the other night im watching CNN, when they show a story on a Cuban medical school graduation. The story states that most Latin and South American doctors come from Cuba. They also say that the students go for free (Cuba gets some sort of trade advantage in return from the other countries)
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would I as an American citizen be able to go medical school for free also?
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could i use this degree in the United States to practice medicine (i understand that there would at least be a recertification envolved) ?
About (1) I have no idea.
Concerning (2): A number of Cuban doctors fled to Miami to escape Castro. In time, many of them were certified to practice medicine in the U.S., but it took more than simply being certified. The process required several years, if I recall correctly.
Source: Vaguely remembered stories in The Miami Herald.
Hopefully, somebody with more knowledge than I possess will be along shortly.
I doubt whether “most” Latin American doctors are trained in Cuba, since most Latin American countries have their own medical schools, and some go to the US for training too. However, a significant number have been trained in Cuba.
This site indicates that full scholarships are available for some US students in Cuba, which implies that medical training would not be free across the board. I am not sure how US policy would affect the ability of a US student to take advantage of such a scholarship if they won one.
Cuba Giving 8 Americans Free Medical Education
The story is dated 2001. Apparently the US trade embargo does not prevent US students from studying in Cuba.