By Diane Appelbaum, U.S. Director

First of all, I want to introduce myself, and to say that I am pleased to be working with MEDICC.  Since the September 11^th events, many old friends and colleagues have been in touch with me, to ask about my new job, and about Cuba.  I tell them to look at Cuba’s strong history of spirit,  creativity and resilience, in the face of multiple and sequential disasters (both natural and man-made).  If experience is a teacher, then we have much to learn from the Cubans, especially about their system of public health, health education, and disease prevention – and especially now.  MEDICC’s programs have fostered that learning, and continue to do so in full force.  Since September, two medical residents have participated in MEDICC rotations in Cuba, with 6 more residents scheduled between now and May, 2002.  There are three short courses planned for January, 2002, with students and faculty from Sarah Lawrence College, Williams College, and Emory University School of Nursing.  In addition, MEDICC is developing new programs for students, faculty and practicing health professionals (see below).

Dr. Mirta Sixto Joins MEDICC’s Academic Council

Before I go on, let me welcome Dr. Mirta Sixto, as the newest member of MEDICC’s Academic Council.  The Dean of the Pinar del Rio Province Medical School, she is hardly a newcomer to the MEDICC program, however, since hers was the campus that welcomed the first MEDICC students back in 1998.  She brings to MEDICC substantial experience in medical education and the training of family physicians.  Welcome!   

Hurricane Relief:  Calling on You

Cubans have plunged into recovery and reconstruction in the aftermath of Hurricane Michelle, the worst storm to hit the island in 50 years.  MEDICC is  directly involved in facilitating Hurricane Relief for the  Matanzas Medical School, a site for MEDICC students for a number of years.  We need your help to rebuild the collections of the Medical School’s library, severely damaged when the windows were blown out of the facility.

President Jimmy Carter and Former First Lady at MEDICC Reception

In October, the MEDICC Academic Council held a reception at Atlanta’s Carter Center, honoring the Cuban members of the Council.  President Jimmy Carter, Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, and Dagoberto Rodríguez, Chief of the Cuban Interests Section in Washington, DC, were among the guests, as were Dr. Johnnetta Cole, Ann Connor, Dr. Patricia Rodney, Dr. Marla Salmon, Clyde and Renee Smith, Dr. Augusto Sola, Dr. Dan Blumenthal, Dr. Jennifer McCoy, Tamajah Gibson and Kathy Kite.  Plus a host of MEDICC alumni and friends. 
It was a great pleasure to see you all there!

Atlanta Activities of the MEDICC Academic Council

MEDICC’s Academic Council met at the Emory University School of Nursing in Atlanta in October, to plan activities for the coming year.  A highlight of the trip for Cuban members was a visit to the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Center.  Academic Council members also met with officials from Emory School of Medicine, Grady Hospital,  and the Rollins School of Public Health. 

Morehouse School of Medicine's Dean, Dr. Nigel Harris, and Professor Patricia Rodney (center) with MEDICC visitors.

At Morehouse School of Medicine, the Cuban Council members were received by Morehouse President, Dr. Louis Sullivan, and by Dr. Nigel Harris, Dean of the School of Medicine, who also hosted an afternoon reception in their honor.  Organized by Dr. Patricia Rodney, the group also visited the school’s departments and spoke at length with faculty and students.  Dr. José Baudilio Jardines offered a lunchtime seminar on the Cuban public health system.

The Morehouse visit was a follow-up to the June two-week course in Cuba offered jointly by MEDICC and Morehouse, under Dr. Rodney’s mentorship, an offering we certainly hope will be repeated!

Summer, 2001 Electives

MEDICC  had a full schedule over the summer. The Morehouse-MEDICC course was followed by the American Medical Student Association (AMSA) group, which also followed a two-week curriculum.  The core, four-week elective for first-year medical students had an enrollment of 28 students in July, who rotated between Havana and Pinar del Río Province.  Eleven students participated in the Health Sciences Elective (six weeks) and the Women’s Health Elective (five weeks).

As a newcomer to MEDICC, I spent the month of July in Cuba, orienting myself to the curricula and meeting Cuban faculty and staff.  Now I can give answers to students’ questions based on first-hand knowledge.

New MEDICC Staff

Back in Atlanta, I’d like to announce that the office has a new Administrative Assistant,  Adrianne Du’Sauzay.  Ms. Du’Sauzay is originally from St. Lucia, has a Bachelors degree in Psychology, and is fluent in Spanish.  She is also a newcomer to Atlanta, having previously worked for the ACLU in Washington, D.C.  Let me take this opportunity to also thank our student intern from Morehouse School of Medicine, Melissa Hunter, for all her fine cooperation and research.

American Public Health Association (APHA) Annual Meeting

MEDICC was well represented at the Atlanta APHA meeting by  several Academic Council members, including Dr. Radames Borroto, Dean of Cuba’s National School of  Public Health, who presented on “Cuba’s National Public Health School:  The Boundless Classroom.”  His presentation was part of a panel co-sponsored by the Academic Public Health Caucus.   Dr. Mohmmad Akhter, APHA Executive Director, and Dr. Susan Scrimshaw, Chair of the Association of Schools of Public Health, also made time in their schedules for Cuban members of the MEDICC Academic Council. 

And MEDICC’s booth at APHA gathered a crowd for our daily raffle:  winners went away with a double Silvio Rodriguez CD and a set of professional-quality Cuban bongo drums!

American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) Conference

A week later, Dr. Al Kuperman and I were exhibitors for MEDICC at  the AAMC annual conference in Washington, D.C.   This is the first time MEDICC has officially participated in this national gathering, particularly important this year because MEDICC has several new programs.  Here are some of the ones already in the pipeline:

New MEDICC Programs

Coming up in May!  MEDICC’s Professional Insights Program:  Cuba’s Approach to Community-Oriented Primary Care.  This will be a short (nine days) course for practicing U.S. medical and health sciences professionals.  They will meet  family doctors and nurses in urban and rural settings and get a closer look at Cuban innovations in primary care, among other subjects.  And they’ll have some free time to enjoy Cuba! The first trip is scheduled for May 18-26, 2002.

Faculty delegation on Natural and Traditional Medicine in Cuba.  Cuba’s short but impressive history of integrating natural and traditional medicine with allopathic medicine serves as a valuable model.  This MEDICC delegation will observe how this integration works in clinical practice and in medical education, and also meet with the National Director of Natural and Traditional Medicine and other Cuban leaders in the field.  The 10-day faculty delegation is scheduled for  October, 2002, exact dates to be announced. In Winter-Spring, 2002, MEDICC will offer its first Elective for students in National and Traditional Medicine. For more information, write me at director@medicc.org.

International  Health Medical Education Consortium (IHMEC) Conference, Havana, March 12-15. MEDICC is proud to be part of this meeting, expected to draw over 200 participants from at least 50 medical schools in the U.S., Canada and Central America, under the theme “Creating Healthy Communities:  An International Perspective”.  Go to the IHMEC website at www.ihmec.org for  details on how you can attend.

MEDICC-IHMEC Clinical Elective for 4^th year medical students.  In addition to the existing two MEDICC Spring Electives, we are collaborating with IHMEC to offer a 4-week elective to students who also will be attending the full IHMEC conference.  This is a clinical, community-based elective, and is open to fourth-year medical students who have intermediate-level Spanish.  See Electives.

Let me take this opportunity to wish you all a happy and healthy holiday season!