Health in Cuba

Health in Cuba

This program is a collaboration between the Office of Global Engagement and the Pre-Professional Advising Office.

The Health in Cuba program offers a once-in-a lifetime opportunity to travel to a country rarely visited by Americans. This program is intended for UGA students who plan to pursue careers in healthcare and who are working actively toward this goal. Participants will learn about Cuba's world renowned healthcare system through guest lectures, round table discussions, visits to healthcare facilities, and other related activities. In addition to these experiences, participants will enroll in BIOL 4910 (Advanced Topics in Biology) for 3-credit hours. 

BIOL 4910 - Topics in Biology

Please note that you need to double check with your college that they have approved this activity for Experiential Learning Credit on engage.uga.edu. If you do not see this listed, speak with your academic advisor to confirm whether or not this program will count for EL.

The program provides an in-depth look at the ideological foundations of healthcare in the island nation, its successes, and its challenges while simultaneously examining the successes and challenges of our system in the US. Through carefully curated activities, this program offers a unique academic and travel experience for undergraduate students who seek to grow in cultural awareness while learning about another healthcare system.

Program participants will live together in student residences and tour historical and cultural sites in Havana. Check the itinerary tab for more detail.

This program is perfect for students who seek a short but intensive experience in one of the world's most intriguing countries. 

Important notes:

Spanish language knowledge is not necessary to participate in this program. Professional interpreters will be present at all guest lectures and academic visits.

Program participants will be required to attend pre-departure orientations and academic meetings in the spring semester. 

Passport and visa information. Students and faculty participating in this program will travel to Cuba under a general academic license granted by the U.S. Department of Treasury to all U.S. institutions of higher learning. In addition to the general license, each participant will need an entry visa. To help facilitate the visa process, all participants must have a valid U.S. passport by February 1. Participants who already own a valid passport must check the expiration date. All passports must be valid for six months after the entry date to Cuba. Please note that the current processing time for a U.S. passport is 10-13 weeks at the cost of $145, and the processing time for an expedited passport is 4-6 weeks at the cost of $187. 

Non-US citizens can apply to this program. For visa information, contact the email address below.

 

General Information

Program Dates: June 9th -June 20, 2025
Estimated Program Fee:The cost below is for the 2024 program. Prices for the 2025 program are being confirmed. $2,490 (includes lodging, breakfast, several lunches and dinners, program-related transportation, and entrance fees for program-related academic and cultural activities). It does not include plane fare, UGA tuition or UGA fees. Prices will vary depending on enrollment, but should not exceed the current estimated program fee. Click here for more details.
Application Opens:  August 19, 2024
Application Deadline: October 13, 2024
Program Contacts: Ms. Amanda Spohn (aspohn@uga.edu) and Dr. Hilda Mata (hmmata@uga.edu)

Applicant Eligibility

• Open to all students at the University of Georgia.
• Required
  • students must have taken or be enrolled in BIOL 1108/L at the time of application.  BIOL 1108/L is a prereq for the courses taught in the program.
  • Have university credit for at least two science courses (in biological sciences, chemistry, ecology, physics/astronomy) prior to applying.
  • 3.0 or higher GPA.
  • Satisfactory academic and disciplinary records.
• Preferred
  • qualified students enrolled with a pre-health intention who have met with a pre-professional advisor will be given priority .
  • successfully completed at least two sciences courses (in biological sciences, chemistry, ecology, physics/astronomy) for a grade (A-F) at UGA.
  • successfully completed at least 30 credit hours at UGA prior to application. 
  • 3.3 or higher GPA earned at UGA.

Admission Process

• Begin an application on the studyaway.uga.edu portal. 
• Only applications completed by deadline (10-13-24) will be reviewed.
• Selected applicants will be invited (via email) to interview with the program faculty. Please note that an interview does not guarantee admittance into the program due to the limited number of spaces. Interviews, however, are a mandatory part of the selection process.
• Once all interviews are completed, applicants will be notified via email whether they have been admitted or waitlisted.
• Admitted students will have 10 calendar days from the date of acceptance to commit (or withdraw/decline) and pay a non-refundable $300 deposit. Waitlisted students will be admitted as spaces become available.

Scholarships

The Zell Miller and Hope scholarships, as well as the Pell Grant, apply to tuition for eligible students. All UGA students applying to this program are eligible and encouraged to apply to the UGA OGE General Scholarship during one of the two yearly application cycles: (1) early cycle in mid-October and (2) standard cycle in mid-February.  Students are also encouraged to research other scholarships offered by UGA colleges and departments as well as national scholarships. Please check our Scholarship Search page in the Portal for more information.

Faculty

Dr. Kris Miler, Ph.D
Director of Biological Sciences
Franklin College of Arts and Sciences
University of Georgia

 

Casey Ellis, M.A.
Pre-Professional Adviosr
Pre-Professional Advising Office
Office of the Vice-President for Instruction
University of Georgia

Program Administration

Hilda M. Mata, Ph.D. | Office of Global Engagement | Director, Africa/Latin America Programming Initiatives

Amanda Spohn, M.Ed. | Pre-Professional Advising Office | Coordinator

Location

Havana, located in western Cuba, is the island's capital and most populous city with 2.1 million residents. The Spanish name of the city is La Habana.

Itinerary

(This itinerary is subject to change)

This is the 2024 itinerary. We are in the process of confirming the 2025 itinerary.

Breakfast and dinner in student residence unless otherwise specified. Lunch is included in program cost, but locations will vary.

Monday, June 9:  Arrival in Havana Cuba. Checking into La Residencia. Dinner and in-country orientation.

Tuesday, June 10: Guest lectures at Centro de Investigaciones Psicológicas y Sociológicas. Classic cars city tours. Salsa class.

Wednesday, June 11:

Walking Tour of Old Havana (UNESCO Heritage Site). Visit to University for Medical Sciences.  Afternoon class.

Thursday, June 12:

 Medical Visits: (1) Polyclinic and (2) dental clinic. Afternoon class.

Friday, June 13: 

Medical Visit: Hospital. Lunch round table with medical students. Afternoon class.

Saturday, June 14:

Thai Chi class with elderly community. Medical Visit: Mother-Infant Clinic. Visit to Cuba Libro. Afternoon class. Tour of Fábrica de Arte in the evening.

Sunday, June 15: 

Free day in Havana.

Monday, June 16: 

Medical Visit: A+ Project. Lunch with project psychologist. Afternoon class.

Tuesday, June 17:

Medical Visit to natural pharmacy or medicinal garden. Afternoon class.

Wednesday, June 18:

Medical Visit: Research Institute. Afternoon class.

Thursday, June 19:

Seaside Educational Excursion. Farewell dinner.

Friday, June 20:

Return to USA