Community-based medical school in Puerto Rico training physicians for underserved populations since 1978.
San Juan Bautista School of Medicine offers four primary academic programs: a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree with an interdisciplinary, service-oriented curriculum; a Master in Public Health (M.P.H.) emphasizing community and population health; a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) as a four-year bilingual program accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education; and a Doctor of Nursing Practice in Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner as a 3.5-year evening program. The institution also operates a local Transitional Year program. Academic support includes biomedical laboratories, clinical research facilities, and comprehensive library services with 1,200 scientific journal collections accessible 24/7 online.
Located in Caguas, Puerto Rico (18 miles south of San Juan), the campus is situated in the East-Central region of the island with convenient access to ports and airport facilities. The institution maintains an on-campus library with extended hours (Monday–Friday 8:00 a.m.–9:30 p.m., Saturday 9:30 a.m.–6:00 p.m.), digital library resources, and virtual library access through OpenAthens. Student services include a student portal, counseling services, health insurance coordination, and student organizations. The school also operates the Puerto Rico Health Justice Center, providing comprehensive forensic clinical services to victim-survivors of sexual violence.
The school accepts applications for its M.D., M.P.H., B.S.N., and D.N.P. programs through separate admissions pathways. Financial aid is available through Federal Pell Grants, Federal Student Loans, military and veterans benefits, and other scholarships. Students may request leaves of absence for military service, education at other institutions, or personal/medical reasons, not to exceed twelve months (six months for those with federal financial aid). Readmission policies and satisfactory academic progress standards are outlined in the institutional catalog.
The institution maintains a strong commitment to biomedical, behavioral, epidemiological, and clinical research through its San Juan Bautista Biomedical Research Center (SJB BioReC), which includes a CORE Lab and clinical research unit. The school participates in the All of Us Research Program and hosts an annual Interdisciplinary Research Symposium. Community engagement is central to the mission, with programs including the Puerto Rico Health Justice Center, SJB Community Program, Health Humanities Program, and disaster response services focused on improving health access for vulnerable and medically underserved populations.