[1] UCIMED was founded in 1976 by surgeon and researcher Andrés Vesalio Guzmán Calleja, who was one of the original founders of the national medical school of Costa Rica.

It was originally named Escuela Autónoma de Ciencias Médicas (Autonomous School of Medical Sciences).

The conflict originated in part because in this particular time access to learn medicine was reserved to individuals with a specific ideological trend.

However, in 1999 the medical school separated from its partnership with UACA and changed its name to UCIMED establishing itself as an independent institution.

The admission test will measure the student's basic knowledge in some areas such as chemistry, biology and mathematics.

[2] UCIMED has signed an agreement with Kaplan, Inc. to help provide a program to prepare medical students for the USMLE and the NBME IFOM exam required for internship in the Costa Rican Healthcare System.

This provides students with Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates certificate with aid from Kaplan Inc. representatives working within UCIMED grounds.