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About UCC Puerto Rico’s private Health Sciences University.
The Universidad Central del Caribe is building future health through education, research and service.
Celebrando 50 Años Transformando Vidas1976 — 2026Overview
Who we are
The Universidad Central del Caribe is building future health through education, research and service.
At the very heart of the UCC’s plan for the future is its mission. A university community must know what qualities are to be preserved as its goals for the future are developed and advanced. The UCC thrives on being faithful to its mission by focusing on excellence, by pursuing clear goals and by cherishing and enriching a community of diverse scholars who prepare high-quality and committed health professionals to meet the health needs of the community in its biological, physical and social context, with a humanistic focus and a high sense of moral obligation.
In its 40 years, the UCC has demonstrated its commitment to improving the quality of life of the Puerto Rican community through excellence in clinical services, emphasis in an extensive agenda of biomedical, clinical, and psychosocial research as well as the development of competent health care professionals.
Mission, vision & goals
What guides us
To prepare high-quality and devoted health professionals and biomedical scientists to meet the health needs of the community in its biological, physical, and social context with a humanistic focus and a high sense of moral obligation.
The Universidad Central del Caribe is a unique, innovative higher education institution committed to the development of evidence based educational approaches, healthcare service models, and research with the highest ethical standards and impeccable sense of social duty.
Values
Goals
UCC has identified three broad goals that provide for the development of the objectives and operational activities that will guide the strategic framework for the next three years (2022-2025). The UCC goals are:
- To be positioned as the #1 higher education choice for the best qualified talents in pursuit of excellence in the health professions, and biomedical research careers.
- Become an innovative higher education institution in the development and dissemination of educational approaches, health care services, evidence-based protocols and models, consultation, and health care entrepreneurship.
- Become the leading higher education institution in Puerto Rico through ecofriendly practices, highest ethical principles, and impeccable sense of social responsibility.
Office of the President
A message from our President
There is an ongoing process of academic renewal at UCC that with the most advanced educational technology and innovations will better serve our students and enable them to reach their maximum potential.
We head into the future as a young and vigorous maturing institution with vision and hope for our continued growth and development as a health sciences university within an academic medical center.
In the context of this vision we welcome our students, faculty, staff, and visitors to share with us the wonderful experiences that UCC has to offer as Puerto Rico’s private Health Sciences University now and in the bright future ahead of us.
Dra. Waleska CrespoUCC President
Governance
Board of Trustees
Officers
Members
UCC History
From the Cayey School of Medicine to a health-sciences university
- 1976The Cayey School of Medicine opened its doors.
- 1978Radiologic Technology Program developed; name changed to Universidad Central del Caribe.
- 1984Relationship with the Health Department of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico begins.
- 1989Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences established.
- 1990All facilities integrated into one campus at University Hospital Dr. Ramón Ruiz Arnau, Bayamón.
- 1995Substance Abuse Counseling Program initiated.
- 2003First submitted to MSCHE accreditation.
- 2009MSCHE accreditation reaffirmed; PhD in Cellular and Molecular Biology authorized.
- 2010Application to award a Ph.D. in Neuroscience.
- 2026Celebrando 50 años transformando vidas.
The precursor of today’s Universidad Central del Caribe (UCC) was the Cayey School of Medicine, which opened its doors in 1976. By 1978, the Radiologic Technology Program was developed, and the institution’s name was changed to the Universidad Central del Caribe. UCC was the first private medical school incorporated under the laws of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. During its history, UCC has evolved into a health-sciences university with fully accredited academic programs in Medicine, Medical Images Technology, Biomedical Sciences and Substance Abuse Counseling. Its faculty has carried out an extensive agenda of biomedical, clinical, and psychosocial research and provides specialized health care services.
What distinguishes UCC from other institutions in Puerto Rico is its continuing commitment to preparing high-quality health professionals who can offer preventive care, promote healthy lifestyles, and provide excellent services while maintaining a sense of humanism, compassion and the highest ethical values. Particular characteristics of the Institution are its intensive and extensive programs of practical experiences in clinical settings in the community and a long-standing record of public/private partnerships and service-linked education and its innovative incursion to a research agenda in topics related to health.
In 1984, the university began its relationship with the Health Department of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Since September 1990, all university facilities have been integrated into one campus at the grounds of the University Hospital Dr. Ramón Ruiz Arnau in the city of Bayamón. In addition, the UCC counts with an extensive network of clinical sites that comprise the Northwestern Academic Health Center. This comprehensive network of clinical affiliates provides the state of the art settings for the students to develop excellence in clinical skills and competence in the delivery of health care services as professional members of interdisciplinary teams.
In 1989, the Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences was established within the School of Medicine providing Master of Science and Master of Arts in Biomedical Sciences with several areas of specialization. In 2009 UCC received authorization from the Puerto Rico Council on Higher Education (PRCHE) and from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education to confer a PhD in Cellular and Molecular Biology. During June 2010, UCC submitted an application to amend its license to the PRCHE requesting authorization to award a Ph.D. in Neuroscience. The UCC received the corresponding authorizations and became a pioneer higher education institution in Puerto Rico to offer a philosophy doctor degree in neuroscience.
In 1995, the Substance Abuse Counseling Program was initiated offering a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Substance Abuse Counseling and the Master of Health Sciences in Substance Abuse Counseling. During academic year 2002 the Medical Imaging Technology Program has experienced and exponential growth and currently confers an Associate Degree in Radiologic Technology, a Bachelor of Science in Medical Images; and Post-Associate degree Certificates in: Mammography, Diagnostic Medical Ultrasound, Computerized Tomography, and Magnetic Resonance
The UCC was first submitted to the accreditation of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) in 2003. In 2009, the institutional accreditation from MSCHE was reaffirmed and currently holds a full accreditation that will be subject to self-study in 2018-2019. The program leading to the M.D. degree holds full accreditation from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME).
The UCC seeks to enrich the educational environment by providing students with an opportunity to interact with other future health professionals and allowing them to engage in biomedical and psychosocial research.
Be part of the next 50 years
Explore our programs, visit our campus in Bayamón, or support UCC’s mission.