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

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.