[History notes of Dr. Raul Marcial Rojas on the development of regional academic medical centers in Puerto Rico].

Since 1976, with the foundation of the first private school of medicine in Puerto Rico, it was realized that governmental help was of the essence in order to maintain its accreditation from the official federal accrediting agency, the Liaison Committee on Medical Education. This special article summarizes the history of such endeavor, which progressively resulted in the invaluable cooperation, validated through administrative regulations and legislative proceedings, of the Universidad Central del Caribe School of Medicine and its other paramedical programs. At present law number 126 of 2006, signed by then the past governor authorized the creation of four regional academic medical centers, one in each of the four medical schools operating independently as non-profit corporations. As of today, January 7, 2011 a budget has not been assigned. The rresent Governor in his April 2010 speech to the Legislative Assembly, stated that the development of the regulations has been finished and the Academic Medical Centers will finally become a reality.