Understanding occupational therapy students on primary health care training

Abstract

The study aimed to describe and analyze the graduated training for primary health care (PHC) through the comprehension of seniors in occupational therapy. Anchored in the qualitative approach, the study investigated perspectives of 69 students of occupational therapy, last year, from nine occupational therapy courses in the state of São Paulo. The data were constructed in nine Conversation Wheels, one in each participating course. The field material favored the identification of two empirical categories: Students’ Knowledge about PHC and Essential Practical Theoretical Content for PHC Training. It is concluded that the different understandings presented by the students relate to the national curricular guidelines of occupational therapy, since these point to the understanding of PHC and the different sociocultural realities, already in the context of graduate training. In addition, the training processes investigated have promoted at least critical and available professionals to work in the PHC and carry out occupational therapeutic and interprofessional actions.