Lessons learned from the expansion of medical schools in Brazil: a review of challenges and opportunities
Brazil faces significant challenges in the equitable distribution of health professionals across its vast territory, with remote and underdeveloped areas often lacking doctors. Initiatives like “Programa Mais Médicos” have expanded medical courses and residency programs nationwide. Recently, new Min...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2024.1494445/full |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1841540104073510912 |
|---|---|
| author | Katia M. Avena Katia M. Avena Luiz F. Quintanilha Luiz F. Quintanilha Ricardo Luiz Luzardo Filho Bruno B. Andrade Bruno B. Andrade Bruno B. Andrade |
| author_facet | Katia M. Avena Katia M. Avena Luiz F. Quintanilha Luiz F. Quintanilha Ricardo Luiz Luzardo Filho Bruno B. Andrade Bruno B. Andrade Bruno B. Andrade |
| author_sort | Katia M. Avena |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Brazil faces significant challenges in the equitable distribution of health professionals across its vast territory, with remote and underdeveloped areas often lacking doctors. Initiatives like “Programa Mais Médicos” have expanded medical courses and residency programs nationwide. Recently, new Ministry of Education guidelines authorized courses and increased slots in response to judicial demands, highlighting the complexity of Brazil’s educational and health landscape. This initiative increased available slots, particularly in areas lacking healthcare professionals, and attracted private institutions to the medical sector. Despite advancements in expansion and geographical distribution, there are criticisms and challenges facing the current medical training process. Against this backdrop, this study offers a critical analysis of Brazil’s medical education, drawing from the experience of experts involved in the implementation of new medical schools in the Brazilian Northeast and Midwest regions. The study outlines the history, challenges, and outcomes of government policies, reflecting on future impacts and contributing to the debate on medical training quality and health service provision amidst the expansion and privatization of medical education in the country. We hope the lessons and insights can guide Brazil and other countries facing similar challenges, inspiring innovative and sustainable solutions to complex issues of doctor shortage and unequal distribution. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-41710cc6c64e433c9a1caa52a7257066 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2504-284X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Education |
| spelling | doaj-art-41710cc6c64e433c9a1caa52a72570662025-01-14T06:10:43ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Education2504-284X2025-01-01910.3389/feduc.2024.14944451494445Lessons learned from the expansion of medical schools in Brazil: a review of challenges and opportunitiesKatia M. Avena0Katia M. Avena1Luiz F. Quintanilha2Luiz F. Quintanilha3Ricardo Luiz Luzardo Filho4Bruno B. Andrade5Bruno B. Andrade6Bruno B. Andrade7Medicina Zarns, Clariens Educação, Salvador, Bahia, BrazilInstituto Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Salvador, Bahia, BrazilMedicina Zarns, Clariens Educação, Salvador, Bahia, BrazilPost Graduate Program, Universidade Salvador, Salvador, Bahia, BrazilMedicina Zarns, Clariens Educação, Salvador, Bahia, BrazilMedicina Zarns, Clariens Educação, Salvador, Bahia, BrazilInstituto Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Salvador, Bahia, BrazilPost Graduate Program, Universidade Salvador, Salvador, Bahia, BrazilBrazil faces significant challenges in the equitable distribution of health professionals across its vast territory, with remote and underdeveloped areas often lacking doctors. Initiatives like “Programa Mais Médicos” have expanded medical courses and residency programs nationwide. Recently, new Ministry of Education guidelines authorized courses and increased slots in response to judicial demands, highlighting the complexity of Brazil’s educational and health landscape. This initiative increased available slots, particularly in areas lacking healthcare professionals, and attracted private institutions to the medical sector. Despite advancements in expansion and geographical distribution, there are criticisms and challenges facing the current medical training process. Against this backdrop, this study offers a critical analysis of Brazil’s medical education, drawing from the experience of experts involved in the implementation of new medical schools in the Brazilian Northeast and Midwest regions. The study outlines the history, challenges, and outcomes of government policies, reflecting on future impacts and contributing to the debate on medical training quality and health service provision amidst the expansion and privatization of medical education in the country. We hope the lessons and insights can guide Brazil and other countries facing similar challenges, inspiring innovative and sustainable solutions to complex issues of doctor shortage and unequal distribution.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2024.1494445/fullmedical educationmedical schoolsundergraduate medical educationprivatization and access to higher educationBrazilmore physicians program |
| spellingShingle | Katia M. Avena Katia M. Avena Luiz F. Quintanilha Luiz F. Quintanilha Ricardo Luiz Luzardo Filho Bruno B. Andrade Bruno B. Andrade Bruno B. Andrade Lessons learned from the expansion of medical schools in Brazil: a review of challenges and opportunities Frontiers in Education medical education medical schools undergraduate medical education privatization and access to higher education Brazil more physicians program |
| title | Lessons learned from the expansion of medical schools in Brazil: a review of challenges and opportunities |
| title_full | Lessons learned from the expansion of medical schools in Brazil: a review of challenges and opportunities |
| title_fullStr | Lessons learned from the expansion of medical schools in Brazil: a review of challenges and opportunities |
| title_full_unstemmed | Lessons learned from the expansion of medical schools in Brazil: a review of challenges and opportunities |
| title_short | Lessons learned from the expansion of medical schools in Brazil: a review of challenges and opportunities |
| title_sort | lessons learned from the expansion of medical schools in brazil a review of challenges and opportunities |
| topic | medical education medical schools undergraduate medical education privatization and access to higher education Brazil more physicians program |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2024.1494445/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT katiamavena lessonslearnedfromtheexpansionofmedicalschoolsinbrazilareviewofchallengesandopportunities AT katiamavena lessonslearnedfromtheexpansionofmedicalschoolsinbrazilareviewofchallengesandopportunities AT luizfquintanilha lessonslearnedfromtheexpansionofmedicalschoolsinbrazilareviewofchallengesandopportunities AT luizfquintanilha lessonslearnedfromtheexpansionofmedicalschoolsinbrazilareviewofchallengesandopportunities AT ricardoluizluzardofilho lessonslearnedfromtheexpansionofmedicalschoolsinbrazilareviewofchallengesandopportunities AT brunobandrade lessonslearnedfromtheexpansionofmedicalschoolsinbrazilareviewofchallengesandopportunities AT brunobandrade lessonslearnedfromtheexpansionofmedicalschoolsinbrazilareviewofchallengesandopportunities AT brunobandrade lessonslearnedfromtheexpansionofmedicalschoolsinbrazilareviewofchallengesandopportunities |