San Juan Bautista School of Medicine (SJBSM), a Hispanic serving institution, was founded in 1978 as a private, not-for-profit medical school. It is located in the east-central region of Puerto Rico (PR), a territory of the United States in the Caribbean. Puerto Rico is a small island with a high population density (approx. 953 people per square mile, higher than all states except New Jersey and Rhode Island). SJBSM is committed to educate culturally and linguistically diverse generation of physicians and other health professionals who are responsible of the health needs of underserved and medically vulnerable populations. SJBSM is located in Caguas (population 129,604), 18 miles south of San Juan, the capital city of Puerto Rico. Caguas is the fifth largest city in Puerto Rico. In 1999 the Puerto Rico Department of Health and the SJBSM signed a contract for the School to create an affiliation with the Dr. Eduardo Garrido Morales Hospital (aka, Caguas Regional Hospital). Currently, the Caguas Regional Hospital is administered by the Mennonite Health System (MHS); the latter system's facilities are among the diverse sites for inpatient and outpatient clinical education available to SJBSM students.

Since its inception, SJBSM has graduated over 1,450 medical doctors. In 2011, the institution expanded its academic offerings by adding a Master's Degree in Public Health and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, in keeping with its commitment to provide high-quality healthcare education programs to meet the needs of the Puerto Rican community and to develop an integrated educational model that facilitates the teaching of team-based care. During 2020, the institution worked toward the inclusion of a Master Degree in Physician Assistant as a new academic program. After obtaining the necessary accreditations, the program is expected to start its academic offering in January, 2021. Physician Assistant was included in the institution mission statement as a career option offered by the institution.

The School has established a network of ambulatory clinics, community organizations and hospitals that are serving as centers for research, internships, for clerkship rotations, and clinical electives that includes local and national facilities. The Institution continuously with its commitment to serve the community and the medically underserved and continue research productivity.

SJBSM developed and adopted this Institutional Development Plan (IDP) to be implemented from the years 2021-2025, based on the institutional vision, mission, goals and objectives and the assessment of the previous IDP 2016-2020. This 2021-2025 IDP is organized through the institutional strategic imperatives. This planning process will support the institutional development of our organization, and will serve as a roadmap for the implementation of future strategic initiatives and action plans.

We are committed to educating a culturally and linguistically diverse generation of physicians and other health professionals. Graduates will have the knowledge, skills, values, and competence to pursue career options in medicine, public health, nursing and physician assistant, deliver high quality care services, and conduct clinical research. The school’s special interest is centered on community health, conducting research on translational community medicine, and on graduating physicians and other health professionals who are responsive to the health needs of underserved and medically vulnerable populations.

To hold a leadership position among the purveyors of quality education in community medicine and primary care to support and strengthen the efforts of state and local governments in improving the health conditions and access to care to urban and rural communities.

The Strategic Planning Core Committee, whose members include faculty, administration, staff, and governing structures had the responsibility to develop the 2021-2025 Institutional Development Plan (IDP). The mission and institutional goals guided this committee to made decisions related to planning, resource allocation, program and curricular development, and the definition of institutional and educational outcomes. The 2021-2025 IDP is linked to the SJBSM’s overall mission and considers the institution’s goals, strengths, internal and external challenges, and academic opportunities. Each strategic goal has specific initiatives and measurable outcomes that are used to track progress. After institutional approval the IDP is disseminated to students, faculty, staff and collaborators. Annually, or as necessary, members of the Committee meet to monitor action plans, review outcomes, and make needed modifications.

SJBSM adopted the IDP to be implemented from the years 2021 – 2025, based on the institutional vision, mission, goals and objectives; through strategic initiatives and institutional academic and student service imperatives. This planning process supported the institutional development of our organization, and served as a roadmap for the implementation of future academic strategic initiatives and action plans.

Strategic Planning Core Committee Members

Team Members Position Responsibility Monitor/Outcomes Data sources
Dr. Yocasta Brugal President Comm. Chair All outcomes Team members reports
Dr. Irvin Maldonado Academic Dean Member Medical education;
Discipline integration
Graduation Questionnaire; Independent Student Analysis; AAMC, MSCHE, ARC-PA , CCNE, CEPR, and LCME reports; Learning Assessment Office reports
Dr. José Ginel Rodriguez Dean of Health Sciences Member Discipline integration of the BSN, PA and MPH academic programs Course Evaluation Survey Report, Student Program Evaluation Report, grade report, graduation rate, retention rates, community services activities, and research projects.
Mr. Carlos F. Abreu Dean for Administration and Human Resources Member Information technology;
Recruit and retain diverse faculty and staff;
Manage School resources and expand funding sources
Diversity and Inclusion Committee reports; number of submitted and approved external grants, financial reports, employee evaluations.
Mr. Fernando Gonzalez Director of Learning Assessment Office Member Academic Programs Assessments Course Evaluation Survey Report, Student Program Evaluation Report, grade report, graduation rate, retention rates, community services activities, and research projects.
Dr. Yolanda Miranda Dean for Student Affairs Member Students Services Student services satisfaction surveys, Admission Office, Registrar Office, Financial Aid, Counseling, Student Programs effectiveness evaluation.
Dr. Shirley Valentín Faculty Representative Member Faculty Needs Faculty Board Reports
Dr. Ana Bermudez Liaison Officer for Accreditation Agencies, Continuous Quality Improvement Director Member Continuous Quality Improvements of Academic Programs AAMC, MSCHE, ARC-PA, CCNE, CEPR and LCME reports; Learning Assessment Office reports.
Mr. Jorge Torres Information Technology Director Member Digital Resources and Infrastructure Information Technology Assessment
Mr. Carlos Altamirano Library Director Member Library resources inventory for academic programs Curriculum of Academic Program, Student evaluation survey report
Dr. Estela Estape Director of SJBSM Research Center Member Research among faculty and students Annual Outcomes Report of the SJBSM Research Center
Mr. Juan Carlos Castro Director of Finance Member School resources & expanding funding sources Financial Reports
  • Provide a medical education, with graduates well-trained in integrated and team-based care, ethics, and outcome standards to optimally manage the care of individuals and entire communities.
  • Integrate the disciplines of medicine, physician assistant, nursing and public health in medical education to enhance the connection between prevention, promotion and treatment of disease and improve population health.
  • Cultivate the community engagement and community-based experiences by creating collaborative alliances with public and private agencies.
  • Cultivate translational, clinical, behavioral and academic research by creating collaborative alliances among basic scientists, clinical faculty and community practitioners.
  • Maintain and enhance the use of information technology as a tool for teaching, research, performance measurement, faculty development, and enhancing communication within the school and surrounding communities.
  • Continue to reinforce the diverse network of clinical and community sites for rotations and hands-on training to strengthen students' clinical skills, research, public health, cultural competency, and health systems management.
  • Maintain an institutional environment that is conducive to and supportive of uni-professional/interprofessional education, life-long learning, research, students' services, and a culture of continuous quality improvement.
  • Recruit and retain outstanding, culturally and linguistically diverse faculty, students, and staff in order to increase diversity and recognize their contributions to the learning environment.
  • Continue to manage the school resources with fiscal responsibility and explore new avenues for expanding funding sources.
  • Develop a system to accurately evaluate the academic and non-academic measurable outcomes of medicine, public health, nursing, and physician assistant academic programs.

Five priority areas will constitute the priorities to be addressed by the strategic planning process over the five-year period. The priority areas were selected after analyzing the School's mission and vision, institutional goals, previous institutional strategic plan, availability of resources, the Continuous Quality Improvement annual report, accreditation standards, and opportunities in the external academic environment. The five priority areas are defined as follows:

  1. Provide a medical education, with graduates well-trained in integrated and team-based care, ethics, and outcome standards to optimally manage the care of individuals and entire communities.
  2. Research development and Community engagement.
  3. High quality student services.
  4. Faculty and staff development.
  5. Educational and financial resources.

Goals

Institutional Strategic Imperatives

High Quality of Education

Research & Community

High Quality of Student Services

Faculty/Staff Development

Resources

Provide a medical education, with graduates well-trained...

X

X

 

X

X

Integrate the disciplines of medicine, physician assistant, nursing and public health...

X

X

 

 X

X

Cultivate the community engagement and community-based experiences…

X

X

   

X

Cultivate translational, clinical, behavioral and academic research...

X

X

 

X

X

Maintain and enhance the use of information technology as a tool for teaching...

X

X

X

X

X

Continue to reinforce the

diverse network of clinical and community...

 X

  X

   

X

Maintain an institutional environment that is conducive to and supportive...

X

X

X

 X

X

Recruit and retain outstanding,

culturally and linguistically diverse… faculty, students and staff...

 X

X

 

 X

X

Continue to manage the school resources with fiscal responsibility...

  X

X

X

X

X

Develop a system to

accurately evaluate...

X

X

X

X

X

1. High quality education: uni-professional and inter-professional

Goal: to ensure that all academic programs are of a consistently high quality and in compliance with the curriculum committees and continuous quality improvement’s action plans and accreditation standards.

Activities

Responsible Personnel

Time Frame

Outcome

Increase the interprofessional activities between the MD, MPH, Nursing and PA academic programs

Academic Dean & Dean of Health Sciences

One additional activity per year

Obtain more high quality interprofessional activities to ensure the high-quality education

Recruit a group of diverse/qualified faculty for MD, MPH, Nursing and PA programs

President/ Dean

One per Program/ year

Ensure a high-quality education

Hire a Faculty Development coordinator

President/ Dean

January 2021

Train the faculty to ensure a high-quality education

Increase faculty development activities for faculty from MD, MPH, Nursing and PA programs

Academic Dean

Four additional faculty development activities each year

Train the faculty to ensure a high-quality education

Improve the educational hardware & software tools

Library Director

10% of improvement each year

Support the faculty with better tools to ensure a high-quality education

Improve curriculum evaluation tools

Academic Dean

2021

Better evaluation tools to ensure a high-quality education

Continue the process of acquiring the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) accreditation

Dean of Health Sciences & Associate Dean of Graduate Studies

2022

MPH CEPH accreditation

Continue the development of distance learning tools

Library Director

2021-2022

Support the faculty and students with better tools to ensure a high-quality education

Obtain the authorization of the CEPR and MSCHE to offer the MPH program in a distance learning modality

President/ Dean

CQI Director

2021

Support the students with better tools to ensure a high-quality education

Create a new academic program

President/ Dean

2024

Enrich a high-quality education

Improve the computer Lab infrastructure

IT Department

2022

Support the students with better tools to ensure a high-quality education

Create a Graduate Resource Center

President

2022

Support the students with better tools to ensure a high-quality education

Create a Virtual Anatomy Resource Center

President

2022

Enrich a high-quality education

Create two study rooms for PA students

President

2021

Support the students with better tools to ensure a high-quality education

Create a new Academic Building for Administration and new programs

President

2023

Enrich a high-quality education

2. Research development and Community engagement

Goal: Expand research initiatives and collaborations and build a comprehensive approach to community engagement.

Activities

Responsible Personnel

Time Frame

Outcome

Increase the research overall budget

President/ Dean

10% of increase at the end of 2025

Expand the research initiatives

Develop a Community Service/Service Learning Department

President/ Dean

2023

Build a comprehensive approach to community engagement

Link all the Community Service Learning activities with inter-professional education activities

Academic Dean & Dean of Health Sciences

2023

Build a comprehensive approach to community engagement

Recruit a group of diverse faculty/researchers for MD, MPH, Nursing and Physician Assistant programs

President/ Dean

One per Program/ year

Expand the research initiatives

Recruit a research initiative coordinator

President/ Dean

2021

Support the research initiatives

Link the research development (training) with the Faculty Development yearly plan

Research Director

2022

Support the research initiatives

Maintain and expand the number of research affiliations and agreements with national and international

universities and research groups

President/ Dean & Research Director

One new research affiliation per year & renovate research affiliations

Expand the research initiatives

Increase the external research grants

Research Director

10% of increase at the end of 2025

Expand the research initiatives

Maintain and establish new affiliations with community programs in Puerto Rico

President/ Dean

One new affiliation per year & renovate affiliations

Build a comprehensive approach to community engagement

High quality student services

Goal: Ensure that all student services are of a consistently high quality and in compliance with the students’ necessities.

Activities

Responsible Personnel

Time Frame

Outcome

Acquired strong online platform for student services

President/ Dean

2021

Ensure that all student services are of consistent high quality.

Recruit qualified personnel to manage the student services platform

President/ Dean

3 new qualified personnel by 2023

Ensure that all student services are of consistent high quality.

Digitalize all the students service

Associate Dean of Students Affairs

20% per year

Ensure that all student services are of consistent high quality.

Increase development activities (trainings) of the Students Affairs deanship personnel

Associate Dean of Students Affairs

One additional development activity per division/ year

Ensure that all student services are of consistent high quality.

Strength the students’ services assessment

Associate Dean of Students Affairs

2024

Ensure that all student services are of consistent high quality.

Create an assessable help desk for the student services

Associate Dean of Students Affairs

2025

Ensure that all student services are of consistent high quality.

4. Faculty and staff development

Goal: Enhance the faculty and staff development program to create an environment of continuous improvement of teaching, research, ethics, professionalism, diversity and scholarly activities.

Activities

Responsible Personnel

Time Frame

Outcome

Strength the infrastructure for faculty development activities

President/ Dean

2021

Enhance the faculty and staff development program

Hire a Faculty Development coordinator

President/ Dean

January 2021

Enhance the faculty and staff development program

Acquire software & hardware tools dedicated to the faculty development activities

IT Director

2022

Enhance the faculty and staff development program

Strength the process to identify the priorities of the faculty development activities

Academic Dean

2021

Enhance the faculty and staff development program

Strength the process of assessment of faculty development activities

Academic Dean

2021

Enhance the faculty and staff development program

Link the faculty development activities with the continuing education activities

Academic Dean

2023

Enhance the faculty and staff development program

Establish collaborations with individuals or institutions that will support the faculty development activities

President/

Dean

One collaboration per year

Enhance the faculty and staff development program

5. Educational and financial resources

Goal: Diversify and strengthen funding sources for teaching, research, fellowships and community engagement

Activities

Responsible Personnel

Time Frame

Outcome

Increase the

Alumni activities for

student fellowships

Associate Dean of Students Affairs

One additional Alumni activity per year

Strengthen funding sources for fellowships

Increase the external research grants

Research Director

10% of increase at the end of 2025

Diversify and strengthen funding sources

Establish a fee for service/rent program for external institutions

Dean of Administration and Human Resources

2022

Diversify and strengthen funding sources

Create a new academic program

President/ Dean

2024

Diversify and strengthen funding sources

Increase the external service grants

President/ Dean

10% of increase at the end of 2025

Diversify and strengthen funding sources

Link the faculty development activities with the continuing education activities

Academic Dean

2023

Diversify and strengthen funding sources