Latin American School of Medicine (Cuba)
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<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Elamlogo.gif|thumb|120px|ELAM (Cuba) logo]] -->
'''''Escuela Latinoamericana de Medicina''''' ('''ELAM'''), formerly '''''Escuela Latinoamericana de Ciencias Médicas''''' (in [[Spanish language|Spanish]]; in [[English language|English]]: '''Latin American School of Medicine''' ('''LASM'''), formerly '''Latin American School of Medical Sciences'''), is a major international [[medical school]] in [[Cuba]] and a prominent part of the [[Healthcare in Cuba|Cuban healthcare system]].
Established in 1999 and operated by the [[Government of Cuba|Cuban government]], ELAM has been described as possibly being the largest medical school in the world by enrollment with approx. 10,000 or 12,000 students from 27 or 29 countries reported as enrolled in 2006/early 2007. All those enrolled are [[international students]] from outside Cuba and mainly come from [[Latin America]] and the [[Caribbean]] as well as [[Africa]]. The school also accepts students from the [[United States]] - 91 were reportedly enrolled as of January 2007. [[Tuition]], accommodation and board are free, and a small [[stipend]] is provided for students.<ref name = "Salud">[http://www.saludthefilm.net/ns/synopsis.html ¡Salud! - Synopsis], ''¡Salud!'' documentary website; accessed Feb. 2, 2006</ref><ref name = "Economist">[http://www.economist.com/world/la/displaystory.cfm?story_id=8597159 "Dr Diplomat"], ''[[The Economist]]'' magazine, Jan. 25 2007</ref><ref name = "Journal">"[http://www.ifconews.org/MedicalSchool/articles/NEJM-Article122304.pdf Affirmative Action, Cuban Style]", Fitzhugh Mullan, ''[[The New England Journal of Medicine]]'' Vol. 351 No.26, Dec. 23 2004</ref><ref name = "USAToday">"[http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/columnists/wickham/2001-01-30-gwickham.htm Cuba spreads medical care as political tool]", DeWayne Wickham, ''[[USA Today]]'', Jan. 30 2001</ref><ref name = "Philly">"[http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/living/health/16149501.htm Path to becoming a doctor via the third world]", Paul Nussbaum, ''[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]'', Dec. 3 2006</ref>
A ELAM sister school operated by the [[Government of Venezuela|Venezuela government]] and sited in [[Guri (Venezuela)|Guri]], [[Bolívar (state)|Bolívar]], [[Venezuela]] was scheduled to open in October 2006. The school is named ''[[Latin American School of Medicine A.P. Réverénd (Venezuela)|Escuela Latinoamericana de Medicina A.P. Réverénd]]'' after [[France|French]] [[physician]] [[Alejandro Próspero Réverénd]].<ref name= "PWW">"[http://www.pww.org/article/articleview/9280/1/325 Cuba, Venezuela bring medical care to Bolivia]", W. T. Whitney Jr., ''[[People's Weekly World]]'', Jun. 10 2006; accessed Feb. 4 2007</ref><ref>[http://www.elam.edu.ve/ Official website of Latin American School of Medicine A. P. Réverénd]; accessed Feb. 5 2007</ref>
== Campuses ==
The main [[campus]] of Cuba's ELAM is located northwest of the [[capital city|capital]] [[Havana]] and about 3.5 [[kilometre|km]] from the [[Panamericana Highway (Cuba)|Panamericana Highway]]. This 1.2 [[square kilometre|km²]] campus is built on the site of an old naval academy and overlooks the sea. It consists of 28 buildings with 80 [[classroom]]s, 37 [[laboratory|laboratories]], 5 [[amphitheater]]s, [[dormitory|dormitories]], an [[Hospital|infirmary]], and other facilities. The campus facilities were designed to support approx. 3,500 students with students beyond the second year of the medical program being based at other medical schools around Cuba. In December 2006, approx. 3,300 students were reportedly housed on the campus. The US dorm is 2 stories, students sleep on bunk beds in rooms of 5 to 20 students depending on if the room is filled to capacity. The diet in the caretery mainly consists of rice, beans, and bread, with the main course varied from ground soy, rice mixed with shredded chicken or pork referred to as arroz con suerte, ham, liver, to chicken or pork. All meals and housing are provided by the school. They also give us uniforms, and monthly suplies, as well as a modest allowance each month<ref>[http://www.cuba.cu/gobierno/discursos/1999/ing/i151199i.html Key Address by Dr. Fidel Castro Ruz, President of the Republic of Cuba, at the Inauguration of the Latin American School of Medicine, Havana, November 15 1999], [[Cuba.cu]] (Cuban Government); accessed Feb. 8 2007</ref><ref name = "Brochure">''[http://www.ifconews.org/MedicalSchool/documents/LASMbrochure.pdf LASM Medical School Scholarship Program Brochure]'', IFCO website, accessed Feb. 2 2007</ref><ref name = "Philly"/>
In 2005, it was announced that the [[Francophone]] [[Caribbean School of Medical Sciences (Cuba)|Caribbean School of Medical Sciences]] in [[Santiago de Cuba]] - a second key campus - had been incorporated into ELAM.<ref name = "MEDICC">"[http://www.medicc.org/publications/medicc_review/0805/top-story.html Where There Were No Doctors: First MDs Graduate from Latin American Medical School]", Gail A. Reed, ''MEDICC Review'' Vol. VII No.8, MEDICC, Aug./Sept. 2005; accessed Feb. 4 2007</ref><ref name = "Pacifica">"[http://www.granma.cu/ingles/2005/agosto/mar23/35elam-i.html First Graduation of the Latin American School of Medicine/Ceremony attended by heads of state and government]", Mireya Castaneda, ''[[Granma (newspaper)|Digital Granma Internacional ]]'', Aug. 23 2005; accessed Feb. 5 2007</ref>
All US students continue 4 to 6 year at Salvador Allende Hospital In havana Cuba.
== Mission ==
ELAM's mission is dedicated to the training of [[general practitioner]]s and [[primary health care|primary healthcare]] providers for impoverished communities outside Cuba. The school is part of the international outreach through medical initiatives - which has previously included medical [[scholarship]]s - that has been important to [[Foreign relations of Cuba|Cuban foreign policy]] since the 1960s.<ref name = "Economist"/><ref>"[http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/1081716281.html?dids=1081716281:1081716281&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Jul+23%2C+2006&author=Cindy+Loose&pub=The+Washington+Post&edition=&startpage=W.12&desc=The+Cuban+Solution The Cuban Solution]", Cindy Loose, ''[[The Washington Post]]'' magazine, Jul. 23 2006</ref>
It is preferred that ELAM students come from the poorest communities with the intent of returning to practice in those areas in their countries. Initially only enrolling students from Latin America and the Caribbean, the school has also become open to applicants from impoverished and/or medically underserved areas in the United States and Africa.
Preference is given to applicants who are financially needy and/or "[[Colored#People of color|people of color]]" who show the most commitment to working in their poor communities.<ref name = "Journal"/><ref name = "USAToday"/><ref name = "Newsday">"[http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/newsday/access/69093942.html?dids=69093942:69093942&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Feb+28%2C+2001&author=Ellen+Yan.+WASHINGTON+BUREAU&pub=Newsday&edition=Combined+editions&startpage=A.15&desc=Castro+Makes+a+Dream+Offer+%2F+Plan+for+free+medical+education+greeted+by+some+with+skepticism Castro Makes a Dream Offer: Plan for free medical education greeted by some with skepticism]", Ellen Yan, ''[[Newsday]]'', Feb. 28 2001</ref><ref name = "Brochure"/>''
Final admissions decisions are made by a committee representing ELAM's [[faculty (university)|faculty]] and the [[Ministry of Public Health (Cuba)|Cuban Ministry of Public Health]].<ref name = "Philly"/>
== Scholarship ==
The scholarship includes full tuition, dormitory housing, three meals per day at the campus cafeteria, textbooks in Spanish for all courses, school uniform, basic toiletries, bedding, and a small monthly stipend in Cuban pesos. The scholarship does not include travel expenses to and from school.
== Admissions ==
To be considered for the US scholarship program at the Latin American School of Medicine must be US citizens (with a US passport), under the age of 30, with proficiency in college-level sciences, and a commitment to practice medicine in low-income and medically under-served communities in the US after graduation.
== Curriculum ==
*''For a detailed English language ELAM curriculum plan, see the [[Latin American School of Medicine (Cuba)#External links|external links]].''
ELAM's [[pedagogy|pedagogical]] philosophy centers on intensive tutoring and advising. All courses are taught in Spanish.
The [[pre-medical]] program includes courses in [[health science]]s, [[chemistry]], [[biology]], [[math]], [[physics]] as well as a 12-week intensive course in the Spanish language. The medical program begins every September and is divided into 12 [[semester]]s. Students study at the ELAM campus for the first 2 years before completing their studies at one of Cuba's 21 other medical schools, including a 1 year rotating [[internship]]. The Cuban medical training model emphasizes primary healthcare, [[community medicine]] and hands-on internship experiences.
Students are required to pass examinations at appropriate points during their course of study. For US students, this includes the [[United States Medical Licensing Examination]].<ref name = "Brochure"/>
==History==
===Establishment===
ELAM was first conceived - reportedly from an idea by [[President of Cuba|President]] [[Fidel Castro]] himself<ref name = "NYTimes2">"[http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/08/world/americas/08havana.html?ex=1170565200&en=73a331382e801ab9&ei=5070 Havana Journal; Hippocrates Meets Fidel, and Even U.S. Students Enroll]", Marc Lacey, ''The New York Times'', Dec. 8 2006</ref> - as part of Cuba's [[humanitarian aid|humanitarian]] and [[development aid]] response (known as the "[[Integral Health Plan for Central America and the Caribbean]]"<ref>[http://embacu.cubaminrex.cu/iframmeing/cuba/salud.htm Cuban Embassies official website], [[Ministry of External Relations (Cuba)|Cuban Ministry of External Relations]]; accessed Feb. 5 2007</ref>) to the devastation caused by [[Hurricane Georges]] and [[Hurricane Mitch]] in 1998, which affected several countries in [[Central America]] and the [[Caribbean]], including Cuba. 500 full medical scholarships per year for the next decade were offered by the Cuban government to students from 4 countries - the [[Dominican Republic]], [[Haiti]], [[Honduras]] and [[Nicaragua]] - seriously affected by the [[hurricane]]s. In support of this plan, ELAM was opened in March 1999 and started its full medical program in September 1999 with approx. 1,900 student in its initial classes. On [[November 15]], [[1999]], Castro officially [[inauguration|inaugurated]] ELAM at as Havana hosted the 9th [[Ibero-American Summit]] (at this time, ELAM had 1,929 students from 18 countries).<ref name = "IFCO">[http://www.ifconews.org/MedicalSchool/freq_asked_questions.htm Medical School Scholarship Program FAQ], IFCO website, accessed Feb. 2 2007</ref><ref name = "Philly"/><ref>"[http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/46433963.html?dids=46433963:46433963&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Nov+17%2C+1999&author=Serge+F.+Kovaleski&pub=The+Washington+Post&edition=&startpage=A.23&desc=Castro%27s+Guests+Give+Dissidents+a+Hearing Castro's Guests Give Dissidents a Hearing]", Serge F. Kovaleski, ''The Washington Post'', Nov. 17 1999</ref>
The first class of 1,498 ELAM doctors [[graduation|graduated]] on [[August 20]], [[2005]], together with 112 from other Cuban medical schools. 28 foreign countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, and including the United States were represented by the graduates. The ceremony was led by Castro and [[President of Venezuela|Venezuelan President]] [[Hugo Chávez]]. Also reportedly attending were [[Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda|Prime Minister]] [[Baldwin Spencer]] of [[Antigua & Barbuda]], [[Prime Minister of Dominica|Prime Minister]] [[Roosevelt Skerrit]] of [[Dominica]], [[Prime Minister of Grenada|Prime Minister]] [[Keith Mitchell]] of [[Grenada]], [[President of Panama|President]] [[Martín Torrijos]] of [[Panama]], [[Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis|Prime Minister]] [[Denzil Douglas]] of [[St. Kitts & Nevis]] and [[Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines|Prime Minister]] [[Ralph Gonsalves]] of [[St. Vincent & the Grenadines]] as well as high-ranking government representatives of [[The Bahamas]], [[Barbados]], [[Belize]], the Dominican Republic, [[Ecuador]], [[Grenada]], [[Guatemala]], [[Guyana]], [[Jamaica]], [[St. Lucia]], [[Suriname]] and [[Trinidad & Tobago]].<ref name = "MEDICC"/><ref name = "Pacifica"/>
===Cooperation with the United States===
In June 2000, a US [[Congressional Black Caucus]] (CBC) delegation visited Cuba to meet with Castro. [[United States House of Representatives|Representative]] [[Bennie Thompson]] ([[Democratic Party (United States)|D]]-[[Mississippi|Miss.]]) mentioned to Castro that his district had a shortage of doctors, who responded by offering full scholarships for US nationals from Mississippi at ELAM. Later that same June, in a [[Washington, D.C.]] meeting with the CBC, the Cuban Minister of Public Health expanded the offer to all districts represented by the CBC. At a September 2000 speech event at [[Riverside Church]], [[New York City]], Castro publicly announced a further expanded offer which was reported as allowing several hundred places at ELAM for medical students from low-income communities from any part of the USA. Reports of the size of this offer varied in the US press - 250 or 500 places were suggested with perhaps half reserved for [[African-American]]s and half for [[Hispanic]]s and [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]]s. The ELAM offer to US students was classified as a "cultural exchange" program by the [[United States State Department|US State Department]] in order to avoid the restrictions of the [[United States embargo against Cuba|U.S. embargo against Cuba]]. The first intake of US students into ELAM occurred in the Spring of 2001, with 10 enrolling into the pre-medical program.<ref name = "IFCO"/><ref>"[http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F00E14FB3A5D0C7A8CDDA00894D8404482 Summit in New York: The Cuban Leader; Friendly Crowd Provides Castro With a Soapbox]", Edward Wong and Chris Hedges, ''The New York Times'', Sept. 9 2000</ref><ref name = "LATimes">"[http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/72094982.html?dids=72094982:72094982&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=May+1%2C+2001&author=MARK+FINEMAN&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&edition=&startpage=A.1&desc=8+Americans+in+Havana+Are+Med+Students+With+a+Mission 8 Americans in Havana Are Med Students With a Mission]", Mark Fineman, ''[[The Los Angeles Times]]'', May 1 2001</ref><ref name = "USAToday"/>
In 2004, the legality of the presence of US students at ELAM was threatened by tightened restrictions against travel to Cuba by US nationals under the administration of [[President of the United States|President]] [[George W. Bush]]. A CBC campaign led by Representatives [[Barbara Lee]] (D-[[California|Calif.]]) and [[Charles Rangel]] (D-[[New York|NY]]) with 27 other members of [[United States Congress|Congress]] persuaded [[United States Secretary of State|Secretary of State]] [[Colin Powell]] to exempt ELAM from the tightened restrictions.<ref name = "Journal"/>
Applications from US citizens are administered through the New York City-based [[Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization]] (IFCO), headed by the noted [[human rights]] activist and critic of the U.S. embargo of Cuba, the [[Lucius Walker Jr.|Rev. Lucius Walker Jr]].<ref name = "LATimes"/>
===Cooperation with Pakistan===
<blockquote>
[[Cuba]] has also offered 1000 scholarship for the Pakistani students under the title of [[General and Comprehensive Medicine study]]. First batch of the approximately 384 student came from [[Pakistan]] to [[Cuba]] in the month of February 2007. These students are now present in the campus named [[Máximo Santiago Haza (J-4)]] situated at [[Jaguey Grande]], a municipality of the Cuban province [[Matanzas]]. According to the [[ELAM]] administration this campus is also a part of [[ELAM]] and all the students will get their degree from [[ELAM]] after successful completion of their study. These students have completed the necessary [[Spanish language]] course and the pre medical course and have started their medical study from 10 December 2007. New students are expected to come very soon from Pakistan and two schools T-9 and J-6(situated in the same municipality [[Jaguey Grande]]) are reserved for these students, these campuses are also the official campuses of [[ELAM]]. According to the students, they are not provided with the facilities equal to [[ELAM]]. [[Cuban Government]] is trying to fulfil the demands of the Pakistani students but still the campuses for the Pakistani students lack many facilities that are present in the other campuses of [[ELAM]].The availability of Halal food for Pakistani Muslim students is the greatest threat. The Cuban Government has promised to fulfil this need of Muslim students.
</blockquote>
''' Máximo Santiago Haza(J-4)'''
<blockquote>
Máximo Santiago Haza (j-4) is campas of pakistani students studying in cuba under scholarship given by Cuban govt to Pakistani students.1st batch ok Pakistani students reached in this campas in February 2007.Now is this campas,more than 300 students are studying .
</blockquote>
'''History:'''
<blockquote>
During earthquake in Pakistan in October 2005, x-president Fidel Castro offered, to send 200 doctors to Pakistan in order to help treat the victims of the earthquake. Some 2,260 Cuban health brigadistas, more than 1,400 of them doctors, went in the area of Kashmir, where they had attended to more than 200,000 patients and had saved hundreds of people in imminent danger of dying. Later on, Cuba has also offered 1000 scholarship for the Pakistani students under the title of General and Comprehensive Medicine study. More than 300 students of medicine have taken courses in the Cuban Field Hospitals and are present in this campas.
</blockquote>
'''Location: '''
<blockquote>
It is situated in at Jaguey Grande, a municipality of the Cuban province Matanzas. It is 15 km away from Jaguey Grande and near about 160 km away from Havana, capital of Cuba. This campas is surrounded by orange gardens and bushy trees.
</blockquote>
'''Building & Food:'''
<blockquote>
This campas consist of 64 dormitories.10 classrooms, 2 laboratories ,1 amphitheaters , 1dining hall, 1 mosque (because majority of students are muslims), sports area, clinical equipment hall etc. For security, there is fence all around the building.
The diet in the caretery mainly consists of rice, beans, and bread, with the main course varied from ground soy, rice mixed with shredded chicken. Here mostly students are muslim, that's why here food which is served is HILAL.
</blockquote>
'''Scholarship:'''
<blockquote>
The scholarship includes full tuition, dormitory housing, three meals per day at the campus cafeteria, textbooks in Spanish for all courses, basic toiletries, bedding, and a small (100 pesos) monthly stipend. Duration of this scholarship is from February 2006 to December 2013.
600 more medical students selected for this sholarship on 22 July 2007, but up to now (May 2008) they don't go to Cuba. A lot of time is wasted of these students. hec (sicsic) of Pakistan and Cuban government is responsible for the wastage of time of these students. On 13 May, 2008 a strike was held against hec and government for the wastage of time. On 16 May Cuban government clarified that they are not responsible for the wastage of time of pakistani students, they are ready to welcome the next batch of pakistani students, so hec is reponsible for the wastage of time of those students selected for this scholarship. It seems that perhaps hec fails in this scholarship, if students are furture delayed in this program.
</blockquote>
=== Collaboration with Venezuela ===
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:ELAMVlogo.png|thumb|120px|ELAM A.P. Réverénd (Venezuela) logo]] -->
In August 2005, Venezuelan President [[Hugo Chávez]] and Castro negotiated a healthcare agreement with Castro at a [[Summit (meeting)|summit]] in [[Sandino, Cuba|Sandino]] which included the building of an ELAM equivalent in Venezuela. The agreement was part of the trade and cooperation alliance between Cuba and [[Venezuela]] known as ''[[Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas|Alternativa Bolivariana para las Américas]]'' (ALBA). Attending ELAM's first graduation ceremony in the same month, Chávez publicly announced the plan and claimed that 100,000 doctors could be trained through the Cuban and Venezuelan ELAMs over 10 years - or even 200,000 if other Latin American countries joined the collaboration. A [[Medical Education Cooperation With Cuba]] (MEDICC) report on the announcement valued the projected 100,000 trained doctors as potentially a [[United States Dollar|US$]]20 to 30 billion contribution to the [[developing world]] and suggested that 30% of the places would be reserved for low-income applicants from Latin America and the Caribbean.<ref name = "Libre">"[http://www.nodo50.org/americalibre/novedades/korol_290506.htm ''La vía campesina: sembrando revoluciones'']" ("[http://www.axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/article_22500.shtml The Peasant Path: Sowing Revolutions]") Claudia Korol (translated by Ron Ridenour), ''América Libre'', May 2006 (translated for AxisofLogic.com, Jul. 2006); accessed Feb. 4 2007</ref><ref>Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez's address at the Latin American School of Medicine graduation ceremony in Havana on Aug. 20 2005 broadcast by Cuban TV; from "Venezuela's Chavez addresses medical graduation ceremony in Cuba", translated by [[BBC Monitoring|BBC Monitoring Americas]]; retrieved via [[Factiva]], Feb. 4 2007</ref><ref name = "MEDICC"/>
== See also ==
{{portalpar|Cuba|Flag of Cuba.svg}}
* ''[[¡Salud! (documentary)|¡Salud!]]'' - a 2006 documentary film directed by [[Connie Field]] on Cuban international medical outreach - ELAM is one of the film's primary subjects
* [[1998 Atlantic hurricane season]]
== References ==
{{reflist|2}}
== External links ==
* [http://www.elacm.sld.cu/ ELAM (Cuba) official website] (in Spanish)
* [http://www.ifconews.org/MedicalSchool/main.htm IFCO Medical Scholarship Program for ELAM (Cuba) website]
::- [http://www.ifconews.org/MedicalSchool/curriculum.htm ELAM (Cuba) curriculum]
* [http://www.elam.edu.ve/ Latin American School of Medicine A. P. Réverénd (Venezuela)] (in Spanish)
::- [http://www.medicc.org MEDICC (USA) More on ELAM history, US students and curriculum]
[[Category:Educational institutions established in 1999]]
[[Category:Universities in Cuba]]
[[Category:Schools of medicine in Cuba]]
[[Category:Cuban-American relations]]
[[es:Escuela Latinoamericana de Medicina]]
[[id:Sekolah Kedokteran Amerika Latin]]