Training Doctors in Brazil: A Look Inside Medical Education

Warm-up Activity

Students look at pictures of doctors and hospitals and share ideas about how doctors learn their job. Teacher asks about experiences with doctors and medical training in the student's country.

1. Do you know anyone who works in medicine?
2. How long do you think it takes to become a doctor?
3. What skills does a good doctor need?
4. Would you like to work in a hospital? Why or why not?
5. Is it easy or difficult to study medicine in your country?

Reading Text: Becoming a Doctor in Brazil

You will read a short text about how people train to become doctors in Brazil. Think about how this compares to your country.

In Brazil, becoming a doctor is a big challenge. Students must finish high school and then pass a very difficult entrance exam. Many young people study for years because they want a place at a good medical school. However, there are not enough places for everyone, so the competition is strong.

Medical training in Brazil usually takes six years. The first years are mostly theory, but later students get practical experience in real hospitals. This practical work is very important because students learn how to talk to patients and treat real problems. Although it is stressful, many students say it is the best part of their studies.

After university, new doctors must do more training called residency. This is a great opportunity to specialize in one area, like children's health or surgery. However, residency is also hard work because doctors often work long nights. Some people believe the system asks too much from young doctors.

Support is important during these years. Family support helps students stay motivated, and universities offer emotional support too. However, some students in poor areas do not get the same support, so they find the journey even harder. Because of this, some experts want the government to give more help to these students.

Brazil has another problem: there are not enough doctors in small towns and rural areas. The government created a program to send doctors to these places, and it gave thousands of people an opportunity to see a doctor for the first time. Although the program caused some discussion, most people agree that practical solutions like this are necessary.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary Check

1. What does 'opportunity' mean?
   • A difficult exam
   • A chance to do something good
   • A type of hospital
   • A long night of work
2. Which sentence uses 'practical' correctly?
   • The practical exam was only about ideas and no real skills.
   • She got practical experience by working with real patients.
   • He felt practical after failing the test.
   • The practical book was very boring and useless.
3. In which situation would you use the word 'support'?
   • When you describe a difficult exam question
   • When you talk about a friend helping you through a hard time
   • When you talk about a hospital building
   • When you describe a type of medicine
4. What does 'challenge' mean?
   • Something easy and relaxing
   • A kind of medical degree
   • Something difficult that tests your ability
   • A place where doctors work
5. Which sentence uses 'training' correctly?
   • She received training to become a nurse.
   • He gave me a training for my birthday.
   • The trainings was very long.
   • I training at the hospital yesterday.

Fill in the Blanks

Maria always wanted to be a doctor, but she knew it would be a big _____. The entrance exam was very difficult, so she studied every night with the _____ of her family. After four years of hard work, she finally received an _____ to study at a famous university. Her _____ took six years, and the most valuable part was the _____ work in real hospitals, where she learned to treat real patients.

Word bank: training, practical, opportunity, support, challenge

Discussion Questions

1. Do you think entrance exams for medical school are a fair way to choose future doctors? Why or why not?
2. Which is more important for learning a job: theory or practical experience? Can you give an example from your own life?
3. Do you think young doctors should work such long hours? What would you change about their schedule?
4. Would you accept a job as a doctor or teacher in a small rural town if the salary was higher? What would be the biggest challenge for you?
5. How important is family support for success in education? Should the government do more to support students without help at home?

Knowledge Check

1. How long does medical training usually take in Brazil?
   • Three years
   • Six years
   • Ten years
   • Two years
2. What is 'residency'?
   • A place where students live at university
   • Extra training after university where doctors specialize
   • A difficult entrance exam
   • A program for rural doctors
3. True or false: All students in Brazil receive the same support during medical training.
   • True
   • False
4. Why did the government send doctors to rural areas?
   • Because city hospitals had too many patients
   • Because rural people did not have enough access to doctors
   • Because doctors wanted to live in the countryside
   • Because medical schools were too full
5. Which word means 'something difficult that tests your ability'?
   • Opportunity
   • Support
   • Challenge
   • Training