Here is the information taken from their web site.
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Medical School Scholarship Program
at the Latin American School of Medical Sciences, Havana, Cuba
Program overview
The people of Cuba have extended, to students from the US, the opportunity to study medicine on a full scholarhship at the prestigious Latin American School of Medicine in Havana, Cuba. IFCO/Pastors for Peace coordinates this program in the United States.
The Medical School curriculum includes a 12-week intensive Spanish language program for those who need it.
The program of The Latin American School of Medical Sciences is based on intensive advising and tutoring designed to help every student succeed. Students must pass competency exams at appropriate points in their course of study.
The six-year medical school program, which follow the pre-med program, begins every September and is divided into 12 semesters. Students study at the LASMS campus for the first two years, and then go to another of Cuba's 21 medical schools, which are located throughout the island, to complete their studies. The Cuban medical training model combines theory and practice and is oriented toward primary care, community medicine and hands-on internships.
Facilities
The Latin American School of Medical Sciences is located in a former naval academy. This campus has 28 building which house 80 classrooms, 37 laboratories, five amphitheaters, dormitories, an infirmary, and other facilities.
The Latin American School of Medical Sciences currently has 3,432 students enrolled from 23 countries in Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa. Extracurricular activities include arts, sports, film, disco, the beach, and regular "Culture House" activities in which the students - who represent dozens of different ethnic groups - share aspects of their own cultures.
Applicant criteria
Applicants should:
Be US citizens
Be between the ages of 18 and 30 at the time of registration
Be physically and mentally fit
Come from the humblest and neediest communities in the US
Be committed to practice medicine in poor and under served US communities after graduation
Applicants will be prescreened. Final decisions about admissions will be made by a committee representing the Cuban Ministry of Public Health and the faculty of The Latin American School of Medical Sciences.
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More information, including brochures and course details, can be found on their web site: http://www.ifconews.org/MedicalSchool/main.htm
I don't know what it means that applicants should "come from the humblest and neediest communities in the US". Nor do I really know how they would judge that? But, for those of you thinking about going to medical school, and wondering how you were going to afford it - this might be a good start for you...
That is mega cool, mega mega cool, thank you thank you for posting this<---I am so excited I am double typing lol
I have been trying to become proficient in Spanish, and I also hoping to go to Medical school, I think I just found my i.
This is a huge opportunity, and a totally progressive idea to study medicine in a new country allowing you to have cultural experiences while you learn.
I am all over this...
Wait, is Castro dead yet? It MIGHT be a trap...
I think by neediest of US families they mean you be poor, it IS a scholarship, it would be kind of rude for you know Bill Gates' kids to apply..
Eh... Caribbean schools are generally easier to get into than US Allopathic schools. They don't exactly produce the best scores on the boards, either. There are lots of medical school scholarship programs available to those who wish to work in an underserved area or join the military, and those allow you to go to med school in the US.
Most people that go to med school take it out on loans. After you finish your residency, it's not that hard to pay the bills back.
I should also point out that joining a program like this one, where you are in a foreign medical school, will put you at a large disadvantage when it comes to residency applications, because you will be considered a foreign applicant, even though you may be a US citizen. Since the caliber of the school isn't all that good either, it's even more difficult to get a good residency.
That's probably why they say that you should be dedicated to primary care in poor and underserved areas... beyond spending your medical education time in a place that is poor and underserved, you'll probably be pretty stuck when it comes to choices for residency, and will be pretty restricted to primary care.
~C
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