A Blessing in Disguise

The students will join the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine's Class of 2013.

The students will join the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine's Class of 2013.

When dozens of medical students at the San Juan Bautista School of Medicine in Puerto Rico learned their school could no longer provide them with a medical education, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine admissions officials stepped in to help.

“We are pleased to welcome these students to join the class, and potentially also become future doctors for El Paso and our region,” said Manuel Schydlower, M.D., associate dean for admissions at the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine.

 

In response to a request from the Association of American Medical Colleges, Carlos Encarnacion, of San Antonio; Gemmie Devera, of Chula Vista, Calif.; Ariana Nieto Meraz, of Mansfield; and Emmanuel Rodriguez, of Caguas, Puerto Rico, were accepted into the Class of 2013.

Encarnacion said he was shocked when he learned the San Juan Bautista School of Medicine lost its accreditation.

“No one saw it coming, not even the faculty,” Encarnacion said. “I went home that day and started contacting medical schools. I didn’t want to lose a year.”

Meraz, who is originally from Juarez, Mexico, said although she is saddened by the closing of her former school, she is grateful to have the chance to continue her training on the Texas/Mexico border.

“I am thankful for the opportunity to be here and for the school opening its doors to me,” Meraz said. “I am also excited to come home.”

Related Stories

Molecular Pathology Preceptorship: Unmatched Value and Experience

Ericka Hendrix, PhD, MB(ASCP)CM, Program Director and Associate Professor in the Master of Science in Molecular Pathology program in the School of Health Professions spoke about the program’s preceptorship.

Moseley Named Permian Basin Regional Dean of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing

Kelly Moseley, DHSc, R.N., has been named the TTUHSC School of Nursing regional dean in the Permian Basin.

TTUHSC School of Nursing to Celebrate New YWCA Location

Community members in central Lubbock now have access to health care services and prenatal programs at one location inside the YWCA.

Recent Stories

Education

Santos Named Department of Surgery Chair for TTUHSC School of Medicine in Lubbock

As the new Department of Surgery chair for the School of Medicine in Lubbock, Ariel Santos, M.D., M.P.H., seeks to elevate TTUHSC’s role as the Hub of Surgery for West Texas.

Health

Covenant Health Brings Kidney Transplant Surgery Back to West Texas

The Kidney Transplant Program at Covenant Medical Center will provide life-changing opportunities for patients suffering from end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and chronic kidney conditions.

Education

U.S. News & World Report Ranks TTUHSC Schools Among Best for 2025 Graduate School Rankings

Several graduate programs at TTUHSC have been recognized in the 2025 U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate School Rankings, reaffirming the university’s continued excellence in health sciences education and training.