The Iandé Guatá Extension Project: the experiences of medical students with the Potiguara indigenous community

Educational interventions providing medical students opportunities to engage in intercultural contexts (for example, indigenous, quilombola, and riverine communities) are still scarce in Brazil. This article provides an account of the experiences of medical students participating in the Iandé Guatá Extension Project conducted in the Potiguara indigenous community in the State of Paraíba, Brazil. The students’ most significant experiences were described and discussed using concept maps, reports, and narratives produced by the participants throughout the project. The experiences recounted by the students show that the learning process brought them closer to the community’s world and that by immersing themselves in the local culture they dispelled romantic visions and developed a sense of commitment to social transformation. Dialogical opportunities such as those provided by this experience promote intercultural competence and help students to recognize and value traditional knowledge.

Community extension; Indigenous health; Medical education; Popular education