I feel that the Cuban's practice of having their new doctors work in underserved areas is a great contribution to humanity. Since they do not stay within the country, the doctors fill the void of health care needs in other poorer countries. I also feel that the experience opens up an entirely different way of thinking for these newly graduated individuals. Serving abroad may also help train the physicians more comprehensively allowing them to practice medicine in a much different manner with limited resources.

The concept is not totally unfamiliar in America. There is a government sponsored full-ride scholarship that places students in an underserved area within the country after medical school for 4 years. The U.S. does not even graduate enough medical students to fill the void of the growing gap of physicians and probably could not send graduates who want to go to other countries even if we wanted to.

I feel that other countries can learn by example of Cuba. They enroll med students from poor communities and medical school is not solely reserved for the wealthy like it is in many other developed countries. These students are then more likely to continue serving in communities similar to where they were raised.

For The Betterment of Mankind

My knee-jerk first reaction as an American was to say this isn’t fair since the government has no right to tell me when and where to practice medicine after I receive my medical license. Upon examining the situation much closer, I have completely changed my view. The Latin American School of Medicine enrolls lower socioeconomic students from around the world and not only provides all of them with a medical school education but also a full scholarship, room, board and a stipend. In essence, the school has offered the students a contract where they trade an all-expenses paid medical school education with an opportunity to still work as a doctor but only in an underserved community instead of a wealthier community. If the student didn’t find this fair in the first place, they shouldn’t have gone to the school; if they do, they’re legally bound to follow through.
As for the moral aspect of such a requirement, I believe it’s a fantastic idea to have physicians attending to the people who need it the most: the poor and vulnerable populations. The inverse effect, where those who need healthcare the most are the least likely to have adequate access to it, could in essence be minimized. I’m not saying that this plan is the definitive aspect that could revolutionize healthcare; instead, I see it a starting program that could improve the lives of thousands of people. At the end of the idea, isn’t the purpose of healthcare to improve the quality of life, even if it’s only for small number of people?