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The place of psychology in medical education

This paper discusses the place that psychology occupies within three medical courses in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. The theoretical basis was the discursive practices approach within the constructionist framework of social psychology. To reach the objective, we conducted interviews with teachers responsible for the discipline of medical psychology within these three courses. Analysis of the material allowed us to observe that psychological theories are not seen as a priority within the training, but that they are learned through interpersonal relationships among the students and between students and teachers. We conclude that the discipline of medical psychology is the space for learning and reflecting on the relationship between (future) doctors and their patients as well as being a place for dealing with and caring for students' various experiences during the undergraduate course.

Medical education; Medical psychology; Social psychology; Discursive practices; Social constructionism


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