The policy, the project, the subject, and the object: the case of establishing a federal medical school within the More Doctors Program

Abstract

In Brazil, several initiatives have been promoted since the 1970s to adapt medical education to the population’s needs. One of them is the More Doctors Program, which includes the establishment of medical schools in the country’s interior regions. This case study aims to analyze the implementation of one such federal school in a small city in southern Brazil. Different data sources were used, including the course’s pedagogical project, the narrative of a researcher who visited the institution, and transcripts of interviews with multiple local actors, such as students and managers. A thematic content analysis was carried out, revealing the significance of this school, which demonstrated strong commitment to the 2014 National Curriculum Guidelines, despite showing some distance from the local context. The role of students also stands out in this pioneering process, marked by a strong sense of belonging and commitment to building the school.