ELAM (Latin American School of Medicine) Cuba

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The Escuela Latinoamericana de Medicina (Latin American School of Medicine ) is the most famous international medical university in Cuba and part of the Cuban health care system. The college, which was founded by the initiative of Fidel Castro, is an example of Cuba's solidarity with the developing countries. The school was founded in 1999.

Location

The school is located in the north- east of the Cuban capital, Havana, in Santa Fe. The school covers an area of 120 ha.

History

The idea for the school originated in the late 20th century, when after the hurricanes Georges and Mitch in 1998 over 10,000 people in the region died and millions were left homeless. This fact led to the deployment of medical assistance brigades from Cuba. Given this situation, pointed Fidel Castro in a speech on 21 November 1998, the need for founding a school back to allow young people from developing countries a free education as a doctor.

Three months later, the building of the former Naval Academy " Granma " have been renovated and modernized, resulting in the Escuela Latinoamericana de Medicina arose. On February 27, the first students arrived from Nicaragua. At the opening on 15 November 1999, the teaching started with 933 young people from 18 countries.

The concept of the school is based on the internationalism of the Cuban Revolution, which in Cuba as the sensitivity of poverty, misery and disease since the posting of doctors to Algeria in 1963 tradition.

Objectives

The aim of the school is the training of general practitioners in primary health care, medical care for the region and the fight against poverty.

The school has extensive experience of Cuban doctors, modern laboratories and classrooms as well as modern information and communication technology.

Training

Every year, the school receives an estimated 1,500 new students. Overall, it has about 10,000-12,000 students from 55 different countries, which are 75% of children of workers or peasants.

Students who do not speak Spanish as their first language, take an intensive Spanish course for one semester. After six years, the training is completed an internship and regulatory inspection. Those who pass the exam are a doctor of medicine.

Graduates

On 20 August 2005, the first 1610 physicians who graduated at the school and returned to the villages and slums their home back to what they had learned to practice.