Summary:
The authors describe an experience of teaching medicine at primary care level, run by the Department of Social Medicine of UFPel.
Undergraduate medical students and residents receive part of their training in this level of medical care. This is unique in the medical curriculum as it allows learning some important aspects of the complex relationship of health-disease in the community. These aspects include: prevention of disease at all levels, common diseases, continuity of medical care, natural history of disease, early and late stages of illness seen in hospital.
Some difficulties and perspectives of teaching medicine at primary care level are discussed.