University urges retake after medical exam mishandling sparks controversy

Central University of the Caribbean President Waleska Crespo (Facebook via Universidad Central del Caribe)

By THE STAR STAFF

Central University of the Caribbean (UCC by its initials in Spanish), the institution responsible for administering Puerto Rico’s medical licensing exam, has recommended that 132 candidates retake the Basic Sciences portion after serious problems occurred during the Spanish-language session on Dec. 15.

UCC President Waleska Crespo said the university regrets the uncertainty and concern caused by the incident and emphasized that its priority is to preserve the integrity of the licensing process.

“We formally recommend to the Medical Licensing and Discipline Board that the Basic Sciences exam be offered again to the 132 candidates who took it in Spanish during the afternoon session of December 15,” Crespo said in a written statement. “This approach safeguards the integrity of Puerto Rico’s medical licensing process.”

The mishandling happened when the Spanish version of the exam administered that afternoon contained major errors. Pages were misaligned, some questions were incomplete or missing, and sections were printed incorrectly, making it impossible for candidates to answer certain items properly. Officials told the candidates to write their answers in the question pamphlet instead of the answer sheet and that employees will transfer them to answer sheets, causing great concern. Those flaws disrupted the exam and compromised its reliability, prompting UCC to call for a retake.

The licensing exams were held on two days, Dec. 15 and Dec. 16, with candidates allowed to choose between English or Spanish versions. While the English version proceeded without incident, the Spanish afternoon session on Dec. 15 was marred by the technical failures.

The situation has drawn heightened attention because among the affected candidates was José Yovín Vargas, the husband of Puerto Rico Gov. Jenniffer González Colón. His participation fueled public debate over whether his presence influenced the handling of the exam and whether the incident was part of a ploy to help him pass the exam.

Government officials have strongly denied any interference, calling suggestions of favoritism “irresponsible” and stressing that the exam was managed by a private institution and that all candidates were treated equally.