Health professionals’ education: The experience of the school for the improvement of the unified health system in the federal district of brazil

Abstract

This paper describes the experience of the School for the Improvement of the Unified Health System in the Federal District of Brazil (EAPSUS, acronym in Portuguese), which, together with the Superior School of Health Sciences and Technical School of Health of Brasília, is maintained by the Health Sciences Teaching and Research Foundation (FEPECS, acronym in Portuguese). This group of schools works jointly to provide health education in the Federal District. EAPSUS is responsible for the education of staff at the Department of Health of the Federal District of Brazil, using Pedagogy of Problematization as its theoretical frame of reference. It seeks to tailor teaching and learning to the needs of health services, building health professionals’ capacity to examine practice reflectively and construct alternative actions. EAPSUS adopts a unique approach as a government school, developing contextualized educational actions. Education is a key component of an ambitious design that aligns concepts, guiding principles, and instruments with the strategic planning of the centers and the Federal District Health Plan. FEPECS conforms to the logic of a public health school, given that it provides higher education, professional education, and promotes the professional development of SUS staff and administrators in the Federal District.