Primary Health Care as a practice field for Family and Community Medicine residents in Brazil
1
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Campinas - Unicamp, Campinas, Brazil
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):A1132
ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT:
Primary Health Care (PHC) constitutes a structuring axis of the Brazilian Health System (SUS) and represents an important training field for students and health professionals in Brazil. However, in recent years, PHC has faced significant challenges, such as chronic underfunding, professional devaluation, workforce reduction, and high service demand, factors that directly affect care organization and training processes. Within this context, the residency in Family and Community Medicine (FCM) is situated in a complex scenario, marked by tensions between training guidelines and the real operating conditions of health services.
OBJECTIVE:
To understand the PHC practice setting from the perspective of Family and Community Medicine residents enrolled in a residency program in Campinas, Brazil.
METHODS:
This is a descriptive study grounded in the snowball sampling methodology. A structured questionnaire consisting of 75 items was administered, developed based on the Family and Community Medicine Competency Framework. The instrument was applied to second-year residents.
RESULTS:
A total of 26 residents participated in the study. Regarding self-reported race/ethnicity, 69.4% identified as White, 23.0% as Black, and 3.8% as Asian and Indigenous, respectively. Of the participants, 73.0% identified as women. Concerning residents’ territorial integration within PHC and their bonding with the community, 65.0% of responses rated these aspects positively. The organization and distribution of the agenda for scheduled (elective) care were positively evaluated by 58.0% of participants. In contrast, care related to unscheduled demand for acute conditions was negatively evaluated by 69.0% of residents.
CONCLUSIONS:
Although residents reported positive evaluations regarding community bonding, territorial integration, and the organization of scheduled care, PHC demonstrates difficulties in ensuring longitudinal care, as evidenced by the high volume of unscheduled, acute demand. Understanding the practice setting from the residents’ perspective may support changes within the SUS, contributing to the improvement of medical training and the quality of care in PHC
Primary Health Care (PHC) constitutes a structuring axis of the Brazilian Health System (SUS) and represents an important training field for students and health professionals in Brazil. However, in recent years, PHC has faced significant challenges, such as chronic underfunding, professional devaluation, workforce reduction, and high service demand, factors that directly affect care organization and training processes. Within this context, the residency in Family and Community Medicine (FCM) is situated in a complex scenario, marked by tensions between training guidelines and the real operating conditions of health services.
OBJECTIVE:
To understand the PHC practice setting from the perspective of Family and Community Medicine residents enrolled in a residency program in Campinas, Brazil.
METHODS:
This is a descriptive study grounded in the snowball sampling methodology. A structured questionnaire consisting of 75 items was administered, developed based on the Family and Community Medicine Competency Framework. The instrument was applied to second-year residents.
RESULTS:
A total of 26 residents participated in the study. Regarding self-reported race/ethnicity, 69.4% identified as White, 23.0% as Black, and 3.8% as Asian and Indigenous, respectively. Of the participants, 73.0% identified as women. Concerning residents’ territorial integration within PHC and their bonding with the community, 65.0% of responses rated these aspects positively. The organization and distribution of the agenda for scheduled (elective) care were positively evaluated by 58.0% of participants. In contrast, care related to unscheduled demand for acute conditions was negatively evaluated by 69.0% of residents.
CONCLUSIONS:
Although residents reported positive evaluations regarding community bonding, territorial integration, and the organization of scheduled care, PHC demonstrates difficulties in ensuring longitudinal care, as evidenced by the high volume of unscheduled, acute demand. Understanding the practice setting from the residents’ perspective may support changes within the SUS, contributing to the improvement of medical training and the quality of care in PHC
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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