Author: Crystal Guzman

Graduates from Ponce Health Sciences University’s 2017 class of its Master of Science in Medical Science degree program (MSMS) achieved a 47% acceptance rate to medical schools.  The MSMS degree, which PHSU launched in 2014, is an integrated, multidisciplinary interdepartmental program in the basic medical sciences that’s the first and only one of its kind in Puerto Rico.  It provides students with a broad-based one-year core curriculum that’s designed to improve their academic credentials for admission to medical schools.

“While it’s only three years old, our MSMS program – which no other college offers in Puerto Rico – is delivering fantastic results for our graduates,” says Dr. David Lenihan, CEO of Ponce Health Sciences University.  “Its rigorous curriculum replicates the first year curriculum of medical school, so if a student performs well, it’s clear that he or she is an excellent candidate for enrollment in a competitive MD program.”

Along with providing students who initially were not accepted into medical or dental school an opportunity to bolster their credentials and increase their understanding of core medical school curriculum, PHSU’s MSMS program is also valuable for students who don’t have academic science backgrounds and wish to pursue careers in the health care industry after graduation.

“Given the many career options that PHSU’s MSMS degree can make possible for our graduates, the program offers a superb return on their tuition investment,” says Lenihan.  “If being a medical doctor is their goal, participants gain an opportunity to prove their maturity and capabilities as prospective medical school students, and gives them an edge in their preparedness for the rigors of formal medical school training.”

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PHSU’s MSMS program is accepting applications through the end of July for the fall semester.  For more information about the program, contact Senior Recruiter Orlando Torres Rodriguez (otorres@psm.edu, 787-840-2575 – X5744) or Admissions Representative Enid González Acosta (egonzalez@psm.edu, 787-840-2575 – X2124).

Maria Teresa Muñoz Segarra, a 2010 graduate of Colegio Ponceño in Ponce, has earned a Master of Science in Medical Sciences degree (MSMS) from Ponce Health Sciences University (PHSU), which is also located in Ponce.  PHSU’s MSMS program, which is the first of its kind in Puerto Rico, provides graduates with a broad-based one-year curriculum that’s designed to improve their academic credentials for admission to professional health science schools, including medical education.

“PHSU’s MSMS degree gives an advantage to students who want to continue their schooling and pursue advanced degrees in medicine,” says Muñoz Segarra, who is about to enroll in the University of Puerto Rico School of Dental Medicine.  “The MSMS program also provides its graduates with a basic science curriculum at a Doctorate level, which is helpful for students who have non-science undergraduate degrees and don’t have that course work in their academic backgrounds.”

After high school, Muñoz Segarra enrolled at Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York.  She graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Bioengineering from Syracuse’s College of Engineering and Computer Science in May 2014.  In the fall of 2016, Muñoz Segarra began her MSMS program at PHSU, and she graduated earlier this month.  She’ll begin her studies at University of Puerto Rico’s School of Dental Medicine in early August.

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“The MSMS program helped me to increase my core science GPA and demonstrate to UPR’s admissions committee that I was qualified and competitive,” says Muñoz Segarra.  “After earning my dental degree in 2021, I plan to pursue a residency program.  I haven’t decided which one would be right for me yet because I’m still learning about the many different practice and specialty options, but I’m excited about the possibilities and I’m looking forward to beginning my dentistry education.”

For information about PHSU’s MSMS program, contact the admissions department (admissions@psm.edu, 787-840-2575).

Dr. Kenira Thompson, the President of Ponce Research Institute and Vice President of Research at Ponce Health Sciences University (PHSU), has been selected to serve a three year term on the National Steering Committee for the Group on Research Advancement and Development (GRAND) of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).  The mission of GRAND is to provide a national forum for the promotion, development, and conduct of biomedical research in medical schools and teaching hospitals.

“As the first Puerto Rican and first Hispanic woman to be selected to join GRAND’s Steering Committee, I’m honored to represent PHSU, as well as other Hispanic-serving medical schools,” says Dr. Thompson, who is joining 13 other doctors and academic leaders from medical schools across the country on the Committee.  “One of my goals in this prestigious role will be to share news of the critical contributions that Ponce Research Institute is making towards reducing Hispanic health disparities in multiple therapeutic areas, and how these findings impact and benefit patients in Puerto Rico as well as the U.S. mainland.”

Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Dr. Thompson received a BA in Psychology at Interamerican University-San German Campus in Puerto Rico.  She earned an MS in Experimental Psychology and a Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology/Behavioral Neuroscience from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and completed her Postdoctoral Training at Cajal Neuroscience Research Institute at the University of Texas at San Antonio.  Her research findings in such areas of drug addiction, stress, and learning and memory have been featured in a variety of publications – including Reproductive Sciences, Pharmacology Biochemistry & Behavior, Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, Ethnicity and Disease, and Journal of Neurophysiology.

Since becoming President and Research Director at Ponce Research Institute in 2014, Dr. Thompson’s responsibilities have included:

• Leading all research operations for PHSU, as well as research oversight at six affiliated hospitals in south central Puerto Rico.
• Overseeing administration of the largest clinical trial unit in Puerto Rico, with participation in over 280 trials in multiple therapeutic areas during the last 15 years.
• Co-directing the Puerto Rico Clinical and Translational Research Consortium, which integrates and facilitates clinical and translational research activities among three medical schools, four hospitals, and a network of Federally Qualified Health Centers in Puerto Rico.
• Increasing the number of R01 investigators in Puerto Rico by 33%.
• Managing over 70,000 sq. ft. of research space.
• Overseeing an interdisciplinary research team that enhanced research funding in cancer from $50K yearly to over $6MM in five years.
• Overseeing a team that developed the first tumor repository for Puerto Rican patients (PR Biobank), with accrual of over 2,000 biospecimens to date.
• Overseeing a team that executed an electronic medical record implementation plan in over 6,000 primary care practices in Puerto Rico.

“GRAND is an important program for the Association of American Medical Colleges, bringing together the research leadership from medical schools across the country,” said Ross McKinney, MD, chief scientific officer for the AAMC. “The challenges that institutions face vary, depending on where they are located, their size, and the intensity of the research programs.  Dr. Thompson has a very broad and helpful perspective, having trained in Puerto Rico, Wisconsin, and Texas, and she was selected for the steering committee on the basis of both her experience and her insights, as well as her commitment to developing and sustaining a vibrant pipeline of future biomedical researchers whose work will include fundamental discovery, minimizing health disparities, and increasing community engagement.  We welcome her passion, perspectives, and expertise”.

“We could not be more thrilled with this exciting announcement and the positive impact that it will have for our students and health sciences community in the Ponce region,” says PSHU President and CEO Dr. David Lenihan. “It demonstrates a deep level of confidence from the Department of Education in our ability to extend our educational expertise to undergraduate students, and provides an unparalleled opportunity for prospective BSN students to study within our innovative and diverse health sciences university.”

Educational benefits to PHSU’s nursing students will include opportunities to:

• leverage established relationships with local hospitals
• gain exclusive exposure to the school’s research projects
• achieve mentorship experience from practicing professionals within the Ponce Health Sciences University Wellness Center

“While most nursing programs require four years for completion, our academic team has designed an accelerated, innovative, and rigorous program that will enable our students to reduce their tuition investment and complete their studies within three years,” says Lenihan.  “Our highly qualified BSN graduates will have the choice of working in Puerto Rico, which would support the health needs of island residents and benefit the local economy, or to seek nursing opportunities in the United States and other territories.”

Prospective students who would like to apply to PHSU’s BSN program can begin the application process here.

For more information about PHSU’s BSN program and School of Nursing, contact Jose Torres, Vice President of Academic Affairs (jtorres@psm.edu).

For more information about applying to the program, contact Orlando Torres, Senior Admissions Officer (787-840-2575, Ext. 4244 – otorres@psm.edu).