Abstract
Based on cultural studies notions and Foucault's concepts on knowledge, power and normalization, this study aims to analyze the meanings constructed by the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro’s (UFRJ) medical students over the quota policy and its possible relations with the curriculum of medicine and with identity developments. Making use of a qualitative approach, the study characterizes the course culture, problematizes its curriculum and then presents the analysis of eight semi structured interviews with the mentioned students – quota holders and non quota holders –, highlighting tensions in their speeches between the “protection” of the traditions of UFRJ and of the medical school – which makes it difficult to change the course’s culture and curriculum – and the new relationships established, conducive to a revision of values and of the curriculum, in which the quota students are signified as important actors.
Keywords
quota policy; curriculum; medical training; identities; power relations