MEDICAL STUDENTS INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE: AN EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY ON PUBERTY AND SEXUALITY IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL OF A BRAZILIAN UNDERSERVED AREA

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE The Vila Velha University Medical School Students organized an educational activity on Puberty and Sexuality in a public school of a Brazilian underserved area. It aimed to discuss and problematize with teenagers about puberty and sexuality, in order to reduce the teenage pregnancy and the sexually transmitted diseases. METHOD The educational activity on Puberty and Sexuality took place in a public school of an underserved area, in Vila Velha, Brazil. There were 40 teenagers from 11 to 15 years old. It was presented by the medical students a speech approaching some subjects: Sexuality and Puberty Concepts; Body Changes; Teenage Pregnancy and Contraceptive Methods; STD/AIDS prevention. The students demonstrated the teenagers how to use some contraceptive methods, with the male and female reproductive system models. Besides that, the teenagers received pieces of paper to right down some questions in order to grant anonymity. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS The activity lasted almost two hours because of the teenagers’ participation. They wrote down and asked aloud many questions, answered by the medical students. The principal, pedagogues, teachers and employees were implicated, promoting reflections and discussions among them. It is extremely important to perform activities about puberty and sexuality in public schools, because it is a theme that most parents avoid to discuss with their children. For many teenagers, it can be the only contact with the subject for a while. Educational Activities on sexuality may affect decreasing the teenage pregnancy and the sexually transmitted diseases, reflecting and changing their attitudes.