Adequate Cuban nurses.
Posted on 07/24/2007 8:00:14 PM PDT by InvisibleChurch
HAVANA (AP) - Eight Americans who graduated from a Cuban medical school say they will put the education paid for by Fidel Castro's communist government to use in hospitals back home.
Four New Yorkers, three Californians and a Minnesotan, all from minority backgrounds, have studied in Havana since April 2001, forming the first class of American graduates from the Latin American School of Medicine. One other American previously graduated from the school after transferring from a U.S. university, but the six women and two men graduating Tuesday were the first Americans to complete the entire six-year program since Castro offered the free medical training to U.S. students.
The offer followed a meeting a delegation from the U.S. Congressional Black Caucus. «I've learned that medicine is not a business, it's social, it's humane,» said Toussaint Reynolds, a graduate from Massapequa, New York. «I will be a better doctor in the United States for it. The 80-year-old Castro has not been seen in public since last July 31, when he announced that emergency intestinal surgery was forcing him to step down in favor of his younger brother Raul, the 76-year-old defense minister.
Vice President Carlos Lage and other top Cuban leaders attended a graduation ceremony Tuesday evening at Havana's Karl Marx theater.
Wearing white robes, the Americans were among more than 2,100 students from about 25 countries who received diplomas. More than 10,000 students now attend the Latin American School, which opened in 1999 to provide free medical training to foreign students from disadvantaged families.
Washington's 45-year-old embargo prohibits most Americans from traveling to Cuba and chokes off nearly all trade between the countries. But the U.S. State Department has not opposed the medical school program, saying American policy hopes to encourage contact between ordinary Cubans and Americans.
The students said that much of what they learned in Cuba matched the curriculum at American medical schools, but that instructors here placed a special emphasis on preventative care.
«I will be heading back to the United States with a great advantage over the American students who have stayed there,» said Wing Wu, from Minneapolis, Minnesota.
U.S. authorities have suggested, however, that it is unclear whether Americans who receive Cuban medical training can meet licensing requirements in the United States. The graduates will have to pass two exams to apply for residency at American hospitals, then eventually pass a third.
But the U.S. transfer student who graduated from the Cuban school recently began his residency at a New York City hospital. His experience gave hope to Tuesday's graduating class.
«Do I think there will be prejudices against us when we go back to the States and are looking for residences? Yes, it's inevitable,» said Kenya Bingham, from Alameda, California. «I think there will be just due to the simple fact that there are political differences between the two countries.
The students held a news conference with the Rev. Lucius Walker, leader of the U.S. nonprofit Pastors for Peace. He has worked closely with the graduates. He said about 100 other Americans are currently enrolled at the Latin American School, and another 18 are starting next month.
Michael Moore's hit documentary «Sicko»' praised Cuba's universal health care system, featuring scenes where the filmmaker brought ailing Sept. 11 rescue workers to the island for treatment.
Graduate Carmen Landau, 30, of Oakland, California, noted in an e-mail that chronic shortages of medicine and equipment in Cuba _ much of it caused by the embargo _ make health care here far more complicated than Moore's documentary suggested.
«This is a highly flawed system,» Landau wrote. «After six years here I could go on and on regarding things that I think should be different.
But she also praised «Sicko,» saying «it may be what we need to reform a system that is broken in the United States.
Adequate Cuban nurses.
I sure as hell don’t want any of them treating myself or anyone in my family.
Fortunately, they still have to pass the medical boards in the US
Would love to see how they do on their “boards”, the first time, and their second time, and their third … etc.
They can go and practice in the UK.
They’ll flunk.
Wearing white robes, the Americans were among more than 2,100 students from about 25 countries who received diplomas. More than 10,000 students now attend the Latin American School, which opened in 1999 to provide free medical training to foreign students from disadvantaged families.
Wow that’s alot of medical students!
Whether these doctors are qualified to practice here or not will be up to the medical profession, but this whole project smells of the Communist Party and its various fronts.
Pastors for Peace is run by an old CP supporter, Rev. Lucious Walker. His red record goes back to the late 60’s at the least. He was also a big Sandinista supporter.
There is no “embargo” against medical equipment. It is allowed by the Treasury Dept. and any other country can send equipment to Cuba. This claim of an “embargo” is pure communist propaganda.
The last name of Carmen Landau rings a red bell, and her attacks on the US medical system, also ring red. It would be interesting to know her father’s name.
PS - Why do leaders of communist nations go to Spain or Russia for medical treatment instead of staying in Havana if their medical doctors are so good?
It’s really surprising how many foreign medical school graduates can’t pass their US boards. Our office has quite a few of these people. They’re doctors and they do know some things, might have some experience of practice in their native countries, but there is no way they know enough to deal with their US boards. The only people who do well on their boards are from the UK, and India, and I know one from Poland.
They won’t be practicing in the US anytime soon. See the requirements for foreign medical graduates (FMG’s) here http://www.residencyandfellowship.com/
Why are these filthy little commie brats even being allowed back in the country? They’re traitors. BTW, I wouldn’t let any of them lance a boil on a rat’s ass. That’s what I think of these seditious little bitches and their pinko medicine. I’d rather have a Mayan priest give me heart surgery.
Castro IS the embargo. If there was no embargo, he’d make one up, he needs a scapegoat for his failed policies.
Anybody’s got fatty Moore’s number? He can be their first patient!!
Posted about this before. Have had experience with wet foot, dry foot doctors from Cuba many years ago. Most couldn’t pass basic EMT/Paramedic exams. Doubt things have improved much.
I’m sure there is a free clinic somewhere that might hire them.
Strange, none from Texas, Georgia, Kentucky or Tennesee?
One can only assume that since they learned their medicine in Cuba, when and if they get to practice in this country they won’t be charging their patients anything for their services.......
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