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      The Latin American School of Medicine (Elam): Admissions, Academics and Attitudes

      research-article
      International Journal of Cuban Studies
      Pluto Journals
      Cuba, ELAM, brain-gain, traditional and natural medicines, student brigades
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            Abstract

            With the Cuban health system hailed as one of the best in the world, its doctors have a high reputation in the field of primary care in less-developed countries. This article provides an insight into the Latin American School of Medicine (Escuela Latinoamericana de Medicina (ELAM)) as a means of helping our understanding of the process involved in creating a medical workforce that is suited to the developing world. The article reviews the available peer-reviewed literature and evaluates additional media to make an assessment of the curriculum and teaching and learning experience at ELAM. The findings reveal an insightful way of selecting students from low-income backgrounds and teaching that mimics curricula seen at medical schools in the UK, with the addition of modules in homeopathic medicine and a focus on placements in primary care. The article reveals some problems for students who have struggled to adapt their skills to fit the healthcare systems in their home countries. Attitudes towards students are generally positive, though there are a number of reports on student welfare issues. The article concludes that the overwhelming impression is that students are happy to compromise on small comforts in exchange for a subsidised medical education.

            Content

            Author and article information

            Contributors
            Journal
            10.13169
            intejcubastud
            International Journal of Cuban Studies
            Pluto Journals
            17563461
            1756347X
            Spring 2017
            : 9
            : 1
            : 142-154
            Affiliations
            King's College London
            Article
            intejcubastud.9.1.0142
            10.13169/intejcubastud.9.1.0142
            d296f5dd-0280-40d7-9bfd-da6c2588d2e5
            © International Institute for the Study of Cuba

            All content is freely available without charge to users or their institutions. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles in this journal without asking prior permission of the publisher or the author. Articles published in the journal are distributed under a http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

            History
            Categories
            Articles

            Literary studies,Arts,Social & Behavioral Sciences,History,Cultural studies,Economics
            brain-gain,Cuba,traditional and natural medicines,student brigades,ELAM

            References

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