Integration of extension courses into the medical curriculum:: operationalization report

Abstract

Introduction: Extension programs encourage students to seek and build knowledge about the reality of social issues, often in settings beyond the university's walls. Additionally, extension operates through a mutual learning process, based on shared interests between academia and the community. Methods: This is an experience report on the integration of extension activities into the curriculum of the undergraduate medical program at a private university. The curricularization of extension is being carried out in three ways within the course: offering curricular units titled “Extension Practice” from the first to the eighth semester; through extension projects embedded into the syllabus of certain clinical units; and through extension activities freely chosen by students, made available as complementary activities. Discussion: Implementing extension curricularization has proven to be a challenge for many educational institutions, thus justifying the sharing of successful experiences that can be replicated. Conclusion: The integration of extension into the curriculum has led to a meaningful exchange of knowledge, tasks, and learning among social actors, which enhanced teamwork—an essential condition for overcoming certain challenges and optimizing students’ meaningful learning. However, the challenges encountered include resistance from some faculty members reluctant to embrace innovation; difficulty in allocating a significant portion of the course's total workload to extension; and convincing public health managers of the importance of these actions, in order to enable the use of healthcare service locations as practical learning environments.