The University of Medical Sciences of Havana is a first-class medical institution in Cuba with specialization in universally recognized medicines. The University also known as Universidad de Ciencias Medicas de la Habana (UCHM) tops all medical schools in Cuba and is identified as a leading medical institution on a global standard. The medical institution has world-class faculties and facilities including the Latin American School of Medicine (Escula Latinoamericana de Medicina), Faculty of Medical Sciences of Holguin, and Mariana Grajales (Facultad de Ciencias Medicas de Holguin, Mariana Grajales). The faculty offers programs in graduate and post-graduate studies. The University has 12 faculties including nine medical sciences, one stomatology, one nursing and one health technology.

The University of Medical Sciences in Havana has a longstanding record of academic and medical excellence. The institution positions state-of-the-art facilities to engage students and trains them for professional competencies. The history of medical education in Cuba has a rich developmental structure although it started on a not-so-popular scale. The central-eastern part of Cuba is identified as the origin of medical education In Cuba. The medical program began in 1968 in Camaguey with three students coming to the eastern location from the University of Havana. Cuba has since that time grow to become a leading country in the sphere of medicine in the world. The Cuban government has improved on medical scholarship and this has influenced the growth of medicinal discoveries, pharmaceutical progress and surgical prowess of medical students and practitioners in the country. The curriculum in the University of Medical Sciences has been approved by the National Accreditation in Cuba and recognized globally. The recognition is premised on the testaments of over 13,000 graduates of the school and specialties ranging from dentistry, psychology, nursing, medicine and surgery and health technology. The University welcomes foreign students and has a suitable and non-discriminatory learning environment for them. Over a thousand foreigners currently study in Cuba at the University of Medical Sciences. The institution has and welcomes students from 52 countries.

The University of Medical Sciences Colleges/Faculties

The University of Medical Sciences Havana’s primary role is teaching and training students to become locally resourceful medical practitioners and positioning them for global relevance. Students are trained in medicine, dentistry, psychology, surgery in both undergraduate and graduate programs and are offered diplomas, masters and doctorates depending on their programs. The University has 8,000 staff and over 21,000 students’ capacity and the faculty members engage in research and community development as contributions to knowledge in the field of education. The University’s high-ranked colleges include:

• Raul Gonzales Sanchez Faculty (Dentistry): The Raul Gonzales Sanchez Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Medical Sciences Havana is a top-ranked faculty with leading medical scholars, medical resources and a growing population of medical students from within and outside Cuba. The faculty has achieved long-standing excellence in medical teaching, research and community development. Students are trained in dentistry through scalable models and well-regulated medical curriculum that’s student-centered. The Faculty covers areas including comprehensive general dentistry and specialized areas in dentistry which are sectioned into departments. The departments at the Raul Gonzales Sanchez Faculty includes the Periodontics, Prosthodontics, and the general dentistry department. The departments collaborate for teaching, research and community development projects. Students are by the provision of the curriculum mandated to go for compulsory medical outreach under the supervision of the academic staff of the Faculty. The outreach is one of the areas through which the Faculty and the University of Medical Sciences Havana contribute to widening medical access and reach to Cubans especially in the local communities. The Faculty of Raul Gonzales Sanchez has recorded 581 publications and 175 projects making it an outstanding faculty of global repute. The publications have been majorly peer-reviewed and students are also engaged in the research and publication processes to give them sufficient medical scholarship orientation and exposure. Seminars, practical and workshops are the registered procedures for facilitating instructions and preparing students for full-scale dental profession at the Faculty of Raul Gonzales Sanchez.
• Miguel Enriquez Faculty of Medical Sciences: The Miguel Enriquez Faculty of Medical Sciences is a top-ranked faculty of the University of Medical Sciences, Havana in Cuba. The Faculty is named after the eminent Miguel Enriquez who has achieved exceeding feats in obstetrics and medical practice. The Faculty is specially located at the Diez de Octubre municipality and prides on its high-achieving student population and medical facilitators. The Miguel Enriquez Faculty started medical training in 2001 and has since graduated 175 medical students of the Latin American descent with over 654 enrolment from different nationalities. The Faculty is focused on training medical professionals in emerging medical areas and challenges. The Faculty is well-grounded in consistent medical teaching and research and this has translated to continuous excellence in teaching and research. Students are also trained human resources in the aspect of health at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The Faculty contributes to community development through its social responsibility of affording medical care and treatment to people especially those at the grassroots. Testing, imaging, and accessible medical care are provided to people and students are able to learn through this avenue. The Miguel Enriquez Faculty of Medical Sciences tops in Cuba and has attracted values to the University of Medical Sciences in Havana through its global standard teaching and learning modules, affordability of study and quality healthcare. The Faculty includes departmental areas such as scientific productivity, technical science, technical medical research and medical clinical trials. The Miguel Enriquez Faculty welcomes students from Cuba and foreign countries; student-friendly regulations are put in place to allow students easily move into Cuba and study to attain medical excellence.
• Victoria de Giron Institute of Basic and Preclinical Sciences:

The Victoria de Giron Institute of Basic and Preclinical Sciences is a reputed faculty of basic medical sciences at the University of Medical Sciences, Havana. The Institute is a product of Fidel Castro, the Cuban revolutionist and has since its establishment in 1962 grown to become one of the most sought-after medical institutes in the world. The medical institute currently has over 6,000 foreign students studying medicine, dentistry, health technology and nursing; making it one of the top institutions in Cuba with the highest foreign students’ population. The Victoria de Giron Institute has formed a strong teaching, research and medical alliance with leading medical experts and technology-oriented countries. The Institute presently operates nine projects in seven countries and maintains 22 agreements with 14 countries. The world-class medical institute, Victoria de Giron allows students to learn medicine with modern technologies and equipment with instructional facilitation from high-flying medical experts of international scholarly recognition and records. Students at the Institute learn on scholarship, self-funding or sponsorship from the government. The faculty promotes unity in diversity by ensuring adequate collaboration and interaction among foreign students and Cuban nationals. The Institute leads in numerical strengths and program plurality with over 4,000 students studying in 62 special areas of medical sciences in Cuba. The Institute runs both undergraduate and graduate programs and is regulated by the Ministry of Higher Education.

The University of Medical Sciences, Havana has other faculties covering special areas of medicine and nursing including the Calixto Garcia Medical Sciences, Dr. Salvador Allende Faculty, Finlay-Albarran Faculty of Medical Sciences, Julio Trigo Faculty of Medical Sciences, Manuel Fajardo Rivero Faculty and the Lidia Doce Faculty of Nursing; all welcome local and foreign students for seasoned and comprehensive medical education.

Why Study Medicine in Cuba

• Pragmatic medical teaching: Cuban medical Colleges pride themselves on their pragmatic teaching approach. Medical students are allowed to start practice-based learning from the first year in the University. Students are not first subjected to rigorous theory memorization but trained through active implementation of knowledge in practical The community learning method is used in Cuban medical schools and this allows students through the supervision of college teachers to carry out consultations and medical checks on the locals. The incorporation of immediate medical practice into the Cuban medical education system has distinguished it globally.
• World-class medical facilities: Cuba is a leading country in medical tourism and makes an annual major return from the practice. One of the qualities that attract thousands of people to Cuba for medical care is the availability of experts and globally-ranked medical facilities. High-profile surgeries and treatments are provided in the country. The availability of medical experts and resources makes a good learning condition for the students. They interact with medical scholars, benefit from medical publications and have access to medical equipment for practice.
• Affordability and quality: The Cuban government provides medical scholarships to students from low-income families. The scholarship allows students to study medicine for six years and practice in the country upon graduation. Foreign students are also provided the scholarship and the fee is affordable in case a scholarship isn’t provided. Cuban government supports medical education. This makes medical programs in Cuba quality-oriented. Human and material resources are regularly provided and this helps medical schools in Cuba to stay on top and relevant in global human medicine.

Cuba is a choice destination to study medicine. The country offers medical programs in general medicine, stomatology, surgeries, orthopedics, ophthalmology, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing and medical sciences. Cuban medical schools are making waves beyond the island country and are now rated for excellence on international standards. Cuban medical schools are ranked in the league of leading medical schools in the United Kingdom, the United States of America and India. Pragmatic medical teaching, world-class medical facilities and industry-rated medical facilitators and affordable costs are factors putting Cuban medical education on the global map.

Cuba is a West Indies country, the largest and most influential in the Caribbean region. The country is dominated by Arawakan speaking people and famous for raw sugar production. The country has overtime progressed in systems, institutions and people-based policies since it was claimed for Spain in 1492.  The island of archipelago has a functional education structure and well systemized medical education which is not only leading in the Caribbean region but globally recognized.

Since inception of its medical education in 1999, Cuba has developed medical institutions with state of the heart infrastructure, medical resources and teaching-learning medical luminaries. Cuba tops among most sought after medical schools in the world and has earned a high badge in global ranking with Universidad de La Habana, Ciudad Universitaria Jose Antonio Encheverria, Universidad de Oriente Santiago de Cuba, Universidad de Cienfuegos Carlos Rafael Rodriguez, Escuela Latinoamericana de Medicina, Universidad de Ciencias Medicas de Villa Clara and Universidad de Ciencias Medicas de Cienfuegos leading in medical education. Cuba has an age long excellent record in medicine education and the 285 years of medical teaching has birthed over 100,000 professionally trained medical experts from 80 countries in the world.

The integrity and globally respected medical ingenuity in Cuba are demonstrated in the production of COVID-19 vaccines and its thorough administration in the island country. The Caribbean island produced Abdala, Soberana and Mambisa to prevent the prevalence of coronavirus.  Cuba’s production of the vaccines becomes a testament to the high-flying medical experts and research ongoing on the island. The vaccine successful production helped Cuban authorities achieve low death rate at the full-blown virality of COVID-19; recording 146 deaths in 11.2 million country population.

Cuban medical schools are making high strides in cutting-edge research and result-focused learning because the country prioritizes education and authorities support intensive research especially in medical fronts. The freedom for scalable medical research in Cuba has been a consistent handling of epidemic and pandemic in the country which has gained worldwide recognition including endorsement from World Health Organization (WHO). Medical education in Cuba is practical-oriented and involves the integration of research-backed medical theories and principles into real-time and practice-supported medical teaching and learning.

Doctor of Medicine in Cuba

Training for the Doctor of Medicine in Cuba comes with attaining a Spanish proficiency for non-Spanish speakers. Students can take a proficiency test in Spanish to meet the language requirement. Spanish learning is foundational in Cuban medical school and useful for teaching, learning, interaction purposes at the medical school and graduate practice. The training for Doctor of Medicine in Cuba takes 6 years plus a one-year Spanish training for non-Spanish speakers.  A bachelor degree in medicine prepares students for medical profession that is cherished beyond the Caribbean island. Cuba boasts of doctors in their hundreds who are on exchange programs in different countries including helping to widen medical reach in Brazil and Venezuela—the well-trained medical doctors from Cuba excel at these exchange programs mostly international. Cuba’s record of high-ranked medical education and schooling resources are traceable to the revolution of Fidel Castro which has remained a game changer in the history of the most influential country in the Caribbean region.

In noting the legacy of excellence in Cuba’s doctor of medicine program, a study conducted on Cuba-trained South African doctors showed that, the students turning doctors were exposed to the core of medicine and they had practical medical experiences in the program. Cuba’s medical education is considered useful for South Africa especially in rural health care, community medical reach, tuberculosis and HIV diagnosis and care.

Doctor of Medicine Curriculum in Cuba

The doctor of medicine program in Cuba progresses from the Family Doctor Programme dominated between 1980 and 1990 to the modern medical education curriculum. The Family Doctor Programme was centered around using individuals and members of the community to support medical teams. This idea of collective medicine was targeted at preventing diseases and responding to the growing medical demands in Cuba.  Primary health care was at the fore of the educational design and a community-based medical structure was adopted. The implementation of neighborhood-centered medical system initiated the use of hubs for medical consultation attending to 20 to 40 patients. Social institutions were targets of the medical system and doctors were trained mainly for epidemic prevention and need-based treatment. Cuban’s medical system was overstretched and meeting the public medical demand was difficult.

To attend to the overbearing nature of medicinal need in Cuba, doctor of medicine curriculum was revised to cater more for the public and strengthen health institutions, facilitators and students in medical industry. The revised curriculum births the University Polyclinic Project.

The University Polyclinic Project began in 2003 and has transcended in achievement, the medical records of the prior ‘what and how’ of medical education in the country. PPU is a 6-year program that integrates general medicine into surgeries, primary health care, hospital management, basic sciences, clinical sciences, and morpho physiology. Morpho physiology is a combination of biomedical sciences which include molecular biology, physiology, anatomy, histology, embryology, and pathology among others. PPU has created a medical education that allows students move from one learning level to another; combining theories and practical, and practicing classroom knowledge on the field. Medical students are placed under medical tutors who supervise them as they practice medicinal skills in hospitals and health care centers; this has fast-tracked access to doctors in Cuba and grossly improved health and medical sustainability in Cuba. Updated and modern medical resources are utilized by seasoned medical teachers to bring medical students to real-time and globally-demanded medical skills. Students are trained with research intensive resources and tools including audios, videos, seminars, workshops, independent analysis and group studies. Pedagogic and language training are included in the final level of Cuba medical education; targeted at effective patient-doctor communication in practice.

The 6-year medical education under PPU in Cuba begins from morpho physiology to family medicine to philosophy and health, clinical medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, public health, traumatology, forensic medicine and surgery. The medical education structure has remained progressively strong and continues to put Cuba on the world map.

Why Cuba is the best Place for Medical Education

Cuban medical education creates space for all students to learn without fear or racial discrimination. The accommodation of all students without preferential treatment has placed Cuban medical schools in the to-go list among schools in the Caribbean region. Fidel Castro’s initiative of free medical education for Afro-indigenous and less privileged Americans has reformed the country’s education system and position it globally. Black and Latino students are admitted to Cuban medical schools on merits and they make up to 6 percent of annual medical graduates in the country. Cuba’s excellence in the doctor of medicine program is reflected in the pluralized access to medical care in the country—shown during the COVID-19 pandemic especially with rapid public enlightenment and vaccination. Cuban authorities delight in the medical system and education of the country because, the island country rivals the United States in life expectancy rate while having a lower child-mortality rate when compared with the US.

Cuba has built a long-standing reputation in strategically turning problems to solutions. Problem to solution repute of Cuba is seen in the authorities turning the US economic restrictions to medicinal and public health advantages. Rather than struggle due to inadequate access to medical facilities, Cuban authorities facilitated strengthened and early diagnosis for medical cases; helping to implement preventive measures in combating ailments. Cuba has a practical and solution-centric medical education system and this was during the pandemic where medical students were deployed for contact tracing and trained for vaccination. Engaging medical students for medical care during the pandemic shows how the country prioritizes hands-on learning in medicinal treatment.

Communities and rural areas in most countries have high record of less medical attention. The case is different in Cuba because rural settlements are centralized locations for medical practice and internships in Cuba. Rather than have students cluster in the urban, medical tutors allow students move from one house to another in specified community to reach out to people—as students gain wider medical experience from human and real practices, Cuban residents get effective and near-free access to medical care.

Dreaming of attaining medical education in a globally recognized institution? Then, Cuba is your right choice. The island country leads in doctor of medicine program that is people-centered and tops among contenders. Less privileged but diligent high performing students are catered for in Cuba with the Latin American Medical School that comes at no cost.

The world was definitely a very different place 60 years ago. Cuba, a small but proud country, was trying to find its position on the world’s map in times of geopolitical conflicts between the East and the West. Having a relatively small population compared to its neighbors, Cuba couldn’t hope to secure its position by investing in the military. Instead, they chose a different national diplomatic strategy and made an army of medical specialists. This approach has given Cuba a leading role in the battle for the world’s health up to this day. For 60 years, Cuba has been educating and deploying doctors all around the world to fight against diseases in underserviced areas. It all started with deploying health professionals in Chile after the devastating earthquake in 1960. Today, there are more than 4,000 Cuban health workers in 32 African countries fighting Ebola, cholera, tuberculosis, AIDS, and malaria.

The Cuban health education and training are based on a holistic approach focusing on a combination of healthcare, profound humanistic values, social justice, and community health. Because of this approach, Cuba has a life expectancy rate on par with the US, at the same time spending on healthcare 20 times less.

In 2014, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon sent a statement to the officials at the Escuela Latinoamericana de Medicina (ELAM) in Havana, hailing Cuba for training medical ‘Miracle Workers’ and being on frontlines of global health. In the statement, Secretary-General pointed out that ELAM did more than training doctors:

“I have seen it for myself. As Secretary-General of the United Nations, I travel to many difficult places; desperate places hit hard by earthquakes, hurricanes, or other natural disasters; remote places of deep deprivation; forgotten places far off many people’s radar of concerns. And so many times in these different communities, I have seen the same thing. Doctors from Cuba — or doctors trained in Cuba — helping and healing. Your doctors are with communities through thick and thin: before disasters strike, throughout crises and long after storms have passed. They are often the first to arrive and the last to leave. For those students who cannot come to Cuba, you are also helping to establish medical schools from Bolivia to Eritrea to Timor-Leste. ELAM has trained tens of thousands of students, but Cuba can teach the entire world about health care. I want to join so many others in saluting Cuba’s healthcare system, rooted in primary health care, which has yielded outstanding results — lower infant mortality, higher life expectancies, universal coverage. This is a model for many countries around the world. Through initiatives such as Operación Milagro, Cuban-trained doctors have saved or improved eyesight for millions of people in dozens of countries. You have helped them to see, but you have also given the world vision; a vision of generosity, solidarity, and global citizenship. I am very proud to see it for myself. And I thank you for sharing it with the world.”

Statement fully available at: https://www.un.org/press/en/2014/sgsm15619.doc.htm

Counting all medical training programs established by ELAM medical graduates, the Republic of Cuba has the world’s largest medical school. Currently, medical students from more than 100 countries all around the world are doing their medical training in Cuba.

The Cuban Medical Education Program

The program is modeled after the European medical schools. This means it would take a student six years to become a medical doctor in Cuba as opposed to 4 years of training in the US and Canada. In terms of knowledge, this means two extra years of clinical rotations under the supervision of medical professors. The medical school focuses on a wholesome approach: it addresses the biological, psychological, and social aspects of health and disease. Most of the time, a student is at the patient’s bedside and makes house-calls during the training. This way, the students get a unique perspective to healthcare – they learn to recognize and handle all challenges a doctor faces in everyday medical practice from top to bottom of the healthcare system.

The first-year studies involve basic methodology and integrated medicine courses. The second year of medical school is composed of anatomy, pathology, physiology, microbiology, genetics, in addition to psychological and social studies. During this time, a student learns about basic principles of human biology and psychology, fundamentals of healthcare system organization, and disease prevention — all that through the scope of data-driven and evidence-based approach.

In later years of training, students attend clinical rotations and start practicing medicine under the supervision of their professors.

During these six years, no student is left unattended. Professors are available 24/7, group sessions are a commonplace, and students are stimulated to collaborate on various projects during the training. This way, students learn to develop strong professional relationships, a high sense of belonging, and lifelong friendships with their colleagues and professors. In short, Cuban medical school promotes the universal approach where all benefit.

Students who want to pursue a medical career in the US, just like their peers in the US medical schools will have to pass the United States Medical Licensing Exam® (USMLE). In this regard, the Cuban medical graduates perform outstandingly. The US residents who studied medicine in Cuba achieve a match rate of 94%. In other words, sky is the limit for them. Furthermore, the Cuban medical educational institutions are approved by the “California State Medical Licensing Board,” the most stringent in the United States.

Cuban medical school delivers knowledge, and it seems they know how to make students acquire the knowledge. In terms of cost-effectiveness, it is not for free, but the entire medical training comes at a price that’s one-fifteenth of the price in the US. While the cost of the medical program in the US, which includes tuition, fees, books, and interest on loans, reaches up to $1,000,000.00, in Cuba, it is just $73,000. Let’s put it this way- medical training in the US requires about 8-10 annual specialist salaries. In Cuba, it costs 6-8 specialist monthly wages.

The social and cultural life of students during their education flourishes, and its uniqueness is almost unmatched. Cuba possesses rich cultural history adorned by astonishing architecture, but what really makes it stand out is its people, their customs and way of life. In that sense, this place can be described as Heaven on Earth. Cubans focus on what really matters in life – love, friendship, solidarity and unity. These days, there are not many places on the planet left where a person can learn about the values that make us humans. Cuba is one of those few spots for sure!