Medical students’ perception of the access to ethnic-racial education in medical graduation

ABSTRACT Introduction: Although the influence of Black culture has been undeniable in shaping Brazil’s current population, ethnic-racial relations are rarely or almost never discussed in educational settings. In the context of medicine, for example, the Black population is often made invisible in various aspects of the health curriculum, as their representation in medical literature is scarce, and courses addressing the topic are either insufficient or optional. Objective: To evaluate medical students’ perception of access to ethnic-racial education in medical training. Method: This is a cross-sectional, descriptive, and quantitative study, with data collection conducted through a digital, semi-structured, self-applied questionnaire developed by the research team based on previously published studies and the National Implementation Plan of the National Curriculum Guidelines (DCNs) for Ethnic-Racial Education and the Teaching of Afro-Brazilian and African History and Culture. The study population consisted of medical students who indicated their perception regarding the racial approach across different learning settings in medical school. The collected data were reviewed, tabulated, analysed, and processed using the R software, version 4.0.0. The project adhered to the guidelines of Resolution 510/16 of the National Health Council and was approved by the Ethics Committee under protocol number 6.001.343. Results: A total of 330 students participated in the study, with a mean age of 23 years and a predominance of female participants (66%). When questioned, roughly 58% stated that they partially or fully recognized the presence of ethnic-racial issues in tutorial group discussions. Additionally, 50.9% of participants reported not perceiving discussions related to ethnic-racial aspects in laboratory activities during the basic cycle, while 50.9% and 82.4% recognized the existence of a racial approach in teaching clinics and Primary Health Care practices, respectively. Regarding the National Policy for Comprehensive Health of the Black Population, 59.1% of the sample reported having encountered this document during their studies. Conclusion: Medical students’ perception of access to ethnic-racial education varied according to the training setting, with a stronger presence in the context of Primary Health Care.