
Applicants commonly prepared for the interview by practicing MMI scenarios, researching common medical school interview questions, seeking feedback from students or online forums, using resources like SDN, conducting mock interviews, and reviewing school-specific information. Some also engaged in language learning and sought guidance from various sources like websites, newspapers, and advisors.
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By practicing MMI scenarios
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Contacted some people who attended this school and asked for input and feedback. I also did a basic online search of the most common medical school interview questions and was able to anticipate and prepare for every question they asked, except the hypothetical scenario.
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SDN interview Feedback and School Specific Discussions. Also Rosetta Stone to try and improve my Spanish.
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SJB SOM website, Mock interviews, newspapers, articles from undergrad health proffesions advising office, and last but not least by praying
What impressed you positively?
Applicants were positively impressed by the well-structured interview process, the modern and high-tech facilities despite the humble exterior, the supportive and friendly admissions staff, the close proximity to the hospital, the small class size fostering a sense of community among students, and the genuine enthusiasm for medicine displayed by current students.
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The interview (MMI format) was very well structured and it was followed by a tour led by two medical students.
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From the outside it looks like a very humble building, but once you get to tour the facilities it is as hi-tech and up-to-date as other medical school I've seen.
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Admissions and Students and faculty are really nice. School is connected right next the hospital. Class size is small, 60 students per class. med students said they really feel like a family.
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The enthusiasm and love for medicine that the student who gave me a tour of the facilities showed.
What impressed you negatively?
Many applicants were unimpressed by the outdated facilities and limited resources at the school, particularly in comparison to larger universities. Some applicants also noted the lack of a 24-hour library and the busy urban traffic around the campus as negative aspects that may impact the overall student experience. Suggestions included updating facilities, expanding resources, and providing better transportation options for students.
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The library is not open 24 hours, but they have study rooms that you can use instead. Also, traffic was busy coming in and leaving the school, but remember that it's an urban area, so plan ahead and give yourself enough time.
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School facilities are basically ancient compared to other schools. And it is just a med school, meaning it's not attached to a big university. But that could also be a positive thing.
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The facilities are not the most impressive. It is a pretty small and humble campus
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Applicants commonly wished they had known about the need to pay for parking in the hospital visitors parking area, as well as the unreliability of navigation apps on the island. Suggestions included getting a GPS if possible, having phone numbers on hand, and being prepared to call for directions when lost.
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You have to pay for parking since you park in the hospital visitors parking area.
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That google maps and my iphone would fail me in getting around the island. Get a GPS if you can afford it, otherwise have phone #s on hand and be prepared to call people when you are lost. On the plus side, I saw parts of the island I wasn't planning on seeing lol
What are your general comments?
Applicants generally expressed positive impressions of the school environment and student-faculty relationships, while also noting concerns about group interview formats and emphasizing the importance of being authentic and proficient in Spanish for medical studies.
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I was very impressed with the school overall. The students seem to enjoy the small school environment and seem close to the faculty.
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Don't like the group format. Makes you doubt if you should talk as much as the other interviewers.
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Be yourself!!! If you really love medicine that is the only way of showing it. Also, your Spanish has to be pretty good. They informed me that most classes are in Spanish
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants commonly suggested that the admissions office prioritize MCAT scores over GPA, provide more comprehensive and interactive campus tours, and improve responsiveness to email inquiries.
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MCAT over GPA
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Give a more interactive tour of the campus and hospital. My tour did not see everything possible.
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Be more responsive through email. Never ever got a response back when I emailed.
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