The experience of PET-Health students with indigenous health and the more doctors program

Abstract

The PET-Health Program was launched in 2009 and is an initiative to improve education through health promotion practices. Indigenous PET-Health is a part of this program and comprises a group of academic health courses at the Federal University of Tocantins, Brazil, under the supervision of preceptors. The group performed actions in villages of the Tocantínia municipality in the Akwẽ-Xerente indigenous community. There was a population reduction, as well as an increase in alcohol use and in chronic diseases in this municipality. In 2013, the Ministry of Health launched the More Doctors Program to ensure an increase of physicians in priority regions; these villages were included in the study. Therefore, this paper addresses the experiences of medical students in touch with these professionals through action on village health activities.