Posted on 08/20/2005 9:06:15 PM PDT by al196717
HAVANA (AP) - A Latin American medical school created as a regional initiative in 1998 after two hurricanes devastated Caribbean and Central American nations graduated its first class on Saturday.
Students at the school come from Latin American, Africa and the United States. Most come from low-income families and receive a free education on the condition they return home to serve their communities after graduation.
On Saturday, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Cuban President Fidel Castro - who have become close allies as they stake their leadership on opposition to the United States - handed out diplomas to several of the 1,500 graduates.
``This graduation was just a dream nearly seven years ago,'' Castro said at the ceremony. ``Today is proof of the capacity of human beings to reach the most lofty goals.''
The leaders of Panama and several Caribbean nations also attended the graduation.
Earlier in the day, Castro said the group of politicians had come together Saturday for the school, and that ``we're not conspiring, or wanting to destabilize any government or region.'' His comments were an apparent reference to comments this week by U.S. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld on a trip to Latin America.
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
One of my friend's relatives got accepted to Harvard Med but couldn't afford it. Went to Cuba and is doing fine.
Better they export doctors than revolutionaries
More importantly, what do you think?
Wasn't Che Guevara both?
Not bad....I just wish the newly minted graduates could vote freely.....
Oh well, cant have everything I guess
Oh I see you just signed up today...very interesting. What did you expect FReepers to say? Bright young people should stay stupid instead of going to medical school? Heh?
odd first post.....
How can one not afford Harvard Med? You get loans (some of it subsidized even) and when you graduate you make a shitload of money and the load repayment is chicken feed compared to your monthly take. Who cares that it's years until you are debt free...the cash flow analysis, no matter how you slice it, makes it a slam dunk.
Che was studying to be a doctor before becoming Castro's comrade if my memory serves me correctly.
What do I think?
A medical school that takes 6 years to turn out Soviet styles doctors...
Not much.
My sister couldn't afford NYU even with scholarships. You'd be surprised. It's not so easy.
Depends on where Uncle Fidel sends em...if they don't like the assignment, maybe they can FREELY VOTE for another...right?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Che_Guevara
Che looks like Bob Marley without dreadlocks to me. Seems like all liberals today, he started out with good intentions but went to hell in a handbasket.
Did not have established credit because she wasn't a citizen of the U.S. She also didn't want a loan from friends and decided to go to Cuba where it's significantly cheaper.
What's wrong with this place? Dr. Nick Riviera gradjooaded from there, it must be good.
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