Medical Faculty and Extramural Undergraduate Education

Abstract: Consistent with worldwide trends in medical education, in 1998 the Londrina State University in Paraná State, Brazil, began implementing an innovative medical curriculum with interdisciplinary modules, integrating basic and clinical knowledge, skills modules, and modules focusing on interaction with health services and the community. After 18 months of activities in the new curriculum, this study investigated the opinions of clinical faculty regarding the practical activities involving interaction with services and community. The results showed a wide range of opinions, allowing faculty (n = 80) to be categorized as defenders and supporters (43,8%), opponents (1,3), and neutral (55%) in relation to these practical activities. Based on these results, the investigators propose the adoption of strategies to involve the majority of faculty members, specially clinical faculty, in the humanization of medical care and to review both teaching and service practices. Such interventions are key for maintaining curricular changes not only on a phenomenological level but also reaching deeper levels, including social and political relations among institutional and social elements.