ELAM 5 Combate Ceja del Negro
ELAM 5 Combate Ceja del Negro is a Cuban Polyclinic and Faculty of Medical Sciences located in the municipality of Sandino, Pinar del Río Province, Cuba. The school is one of several faculties of its kind falling under the jurisdiction of the Cuban- Venezuelan initiative and a new program to create Latin American doctors (nueva programma de formation de medicos latinoamericano). ELAM 5 presently houses approximately 390 students from Guyana, the only Anglophone country in South America. Most of the students were received on the 22–23 November 2006, and during September 2008, another group  of approximately 100 Guyanese who did their premed studies (prep 2007- 2008) at ELAM 10 Rafael Ferro Macias and is likely to accommodate another batch of 100 Guyanese currently in the premedical programme at ELAM 24. The faculty is known for having one of the highest grade point averages in comparison to other faculties in the Sandino pole. Campus. This campus is located just on the outskirts of the town of Sandino and has quite a unique setting, considering it is surrounded by an orange orchard. The school consists of three buildings, one of which contains classroom and administrative sectors , the largest building containing dormitories, a laundromat, a theatre, a laboratory, and the policlinic; and the smallest, which houses the mess hall (comedor) and food storage facilities. The campus facility is designed to accommodate some 450 students, and possesses recreational spaces, including a plaza, volleyball and basketball courts, and a soccer (Football) field. The presence of numerous palm trees and Royal Poinciana or Flamboyant adds a particular décor as well as provides shade to students during Cuba hot summer season. Curriculum. The ELAM project is aimed at creating medical professionals of the highest calibre, and thus centres its focus on  rigorous tutoring. This new program strays from the conventional teaching of medical sciences as separated subjects but instead applies an integrated approach to medicine, offering subjects like Morfofisiologia Humana (Human Morphology and Physiology). All subjects are taught in Spanish and have weekly content orientations and evaluations followed by an end of course examination. Students who do not meet the required grade after the final examinations are required to take another examination two weeks later. The medical program lasts for 6 years with a final year internship, the new school year beginning every September and ending around July–August. Culture, Religion  and Leisure. On entering the faculty, one can immediately begin to feel that distinct culture which defines Guyanese society, with its rich blend stemming from the six race populous of Guyana. Moreover, the students at ELAM 5 have learned to appreciate the differences that are part of Cuban culture, and have successfully incorporated a lot of the local customs and culture into their daily routine. From the use of particular local phrases to a dancing casino (dance endemic to Cuba) the students have further enriched their unique culture, which can also be seen as an additional benefit of studying in  Cuba.