UNIBE Medical School

About UNIBE

The Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE) of the Dominican Republic is a private non-profit institution founded in 1982. Our University is fully accredited by the government of the Dominican Republic (Ministry of Higher Education) to confer all of our degrees.

*Our School of Medicine is recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO), Tribunal Examinador de Medicos de Puerto Rico, and Spain’s Ministry of Education. As a pluralist university, UNIBE encourages scientific and philosophical diversity, respects religious and political ideologies, and makes no distinction on the basis of gender, age, race, national origin, physical handicap, veteran status or creed.

The Campus is located in the heart of Santo Domingo, situated near prominent government offices such as the Central Bank, and it is within walking distance of the Plaza de la Cultura, the city's cultural center, which is the site of major museums, art galleries, and the National Theater.

UNIBE's prime objective is to provide students with a diverse and high-quality education. Today, UNIBE offers 15 careers: Advertising, Architecture, Interior Design, Business Administration, Dentistry, Early Childhood Education, Industrial Engineering, Civil Engineering, IT Engineering, Law, Marketing, Medicine, Psychology, Religion, and Tourism and Hotel Management.

UNIBE is known for being dynamic and highly spirited; it also pays special interest to the growth and well being of the students.

The high professionalism of the academic and administrative staff and the unique atmosphere of UNIBE community provide students with the incentives they may need to establish strong relationships with classmates and professors. 

Curriculum

UNIBE’s School of Medicine strives for academic excellence by offering students a complete and integrated program of the theory and practice of medicine. Our program is designed to provide them with the required knowledge, skills, and values necessary to become excellent and compassionate physicians. Conceived as a series of integrated health care experiences, the curriculum offers important expert faculty guidance and enhances the students’ capacity for self-directed and self-motivated learning, both necessary for the lifelong expansion of knowledge.

Our Medical Program consists of 5 years and 4 months of study. There are 3 semesters per year (each one lasting 16 weeks). Students have the option to start either the Pre-Medical level (semester 1 through 4) or at the School of Medicine in 5th semester.

From the 5th through 10th semesters, students are focused on developing knowledge of the basic sciences. During the basic science level, qualified professors directly supervise them.

State-of-the-art teaching facilities and laboratories provide the fundamental tools to acquire in-depth knowledge of the basic areas of Medicine, which include a Standardized Patients program and Anatomical Models in our Clinical Skill Centers.

At UNIBE we foster an innovative pedagogical model which incorporates relevant instructional methods, such as case studies, and problem-based learning (PBL). Teaching and learning strategies that challenge students to “learn to learn” by working cooperatively in groups seeking solutions to real-world problems are as well incoporated. These problems are used to engage students’ curiosity and how to initiate learning the subject matter. PBL prepares students to think both critically and analytically and to find and use appropriate learning resources.

With the best facilities in the region, the classrooms are equipped with up-to-date teaching resources, ergonomic chairs, air conditioning, audiovisual equipment with wireless internet connections, and access to a virtual learning platform.

The 11th, 12th and 13th semesters set the beginning of sub-internship (pre-intern) rotations. These rotations constitute a total of 48 weeks, alternating in the areas of Internal Medicine, Surgery, Psychiatry, Pediatrics, and Obstetrics and Gynecology.

As an added experience and to foster an optimal patient interaction, students at the clinical level are required to use Spanish as a primary or secondary language and must pass a Spanish proficiency evaluation for non Spanish-speaking students.

During the last year, the 14th, 15th and 16th semesters, students rotate in the following areas: Internal Medicine, Surgery, Psychiatry, Community Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, and Emergency Medicine and Trauma. We have more than 20 affiliated national Hospitals for our students’ rotations. We offer rotations abroad for clinical science in Puerto Rico, the United States, and Europe.

State Approvals/Licensure

UNIBE School of Medicine is listed in the International Medical Education Directory (IMED) within the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG).This process allows our students/graduate physicians to receive Federal Funds and Financial Aid and enables our students to take the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). The School is approved by the Florida Department of Education's Commission for Independent Education.

 Information was received by the UNIBE School of Medicine website.