Training and PET-Saúde: speech, hearing and language students' experiences in Bahia

PURPOSE: to understand the conceptions of the speech, hearing and language students which participated or still do of Working Education Program in Health, and discuss their perceptions regarding the potential and the limits of this program for their training. METHODS: it's a qualitative research, and the data were produced from the focus group. The students were divided into 2 groups, with 6 students in one and 4 in the other, totaling 10 subjects. RESULTS: the students' conceptions regarding training presented the following themes: learning through the relationship between theory and practice; permanent process of learning; and reflection of experiences. About the potential of PET- Saúde, were identified four themes: the recognition of health needs; the experience of new learning practices; the significant understanding of comprehensiveness; and the teamwork and interdisciplinarity. Regarding the limits, the students exposed the precariousness of the health system of Salvador; low participation of preceptors; incompatibility of schedules and conflicting relationships between preceptors and the other professionals who were not in the project. CONCLUSION: the subjects understand training not only as technical and scientific knowledge. Concerning the potential, stands out the importance of spaces within the university for interdisciplinary work and new learning practices. About the limits, the precariousness of the health system interferes in students' learning, harming the actions. Thus, to restrict the practices of PET - Saúde only to engaging students in health services does not guarantee a change in training, reinforcing the need to consolidate the curricular reforms and strengthening the link between university and health services.