ELAM (Escuela Latinoamericana de Medicina), report by Judy Robbins PHOTO GALLERY HERE
In July, the Pastors for Peace Friendshipment caravan delegation met at ELAM with Maritsa, general deputy director of ELAM, who is a doctor and one of the founders of the school. She provided an update on the school at the occasion of its 15th anniversary.
The inauguration was on November 15th, 1999. As a result of Caribbean hurricanes “George” and “Mitch” Cuban medical brigades had been dispatched to impacted countries — that was the beginning of the project. Fidel at the time reflected: “After the hurricane is over, who is going to take care of those people? They live in abject misery.” So the decision was made to bring young people to Cuba to study to become doctors in their own regions.
Today 124 countries are represented. The first graduation was in 2005; there have been 21,500 graduates to date. July 2014 was the 10th graduation.
For the US there are 114 current students, and there have been 112 graduates so far. US first sent students to ELAM in 2001. In six yrs, there will have been over 200 US graduates, whose education was absolutely free (students cover only their own RT airfare).
The program is dedicated to primary care, which is more efficient to promote good health. For students, only the first two years are spent at the ELAM Havana campus. Then they are sent to various hospitals. The US students remain in Havana. Pastors for Peace helps to standardize credentials so that the graduates can go home and practice.
After the Haiti earthquake, the Henry Reeve brigade went to Haiti, including eight ELAM graduates. There are still two US ELAM graduate doctors remaining in Haiti (as of July 2014).
November 2014 will be the third workshop of ELAM graduates, currently 1500 students; the campus is large enough to include others. According to Dra. Maritsa, “The project continues to be 100% funded, but when countries are capable of paying tuition, we do accept it. But, because of the blockade, US students could not be financed even if someone wanted to.”
New students have a 6-month Spanish intensive, which is part of their first pre-med year (“Year O”), followed by 6 yrs of medical studies, which include: Health Science (the Cuban system); History and Medicine; Medical Geography – soil, water, nature. More than 7000 students have also done their specialist studies here in Cuba.
Following studies, there is an Exam which must be passed. US graduates face three step exams before practice; there are professors who train the US students in the step exams. In 2014 there were 10 new US students, and for the first time, a Cuban émigré (left the country at age 9) who could not study medicine in the US. His grandfather is a Cuban doctor.
The Director said: “It is so amazing to hear students from countries with whom we have had almost no contact yet say about Cuba: “Free the Cuban Five!” Imagine, Kirabati, the other side of the world, they know about Cuba… Cuba is heard.”
These photos were taken at several ELAM campuses over the past 15 years, and at two ELAM graduation ceremonies in Havana. Peter Robbins
In July, the Pastors for Peace Friendshipment caravan delegation met at ELAM with Maritsa, general deputy director of ELAM, who is a doctor and one of the founders of the school. She provided an update on the school at the occasion of its 15th anniversary.
The inauguration was on November 15th, 1999. As a result of Caribbean hurricanes “George” and “Mitch” Cuban medical brigades had been dispatched to impacted countries — that was the beginning of the project. Fidel at the time reflected: “After the hurricane is over, who is going to take care of those people? They live in abject misery.” So the decision was made to bring young people to Cuba to study to become doctors in their own regions.
Today 124 countries are represented. The first graduation was in 2005; there have been 21,500 graduates to date. July 2014 was the 10th graduation.
For the US there are 114 current students, and there have been 112 graduates so far. US first sent students to ELAM in 2001. In six yrs, there will have been over 200 US graduates, whose education was absolutely free (students cover only their own RT airfare).
The program is dedicated to primary care, which is more efficient to promote good health. For students, only the first two years are spent at the ELAM Havana campus. Then they are sent to various hospitals. The US students remain in Havana. Pastors for Peace helps to standardize credentials so that the graduates can go home and practice.
After the Haiti earthquake, the Henry Reeve brigade went to Haiti, including eight ELAM graduates. There are still two US ELAM graduate doctors remaining in Haiti (as of July 2014).
November 2014 will be the third workshop of ELAM graduates, currently 1500 students; the campus is large enough to include others. According to Dra. Maritsa, “The project continues to be 100% funded, but when countries are capable of paying tuition, we do accept it. But, because of the blockade, US students could not be financed even if someone wanted to.”
New students have a 6-month Spanish intensive, which is part of their first pre-med year (“Year O”), followed by 6 yrs of medical studies, which include: Health Science (the Cuban system); History and Medicine; Medical Geography – soil, water, nature. More than 7000 students have also done their specialist studies here in Cuba.
Following studies, there is an Exam which must be passed. US graduates face three step exams before practice; there are professors who train the US students in the step exams. In 2014 there were 10 new US students, and for the first time, a Cuban émigré (left the country at age 9) who could not study medicine in the US. His grandfather is a Cuban doctor.
The Director said: “It is so amazing to hear students from countries with whom we have had almost no contact yet say about Cuba: “Free the Cuban Five!” Imagine, Kirabati, the other side of the world, they know about Cuba… Cuba is heard.”
These photos were taken at several ELAM campuses over the past 15 years, and at two ELAM graduation ceremonies in Havana. Peter Robbins