International Graduates of the Latin American Medical School
Honduras’ First Garifuna Hospital & First Community Hospital of San Jose las Colinas— These two hospitals were built by the communities they serve, both projects led by ELAM graduates such as Dr. Luther Castillo. Both hospitals provide free medical services to tens of thousands of indigenous and marginalized people who were otherwise deprived of health care. MEDICC raises funds for the operation and expansion of this work, examples in practice of ELAM graduates’ dedication to health for all.
Rebuilding Haiti’s Health System – After the 2010 earthquake, nearly 1,000 ELAM-trained Haitian doctors, and a small contingent of US ELAM graduates, joined the multinational effort to build the country’s new public health system. MEDICC raises funds and joins PAHO and Global Links to send furnishings and supplies to the dozens of community health centers that ELAM graduates continue to direct or staff.
“Health for All: A Trilingual Creole-Spanish-French Medical Glossary” This glossary is a vital tool for Haitian graduates of ELAM working in Haiti. Creole is the first language of both patients and doctors, but Spanish is the language of their medical instruction, and French remains the language for writing clinical records in Haiti. MEDICC co-published the glossary and provides copies to Cuban-trained health professionals working in Haiti.
Sounding the Alarm in El Salvador —ELAM graduate Dr. Carlos Orantes is leading the effort in El Salvador to uncover the cause of a grave form of chronic kidney disease devastating poor agricultural communities. MEDICC support facilitated the first international scientific meeting in El Salvador on this epidemic and MEDICC Review is the first peer-reviewed journal to dedicate an entire issue to this growing global threat.
More MEDICC projects are now in the early stages, including the first outcomes study of ELAM graduates, and surely more will be conducted as ELAM physicians continue to return to their home countries, equipped with their medical training and a commitment to care for underserved populations. Often stymied by systemic hurdles, MEDICC’s support helps them to realize their potential as leaders in the movement towards universal health in the Americas and worldwide.