Universidad De Ciencias Médicas

The University of Medical Sciences (Spanish: Universidad de Ciencias Médicas, UCIMED) is a private medical university in San José, Costa Rica. It is the largest and oldest private medical school in Costa Rica and one of the most prestigious in Latin America. Currently the main campus is located in the country's capital with the latest technology in medical education and one of the best simulated hospitals in the region. The university offers a great variety of degrees such as Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Microbiology and Clinical Chemistry, Licentiate of Physiotherapy, Licentiate of Nutrition and Doctor of Pharmacy. UCIMED also offers master's degrees and medical specialties such as a Master's Degree in Health Management and Specialty in Gynecology and Obstetrics.

History

UCIMED was founded in 1976 by surgeon and researcher Andrés Vesalio Guzmán Calleja, who was one of the original founders of the national medical school of 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. Guzmán and collaborators as a response to ideological differences between the authorities of the national university of Costa Rica known as the University of Costa Rica (UCR), which was the only university who offered a medical degree. The conflict originated in part because in this particular time access to learn medicine was reserved to individuals with a specific ideological trend.

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 hospital. At the beginning it served as the medical school of an established university known as UACA. However, in 1999 the medical school separated from its partnership with UACA and changed its name to UCIMED establishing itself as an independent institution. Three years later in March 2003, the National System of Accreditation in Higher Education, which monitors and verifies that higher education excellence standards are met nationally, 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 (Sistema Nacional de Acreditación de la Educación Superior) standards of quality.UCIMED,_Universidades_en_Costa_Rica_[Lista_de_Universidades_Privadas_en_Costa_Rica,_Becas,_Carreras,_Universidad_de_Costa_Rica]
/ref>_Later_on,_the_programs_of_Microbiology,_Physiotherapy_and_Nutrition_were_also_included_as_part_of_the_degrees_offered._Currently,_all_of_the_degrees_offered_are_accredited_by_SINAES,_being_one_of_the_few_universities_in_Costa_Rica_that_achieves_this._Moreover,_in_2019_the_university's_medical_school_achieved_an_international_accreditation_by_the_Consejo_Mexicano_para_la_Acreditación_de_la_Educación_Médica_(COMAEM),_which_guarantees_the_excellence_of_the_academic_education._At_that_time,_UCIMED_was_the_only_Medical_School_in_Latin_America_and_the_Caribbean_to_achieve_this_recognition._
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__Academics_and_accreditation_

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/ref> Later on, the programs of Microbiology, Physiotherapy and Nutrition were also included as part of the degrees offered. Currently, all of the degrees offered are accredited by SINAES, being one of the few universities in Costa Rica that achieves this. Moreover, in 2019 the university's medical school achieved an international accreditation by the Consejo Mexicano para la Acreditación de la Educación Médica (COMAEM), which guarantees the excellence of the academic education. At that time, UCIMED was the only Medical School in Latin America and the Caribbean to achieve this recognition.

Academics and accreditation

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