Alvarez FMA, Morales PE

Language: Spanish
References: 16
Page: 92-103
PDF size: 101.30 Kb.

ABSTRACT

Introduction: the Orotta School of Medicine in Asmara, Eritrea, founded in 2004 by Cuban professors is another sample of Cuban solidarity.
Objective: the goal of this paper is to describe the principles of the academic organization of the Orotta School of Medicine for possible use in other poor countries.
Methods: the main available documents (2004-2012) from the archives of the Orotta School of Medicine were revised: the school catalog, records of the Offices of the Registrar, the Cuban Dean and library (using bibliometric criteria), as well as the accreditation assessment of WHO.
Results: we present the curriculum, which is inspired in the Cuban one and has Community Medicine as backbone. Specific characteristics of the curriculum and its implementation are described and the improved facilities of the Orotta School of Medicine regarding boarding, library and connectivity. All these features make the Orotta School of Medicine a reference school, certified by foreing observers. The results of the Orotta School of Medicine, founded thanks to the Cuban solidarity show the feasibility of implementing a curriculum inspired in the Cuban one adapted to the conditions of a poor country, for the production of high quality medical doctors, what has been recognized by forieng scholars and appeared in press reports.
Conclusions: it is possible the foundation of med schools in poor countries with the Cuban solidarity and the implementation of the Cuban curriculum adapted to local conditions.

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