This article reports on the experience of first and second year student doctors engaging with a community in the outskirts of Vassouras, in Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil. Families are visited by the students, who assumes a given duty depending on his level of medical training and knowledge. At the end of the activities, which focus on using light technology, the students and teachers discuss the health of the residents and plan actions. This experience represents the incorporation of new student-centered learning practices, that encourage independent, proactive behavior toward problem solving. This experience contributes to the student's understanding of his role in social transformation through actions that promote health and encourage community empowerment, improving health indicators and, consequently, quality of life. This early insertion into the community helps ensure an education that values primary health care by doctors, essential for solving the most prevalent diseases among the population.
Health Care; Primary Health Care; Medical Education; National Curriculum Guidelines; Learning
