By Diana García, Program Director

erhaps the best answer to the question "what's new" at MEDICC is everything.  Based on last year's successful pilot program, we've put together a full schedule of electives for 1999-eight programs altogether, each group limited to a small number of students to ensure individual attention and mentoring.  A total of 28 schools nationwide have joined MEDICC by making the elective experience in Cuba possible for their students, and the list is growing.

MEDICC students come from... . Albany Medical College Albert Einstein College of Medicine Boston University Medical School Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine Dartmouth School of Medicine Harvard University School of Public Health Howard University College of Medicine New York Medical College New York University School of Medicine Ohio State University College of Medicine Rush Medical College Stanford University School of Medicine State University of New York, Midwifery Education University of Arizona School of Medicine University of California at Davis School of Medicine University of California at San Francisco School of Medicine University of California at Sta. Cruz School of Medicine University of Chicago School of Medicine University of Michigan Medical School University of Michigan School of Public Health University of Minnesota School of Public Health University of Rochester School of Public Health University of Texas Houston School of Medicine University of Texas Southwestern School of Medicine University of Washington Intercollegiate Center for Nursing University of Washington School of MedicineVanderbilt University School of MedicineVirginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine (list updated February 10, 1999)

We feel the MEDICC program is a special one in the current context of medical education and health care in the United States-given the emphasis on primary care and community health that MEDICC offers to our students in Cuba. "I´ve been able to work closely with a family doctor, seeing patients," comments Ilana Addis, M.D., referring to her 1998 experience at the Pinar del Río Medical School in Western Cuba when she was a fourth-year student at the University of Arizona Medical School.  "I've also done calls at a maternity hospital, which was really exciting.  We're fully integrated into the health system, which is fully integrated into the community here."

MEDICC is also fortunate to count on the support of highly trained Cuban professionals and medical educators, who obviously have made a difference to students.  "We see how much heart and soul Cuban health professionals put into their work and study," recalls Rajeev Bais, M.D. about his 1998 elective in Cuba, when he was a student at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.  "It's like a refresher course in why we became doctors in the first place."

MEDICC students have encountered a warm reception in Cuba from all quarters. "I took back so much from this experience, both professionally and personally," says David Walsh, M.D., who joined MEDICC's clinical elective as a student at Dartmouth School of Medicine. "The people," he comments, "are amazing!"

And finally, as you can see, MEDICC students themselves are special:  not only do they tend to come from the top of their class, among the students avidly sought out by residency programs, but they also bring a human and cultural sensitivity to their Cuban experience that has been an essential ingredient in MEDICC's "chemistry of success" thus far.

What's coming up?  MEDICC's Year 2000 Electives!  We know that students must plan their elective calendars early, so turn to our website for dates, application deadlines and additional information on next year's electives.  As you'll see, MEDICC follows a policy of rolling admissions-so the sooner students return their applications, the sooner they will receive a decision on their acceptance.

For the moment, let me remind you that students still have until April to apply for the Health Sciences Elective (June, 1999) and the Medical Students Summer Elective (July,1999). These are filling up fast, so it's essential that students submit their applications right away.

I'd like to close by directing your attention to MEDICC's new Medical Literature Project-the opportunity you may be looking for to send highly valued U.S. medical journals to your Cuban colleagues.  We encourage you to join us in making the project possible (see "Medical Journals For Cuba" on the MEDICC website).  

Copyright (c) 1999, MEDICC - Medical Education Cooperation with Cuba