Generales

After a rigorous selection process three UdeA medical students were accepted to participate in clinical electives at Harvard Medical School.

The School of Medicine at Universidad de Antioquia is the only school nationwide that has an exchange agreement with Harvard to send medical students to participate in clinical elective training. Harvard ranks first in the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU).  From August to October, students Carlos Felipe Marín, Santiago Sánchez and Juan Guillermo Sierra will participate in the Exchange Clerk Program at HMS.

Besides sharing their knowledge and experiences with peers, the students will have the chance to promote Medellín and the University to students from around the world who are interested in participating in exchange programs.

“I am very thankful to the School of Medicine and the University. This is a great opportunity to demonstrate the solid background of the students of Universidad de Antioquia and be a good representative of the University. I hope to have enough time to enjoy my stay in Boston, birthplace of American Revolution. This is also an opportunity to learn about other cultures and exchange knowledge,” said Carlos Marín.

On the other hand Santiago Sánchez said “Harvard Medical School has a reputation as the best of its kind in the world, which is not far from the truth. HMS has produced prominent graduates who have been responsible for major breakthroughs in the field of medicine in the modern history. I feel very privileged to have been given the opportunity to be part of such a prestigious institution. It is certainly an enriching experience, both academically and personally. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the University for giving me this valuable opportunity and for its generous support and assistance.  I would also like to thank the faculty for their expertise and dedication”.

About 18,000 students from around the world apply to participate in exchange programs at Harvard. The exchange agreement between the University and Harvard exempts UdeA students from being charged tuition fees and offers Harvard students the opportunity to engage in clerkships at Universidad de Antioquia.

“Low-income students can’t afford to study at Harvard since it costs about $6,000 to $7,000 a month. Our students have the opportunity to go to Harvard for up to three months, which is a significant amount of time since many of them are low-income students,” said Marcela Garcés of the School of Medicine.

Since its inception in 1996, the UdeA-HMS exchange agreement has provided over 80 medical students with the opportunity to participate in clinical elective training at Harvard Medical School.