Starting in 2003, a University-Community Service Interaction (IUSC) program has been developed within the undergraduate medical course of a public university in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. It was built from the need for primary healthcare experiences, aiming towards comprehensive care. Home visits (HV) stood out as presenting the possibility for students to reflect on the social determinants of the health-disease process; develop communication skills; practice educational dialogue; practice linkages with the community; expand clinical reasoning; and contribute towards understanding and solving family problems. This study aimed to investigate this proposal for HV within medical training. The development, importance, range, challenges and conflicts of HV within IUSC and its incorporation as a practice pertinent to medical education were contextualized. It was concluded that HV can strengthen and expand ties and commitments, and favor communication, thereby contributing towards changes in medical education in Brazil.
Family health; Home visit; Medical education; Community-institution relations