Jhanell Quarrie receives 2025 Dr. Barry Wint Memorial Scholarship in Havana

Jhanell Quarrie, a Jamaican medical student in her final year at the University of Medical Sciences of Havana, Facult Salvador Allende, has been named a 2025 recipient of the Dr. Barry Wint Memorial Scholarship.

Quarrie was among nearly 200 new scholars recognised at this year's awards in Havana. The programme supports Jamaican nationals pursuing medical training, including those studying outside the island.

She said her interest in medicine grew from her childhood around hospitals and health centres, where her mother worked as a nurse. That early exposure, combined with a personal passion for caring for others, guided her toward the profession.

Quarrie chose to study in Cuba because of her interest in Spanish and the opportunity to learn within a culture she respects. She praised the country's medical training and healthcare approach, noting that Cuban society shares much in common with Jamaican life.

Receiving the scholarship, she said, has strengthened her resolve to finish her degree after facing financial strain like many fellow students. "It proves to me that my country is willing to invest in my future and the future of our country on a whole," she said. "I can give back knowing that this country was willing to say all right you want to give back to us let us first give to you."

Quarrie hopes to pursue cardiothoracic surgery. That direction took shape during a Ministry of Health summer internship at the National Chest Hospital, where surgeons welcomed her and encouraged her learning in the specialty.

For students entering medicine, she urged them to stay committed through difficult periods and to work from a sense of purpose. "Medicine is something that you'll have bad days. You'll definitely have bad days, but just do it because you love it. Do it for the people that you help," she said. She also repeated advice from a doctor she admires: "Just beat book." Knowledge, she stressed, remains central to the craft.