Cuba-trained U.S. physicians fear prejudice back home

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Caribbean Net News

Cuba-trained U.S. physicians fear prejudice back home
By Caribbean Net News
Updated Aug 9, 2007, 05:15 pm

HAVANA, Cuba (Caribbean Net News) - Eight Americans who graduated July 24 from medical school in Cuba fear prejudice back home, but said their education, training and dedication should help them overcome any obstacle.

“It’s inevitable we’ll be facing and confronting prejudice when we get there due to the political situation between our two countries, but when we can show we’re well prepared technically, those prejudices will fall away,” one of the doctors, Teresa Thomas, told a press conference.

She and seven other Americans are among 1,842 doctors from 30 countries to have graduated from Havana’s Latin American School of Medicine, after six years of study under a full scholarship program granted by Cuba.

Applicants to the school are chosen from poor areas around the world by Pastors for Peace, a special ministry of the U.S.-based Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization headed by Reverend Lucius Walker.

Read more: http://www.finalcall.com/artman/publish/article_3807.shtml

[roody]

1. Hooray for Pastors for Peace!

[Crayson]

2. Wonder what CIA, NSA, FBI, XYZ records they now all have...

It's certainly an honorable thing to do.
But my guess is that they ruined their lifes by doing so.
I'm pretty sure they'll run into all kind of troubles when doing business with officials.
I wonder that they didn't show up on the no-fly-list immediatly.

I'm sure they're now well know with a bunch of three-letter-government-organisations

[LeftishBrit]

3. This is sad

Whatever the situation between the two countries, people should not take it out on doctors - and thereby on patients.

[Bacchus39]

4. I doubt they would face more "prejudice" than foreign born doctors

they pass their examinations and complete their residency requirements in the US and off they go. I've never heard of the medical profession being particularly anti-Cuban.

now, if they mean the same "prejudice" as other doctors who studied say in Mexico or other Caribbean medical schools then yes probably. but because of the political situation??? please.

[Mika]

6. Let's hope that your assumptions are the case.

But, there are Cubaphobes in most all professions I would imagine. Being in the medical profession, I can say that there are many here in Miami.

Gawd forbid that any of their instructors, co-interns, and examiners are wingnuts of the Cubaphobe variety. Facts, actual statistics, actual results, all go out the window with many Cubaphobes when mention of Cuba is involved, due to their evangelical-like deep emotional involvement with the hating of Castro to the extreme, that 'taking down' a student who has trained in Cuba would not be a problem to them in their idealogical battle with Castro and themselves. To some, it would represent a glorious victory against Castro for these student to fail.

[Bacchus39]

7. I doubt it is much of an issue and I find the claim about discrimination

because they studied in Cuba a reach at best. sounds more like propaganda out of Cuba more than anything considering the source and all.

I have actually heard that US citizens who study medicine in other countries (not foreigners) tend to perform better in their residencies, not because of the education they received, but because they believe they have to try harder to compete with the US educated doctors. this is a generalization of course. they likely have some disadvantages of not having the most modern facilities and equipment and not learning the US "system" in school. also, they need to pass that series of exams in order to practice in the US.

any "snootiness" by US educated doctors would not be limited those (very few) who study in Cuba. many study in those Caribbean schools and in Mexico and the DR as the cost is much lower.

[Mika]

8. The other countries you mention don't have the political stigma that US/Cuban politics have.

Cuba related issues can be a hot-button for many hardline Cubaphobes, including the aforementioned instructors, examiners

Also of note, you mention the low cost of other med schools in the Caribbean. True, but, in Cuba it is free to the student (including foreign students that qualify) to attend med school.

[Judi Lynn]

5. Cuba Can Teach Us About Healthcare

Cuba Can Teach Us About Healthcare
Written by EditorChoice
Tuesday, 07 August 2007

~snip~
Cuba trains international students at its medical schools. After Hurricane George and Mitch plummeted Central America and the Caribbean, Cuban Doctors rushed to the disaster zone, as was their practice for similar acts of Mother Nature.

When it was time to go back to Cuba, the team of doctors saw a need for posting doctors in several of these countries in order to train local people in medicine.

Thus the Havana-based Latin American School of Medicine or ELAM, was born, offering $10,000 scholarships for free medical training.

The Program has grown to 22,000 students from Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, Asia and the United States. The students attend ELAM and 28 other medical schools across Cuba. The students represent all ethnic groups, 51% are women, and they come from 30 countries.

A young person from inner city Bronx who chooses to take part in this program, forinstance, must promise to take her expertise back to the neighborhood she came from.

350,000 people now work in the healthcare field in Cuba, serving a population of 11 million people. Everyone has access to doctors, nurses, specialists and medicines. A doctor and nurse team oversees every neighborhood.

House calls are routine. The wisdom of treating a patient holistically, knowing a patient's family and her environment, is crucial to successful treatment.

More:
http://pr-gb.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6904&Itemid=9

[Popol Vuh]

9. Have them move to places

like East LA, San Francisco or any other Chicano or dominantly liberal areas. They'll be graciously accepted.

Not to say that other areas wouldn't too. Just with out a doubt these areas are a certainty.