Organization:Universidad de Ciencias Medicas
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| Motto | Excelencia Académica por Tradición |
|---|---|
| Type | Medical Sciences School |
| Established | 1976 |
| Rector | Dr. Pablo Guzman Stein |
| Dean | Dr.Siri Gonzalez (medicine), Dr. Gustavo Saenz Garcia (pharmacy) |
| Location | , Costa Rica |
| Campus | Sabana Oeste |
| Website | www.ucimed.com |
Universidad de Ciencias Medicas (UCIMED) is a non profit medical school in San José, Costa Rica. The university is known for teaching medicine and is recognized as one of the best medical schools in Central America.[1]
History
UCIMED was founded in 1976 by surgeon and investigator Dr. Andres Vesalio Guzman Calleja, who was one of the original founders of the national medical school in Costa Rica. It was originally named Escuela Autónoma de Ciencias Médicas (Autonomous School of Medical Sciences). It started as an initiative that was championed by Dr.Guzman as a response to ideological differences inside the authorities of the national university of Costa Rica known as the University of Costa Rica(UCR), which was the only one to offer a medical degree. The conflict was rooted on what part of Costa Rican society were granted access to earn a medical degree, which in this particular time was only reserved for individuals with a unique ideology.
Initially the campus was based in the San Juan de Dios Hospital, using the infrastructure of the hospital's psychiatric wing. The emblem of the institution bears the dome of its first grounds. At the beginning it served as the medical school of an established university known as UACA(Universidad Autonoma de Centro America). In 1999 the medical school became independent from its former alliance with UACA and changed its name to UCIMED (Universidad de Ciencias Medicas). Three years after the institution’s independency, in March 2003 the National System of Accreditation in Higher Education, which monitors and verifies that national higher education standards are met, granted UCIMED its accreditation in Medicine. UCIMED and UCR school of medicine were the only two institutions at the time to meet this standards.
In 1998 UCIMED introduced pharmacology as a major which now currently meets SINAES standards of quality.[1] Later on the programs of Microbiology, Physioterapy and Nutrition were also included as part of the academic offer.
Academics and accreditation
Medicine, Pharmacy, Nutrition, Physiotherapy and Microbiology are the five programs offered at UCIMED. Those careers are semester-based and classes are taught in Spanish. During the first five semesters students get a bachelor's degree in health sciences. During the fifth semester students start their medical clerkships at hospitals from Costa Rican Social Security Fund such as the Hospital San Juan de Dios (Main General Hospital) and Hospital Mexico which are primary care institutions; nevertheless, the university also has a wide network of access into secondary and tertiary care infrastructure. After finishing the eleventh semester, students who are taking medicine obtain a MD degree.
It is the only medical school in Costa Rica with a fully equipped Simulation Hospital. Students have access to pertinent OB/GYN, primary care, advanced care, emergency and surgery clinical scenarios in a controlled environment. This preparation helps the students to be ready when facing a real situation, ensuring the patient’s security.
The university is part of the World Directory of Medical Schools from the World Health Organization and is highly internationally recognized for having a key role in the health of the country.
In 2016 the International Foundation of Medicine Clinical Sciences exam was applied to all last-year medical students in Costa Rica before their acceptance for their internship. UCIMED was the only institution next to Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR) to achieve passing scores over the international standard and had the second-best results behind UCR on national passing scores.
In 2017 UCIMED continues to be on the top performing institution in the IFOM exam only challenged by the UCR on best overall results. Historically, both universities are considered to be the top institutions in the medical area.
Admissions
The university requires students to do an admission process to enter. The first step is to make an admission test, which will measure the student’s knowledge in some areas such as chemistry, biology and math. Following this, applicants have to presents their high school grades. National and international students whose grades achieve the university's standards are granted an interview with the dean of Medicine to assess their motivation. Accepted students must present their high school diploma and some other requirements.[1]
Agreement with Kaplan
UCIMED has signed an agreement with Kaplan, Inc. to prepare medical students for the USMLE and the Costa Rican state exam. This provides students with Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates certificate with aid from Kaplan Inc. representatives working within UCIMED. The program has helped a lot of Costa Rican students to apply and successfully obtain an international residency to make a specialty.
External links
- https://www.nacion.com/el-pais/salud/examen-para-internado-en-medicina-confirma-vacios-en-formacion-de-futuros-medicos/5ZOJ2RGS6ZFSRAYBJRF4SACFXA/story/
- http://www.ucimed.com
- http://www.sinaes.ac.cr/sitios_interes/claudiocordero.pdf#search=%22ucimed%22
- http://www.sinaes.ac.cr
- Hennepin County Medical Center
- http://www.hcmc.org/
References
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