About us

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.

To 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. It is characterized by its emphasis on the excellence of its educational programs, research activities and services of health maintenance, prevention, and early detection of illness. It is committed to improving the quality of life of the Puerto Rican community through its services, as well as to developing health care professionals.

The Universidad Central del Caribe envisions itself as an academic institution socially committed to its educational, research and service endeavors.

The UCC strategic goals clearly highlight the emphasis given in the strategic planning process to three main components of the mission and vision: (1) excellence in academic programs, (2) excellence in research activities, and (3) the provision of services, as well as the continuous value for improvement. The UCC envisions a future to:

Develop a solid and diversified financial basis.

Establish the mechanisms for the development of new academic programs and maintain and strengthen current academic programs.

Increase research activities in the Basic, Clinical, and Behavioral Sciences.

Strengthen student services, including promotion, recruitment, retention, orientation, and counseling.

Increase UCC’s presence and recognition within the immediate community and beyond.

Maximize the use of technology in the various activities consistent with the UCC mission.

Develop an assessment culture within the UCC community.

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.