There seems to be alot of differing sentiments about UCE on this board, so I thought it would be a good idea to hear everyone's thoughts on the school in a separate thread.

I am thinking of attending UCE, but I have been a bit concerned by recent posts that imply that the school has gone downhill. Are there any current UCE students here who can address this issue? How have you found the quality of education to be? Is it possible to set up a term of your own rotations in the US, as you can with UNIBE? Are there any current or recent UCE students who can talk about how students have done in trying to gain a US medical license? It seems to be common knowledge that San Pedro is a bit of a backwater--is the town liveable, or not? Is is possible to find apartments with generators? Is it cheap to live in San Pedro?

Is there "buzz" at other DR schools that UCE is a place to avoid?

I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has can tell me about the school.

All the best!

MissKitten

I believe you've already heard my input on the subject. but I'll repeat it for this thread. This past semester at INTEC three students transferred from UCE, two of them having completed the first year there, inclusive of premed and the other student was already well into the basic sciences. All three of these students transferred because they felt their courses were a joke, there weren't learning anything. The student in the medical program told me that he essentially was able to be away from school for most of the semester only to return to take his finals and pass the courses successfully. This is obviously not how things are supposed to go in medical school. I suspect that the less0than0stellar academics compounded with the tougher living situation in san pedro has made studying in a school in the capital a great deal more appealing. Lemme tell you, if you even just DRIVE through San Pedro you'll ask yourself why ANYONE would want to live there ON PURPOSE. For some reason there seem to be a lot of Puerto Ricans attending school there, I'm not sure why that is, it's my understanding that they allow you to arrange one clinical rotation in Puerto Rico, I haven't heard that they allow you to do that in the States. In any case, they used to have a solid program and I know of a couple of docs who graduated from UCE back in the day and are doing well in the states. Notwithstanding, it's seems that their program has gone the way of UTESA's and ceased being worth the money they're charging, particularly when you consider that their education is in spanish. You could get a cheaper education in the capital at schools that presently have a solid track record for producing solid students who are able to pass their boards. I'm not implying that such students don't exist at UCE. I'm sure that such students existed at numerous other schools that have since been closed down for reasons of fraud. It's simply an issue of where you're getting your money's worth. I could understand choosing to go and live in San Pedro if they had a kick *** english program, or offered numerous rotations in the states, or provided each foreign student with a personal concierge. Otherwise I think you would be happier spending less money for a better education in the capital. Goodness knows you'll live more comfortably your 4 years on the island, even if it's a little bit more expensively. Hope this helps. take care and God Bless.
Ozzie.

Hi. I'm a student at uce, just now completing my second semester. I came here not speaking any spanish, and totally clueless as to what I was doing. At uce there are all sorts of students. There are the guys who never go to class, do drugs, party, on up to the guys studying 12 hours a day. If you talk to 100 people here you will get 101 opinions. What I've found is that you get what you put into it. For example, I have made friends with some of the graduating students this and last semester. The first one studied all the time, went to the hospital whenever he could, set up his own internado in the states(like some others I know), and basically busted his butt the whole time. The second guy has been here for ten years, partied all the time, seriously told me to try smoking crack so I could evaluate drug overdose patients better. The first guy got a 90 on his step 2 already, the second guy hasnt passed step one yet, and is having to study 24/7 now. My point is it's what you make of it. I would strongly reccomend coming down here to check it out. I know all those guys who went to intec, and 2 of them are withdrawing from there this week to return to uce. There are many things here I dont agree with, but I think that for learning the language, and the price, uce is the best choice for me now. If you would like, just post back and I'll give you my phone and e mail, and would love to awnser any questions you have. Oh and by the way, I go to the capital all the time, and san pedro is waaaayy better.
Martin
P.S. 8 new gringos coming in this semester who dont speak a lick of spanish

Hey,

I'm not knockin' UCE, just wondering what gives there. I guess compared to the size of the program the number of students I've gotten input from has been small, only three, and those three transferred out. The opinions that they had about the program were strongly negative, so i start to wonder. If they had transferred from UASD I wouldn't think twice because it's a dirt cheap school. But everytime I hear of people transferring out of a school that's charging tuition on par with some american medical schools I have to wonder why people would spend that kinda money to go there. Maybe the three students I have spoken with had a narrow experience at UCE, not representative of what things are really like there. I guess I'm just really wondering why so many non-spanish speakers would choose to go to UCE as opposed to UNIBE or INTEC or PUCCM which are also title four schools. you mention there being students who never attend class and never study, at INTEC for example, you can't do that. You pretty much have to attend class, most professors are ahrd core about role, and in the classes where they aren't the exams and subject matter are hard anough such that if you don't attend class aor have a great connection for notes , you're gonna fail the exams. At INTEC it's hard to get by without applying yourself, even to get a C in the upper level pre0med courses you have to apply yourself. In other words, you don't have the options of not attending class and partying all the time, that type of attitude will quickly sink youy here and you'll turn into a dominican sysphus, forever trudging up calculus or biostatistics hill. That's what I like about this school, not much room for slackers, dominican or otherwise. Very much like an american medical school in that regard, though obviously not to the same exacting degree. I hate to say it, but I think most people who spend any time here will agree, most dominicans just dont have the drive to do well that many american medical students have. Disregarding those who were never really seriously medical students to begin with, I think it's fair to say that most dominican students in general are completely happy with doing the minimum to get by and think nothing of repeating a class various times or passing with a C. It's just part of the culture down here.
Moving on...can you explain to me the appeal of San Pedro? other than the fact that it's closer to Boca Chica and Juan Dolio, lol. I mean, to be fair, we're in the Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo is not some fairy tale city. All cities here are thrid wrold, to varying degrees. You have to admit San Pedro is a few notches closer to Haiti than most of the Capital is, let's be fair. lol. Drop me your email, I'd like to chat some more, not many gringos at INTEC. ojmdc@aol.com. Take care and God Bless.
Ozzie.

Thanks to Ozzie and Martin for their replies!

Martin: yes, I'd really like to hear more from you. My e-mail address is: misskitten24@hotmail.com.

I'm wondering how easy it is to get an apartment with a generator, how much housing and other stuff costs, whether textbooks are in English, etc.

Also, did you look at schools in Santo Domingo before deciding to go the UCE route? And did you start in premed, or the med program?

Best!

misskitten

Miss Kitten:
Yeah it is easy to get an apartment with a generator, all classes are in spanish, but I use books in english...you can buy them somewhere in the capital but I bring them from the states. No I didn't look at any schools in the capital before I came here because I was really clueless. I had been studying pre med in the Philippines and ran outta money...didnt take long working 60 hour weeks at 15 bucks an hour back home to realize I still wanted to be a doctor BAD. I just heard about UCE from an alumni whos son was studying here at the time, sent my stuff and came. I would reccomend checking out all the options and find out what is best for you. I'm willing to help out with anything I can do. I'm going into my last semester of pre med.
Ozzie,
Yeah I pretty much agree that you should have to be going to your classes all the time to get good grades and actually work to get through school. It is true that some people here dont do much and still get by. Talking to older students here, it apparently wasnt always like this. Unfortunatly they say the new owner of the school is worthless and things have deteriorated under him.The thing is for me, right now I'm not paying as much as UNIBE, am studying on my own, and most importantly am immersed in spanish all the time. For me its good enough for now. Maybe in the future I'll go to UNIBE so I can learn in english, but right now in my easier classes I want to learn as much spanish as possible.
As far as San Pedro goes...yeah its loud, dirty, and at times smelly, but it seems no more so than many parts of the capital. The main thing that I like is the small town sort of feel. I've been here for only 7 months and already know somebody just about everywhere I go. You can walk down a lot of streets at night with no worries at all. If I have problems with a tigre hassling me, there are 20 guys to back me up. Also the capital is less than an hour, Juan dolio is 10 minutes, so waves and civilization are just a gua gua away. Yeah man I'd love to meet up...I'm sorta short on gringo buddies too at the moment.
For both of ya'll: martin007h@aol.com or 809-309-4739, but I am changing my number soon

Ozzie,
I believe the main reason that the main reason that there are many extranjeros here is because of the alumni. There are a lot of doctors that came outta here in the 80's that are in the states now. Also the university makes a recruitment trip around peurto rico once a semester.
Suerte,
Martin

i am a graduate from 1980
for the last 24 years i have been a boarded psychiatrist practicing in the
greatest city of the world, MANHATTEN!

In spite of UCE my buddies all became great physicians
we had it the toughest.
never spoon fed rather starved most of the time

we fought the war down there and won!

Hi everyone:


I need help. I am looking for a UCE student called Vincent. I dont know his last name, sorry. He is from Puerto Rico. He must be in his second year of med program. Caracteristic: Sometimes you can't understand what he is saying. If you know something about him contact me in this forum or by e-mail, aduldo@hotmail.com.

Thanks, LR

Hi
I just got my letter of acceptance from UCE. I will be coming to San Pedro in January. I am so afraid! I am definately up for the challenge , but I don't know what to expect. I was wondering if you live in the Howard Johnson Hotel? I am not sure what type of a hotel it is? is it decent?
It would be very nice to know someone in San Pedro. I have a lot of questions that you might be able to answer. I am sure you have been through the same worries that I am going through right now.
Hope to hear from you
Nasi