Evaluation of the rural medical internship in Family and Community Medicine at the Universidade de Caxias do Sul: reflections on medical education and health policies

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5433/1679-0367.2022v43n1p51

Keywords:

Medical education, Primary Health Care, Family practice, Rural areas, Human resources in health

Abstract

Medical education has undergone constant transformations throughout history and in Brazil it takes on specific characteristics. Recently, among other aspects, there has been debate about the importance of the variety of teaching scenarios and of an integral and generalist approach to the design of an egress profile closer to the population’s health needs. This study presents a qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the experience of medical students, professors and health professionals involved in the rural medical internship in Family and Community Medicine at the Universidade de Caxias do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. Profile of participants, internship motivators, influences on work options future, impact on health teams and positive and negative aspects of the experience are presented and discussed in the light of international literature on the subject. The rural internship appears as a positive experience in medical training, with qualitative aggregating potential for those involved and influence on the future work option, helping to reduce the gap in human resources in rural areas. Dialogue between communities, health teams, universities and local managers is essential to overcome daily challenges and to maintain activities, as well as institutional support for students and qualification of the teaching staff. Suggestions for future lines of research in the area are presented.

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Author Biographies

Leonardo Vieira Targa, Universidade de Caxias do Sul; Prefeitura Municipal de Nova Petrópolis/RS; Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS

Doctoral Student in Science Education: Chemistry of Life and Health at the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Universidade de Caxias do Sul (UCS), Caxias do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Family Doctor at the Municipality of Nova Petrópolis, Rio Grande do Sul.

Tatiana Souza de Camargo, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS

PhD in Education from the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul , Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul. Professor, Department of Teaching and Curriculum, Faculty of Education, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul.

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Published

2022-01-13

How to Cite

1.
Targa LV, Camargo TS de. Evaluation of the rural medical internship in Family and Community Medicine at the Universidade de Caxias do Sul: reflections on medical education and health policies. Semin. Cienc. Biol. Saude [Internet]. 2022 Jan. 13 [cited 2024 Nov. 21];43(1):51-74. Available from: https://ojs.uel.br/revistas/uel/index.php/seminabio/article/view/44075

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