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October 2007
I am studying cellular respiration and as I glance out the window into the garden, I see the palm trees getting watered by the heavy rain. The constant lightning and power outages are a constant reminder of the rainstorms. The dorm room is very peaceful right now, since six of my seven roommates are studying. My other roommate, Adalberto, from the Dominican Republic, is quietly fixing a laptop. He is our repairman, because he fixes laptops, clocks, fans, phones and anything that fails to function in Cuba.
Power outages are very common in Cuba. For instance, on Monday, 15 October, 2007, I attended an evening discussion given by Dr. Aleida Guevara, the daughter of Ernesto “Che” Guevara here at the Latin American School of Medicine (LASM). As she talked about her experiences as a physician in South America, the power went out for about five minutes. The audience got excited and started applauding as she continued her discussion in darkness, as if nothing had happened. The only light entering the room was that which was coming through a door on the side of the theater. The power came back for a few minutes and went out again for an extended period of time, but that did not suspend the event. As I have stated, power outages here are fairly common, but I have come to realize that they are not the end of the world.
One of the problems, however, with power outages is when the power goes out at night or when you are taking a siesta (a power nap). This has caught a number of students off guard, because their alarm clocks are not battery operated and hence, lose track of time after a power outage. So, to avoid waking up late or taking extended siestas, we usually ask our roommates to wake us up at a certain time, just in case the alarm clock fails to function.
Inspite of the minor inconveniences, I feel privileged to study medicine at the Latin American School of Medicine. My experience here has been quite enriching thus far. I am currently taking Morfofisiologia Humana I, which is a discipline that studies the form, structure and function of the organism. It presents contents from Anatomy, Histology, Embryology, Biochemistry, Genetics, Physiology and Immunology in an integrated form. For example, the first topic of the discipline was the cell. In this first week, we approached the study of the cell through the science of histology and biochemistry. During the second, third, fourth and fifth week we continued studying its biochemistry as well as its physiology and histology. To ensure that we are staying on top of the material we are given an oral and a written exam on a weekly basis. On the day of the exam, we start the class with a review of the material. During the review, the professor asks questions and we either volunteer to answer or he/she calls on us. At that point, we are expected to have a sound understanding of the material in order to answer the professor’s questions in front of the entire class. After the oral exam we proceed on to the written exam. This class is usually 3 hours long.
As a part of our education, we are also required to take physical education, informatics and a class called “History and Medicine.” For physical education, the students have the option of enrolling in any of the sports offered, such as basketball, soccer, volleyball, martial arts and physical preparation. I was advised by my friends to avoid enrolling in physical preparation because, at the end of each class, the students are exhausted. After listening to my friends’ advice I decided to enroll in volleyball. I figured that this sport would be easy for me and that it would not require heavy exercise. Also, I always wanted to play volleyball by the beach and this was definitely the opportunity for me to do it. This class, however, is not as easy as I expected. For instance, the instructor makes us work out really hard and we have periodic resistance evaluations. Aside from the exercises, we have to turn in a research project regarding a particular sport in our native country and we have to link this project to the field of medicine.
Physical education relieves stress. Despite the fact that I get out of class fairly tired, I still enjoy it a lot, because it’s a time for me to reduce stress and have fun at the same time. Also, this class serves a very important purpose for the student at the LASM. It physically prepares students for their profession. For example, I was placed in a group with 25 other students from Venezuela, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, El Salvador, Honduras, Paraguay, Panama, Argentina, Nicaragua and Peru. Everyday I attend all of my classes, except physical education, with these students. Some of them come from very remote areas and upon completion of their education, will return and practice medicine in these remote places. Hence, over the years, physical education will prepare us to be physically fit, so that we may take care of the sick, whether they are in the city or on the mountains. I, as well as other students at the LASM, believe that it is the duty of all physicians to be able to travel to and care for more the feeble patients who are not able to travel to the clinics or hospitals. This is a major component of the medical philosophy at the LASM.
“History and Medicine” is not a class about the history of Cuba. The purpose of this class is to give physicians the tools to completely understand the community’s history. To understand this history, the physician needs to know its socioeconomic situation, its culture, and its identity as a community, town or region. This knowledge will enable the physician to properly diagnose and thus prevent disease by meeting the objectives of family, preventive, community and social medicine.
Professors at the LASM are very humble, intelligent, friendly, caring, inspiring and passionate about their job. One of the many ways we show respect to our professors in the classroom, is by standing up at the beginning of each class period when he/she greets the class. All the students remain standing until the professor gives us permission to sit down again. My professors are very friendly and they create a positive atmosphere for the students. They have a way of presenting the material that inspires my classmates and me. Through their teaching style and their interactions with the students, it is obvious that they love to teach and that they enjoy being around the students. Our biochemistry professor, for instance, told us in class that she not only feels the responsibility as a professor but as a parent as well. Therefore, when she teaches the class she treats us as students as well as sons and daughters. She made it very clear to us that all the professors in the school care for our well-being and want us to have the best experience while studying at the LASM. These words and interactions with professors definitely make my experience at the LASM a positive one and one worth sharing. Everyday I get even more excited to study medicine in Cuba. I am privileged to be a part of this medical revolution of batas blancas (white coats) that promises to bring medical attention to the less fortunate, to those like my grandmother who came close to death because she could not afford to pay for medical care.
Sincerely,
Ramon Alejandro Bernal
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