Academic Monitoring as a Strategy for Integrating Medical Students into Brazil’s Unified Health System (SUS)

Abstract

The Medicine course at the Federal University of Latin American Integration (UNILA) is characterized by its multicultural composition, with students from Brazil and different Latin American countries, which demands the adoption of pedagogical strategies capable of promoting academic integration and understanding of the functioning of the Unified Health System (SUS), especially in the context of Primary Health Care in Brazil. Objective: To report the experience of academic monitoring developed in the Teaching-Service-Community Integration Program I and II modules (PIESC I and II) as a strategy for integrating incoming medical students into the context of the SUS. Method: This is an experience report, with a qualitative approach, developed throughout the 2025 academic year by three academic monitors, one scholarship recipient and two volunteers. The pedagogical activities included in-person and synchronous meetings in a virtual environment, recorded asynchronous video lessons, the creation of exercise lists with commented answer keys, individualized support in different languages ​​(Portuguese, English, and Spanish), and the use of playful dynamics aimed at understanding the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS). Results: Fourteen recorded video lessons, sixteen commented exercise lists, nine in-person meetings for content review and guidance on academic work, and personalized individualized support were produced. Verbal feedback from incoming students showed improved understanding of SUS-related content, satisfaction with the accessibility of the monitors, and a positive perception of the use of diverse methodologies in the teaching-learning process. Conclusion: Academic monitoring proved to be an effective pedagogical strategy for multicultural integration and for developing a critical understanding of the Brazilian Unified Health System, acting as a cultural and linguistic mediator. The experience demonstrated consistency with the National Curriculum Guidelines and the use of active teaching-learning methodologies, reinforcing the importance of this practice for student retention and for strengthening the integration of teaching, service, and community.