VER-SUS AS A STRATEGY FOR CRITICAL AND HUMANIZED HEALTH EDUCATION : AN EXPERIENCE REPORT

Abstract

Since its creation, the Brazilian Unified Health System (Sistema Único de Saúde – SUS) has established the continuous training and qualification of health professionals as a core guideline. In this context, the National Policy for Continuing Education in Health (Política Nacional de Educação Permanente em Saúde – PNEPS) was instituted, grounded in meaningful learning and the problematization of everyday work as strategies for transforming health practices. Despite its relevance, the implementation of the PNEPS still faces challenges related to management and to the articulation between education and health services. The field of Collective Health has contributed to strengthening this policy by emphasizing teaching–service integration as an essential pathway to align professional training with the real health needs of the population. Among the initiatives that operationalize this approach, the Project of Experiences and Internships in the Reality of the SUS (VER-SUS), developed in partnership with Rede Unida, stands out for providing students with immersive experiences in health services, promoting Interprofessional Education and collaborative work. In the state of Rio Grande do Norte, VER-SUS is part of the Potiguar Network for Continuing Health Education, supported by the State School of Public Health, and has been carried out in hub municipalities such as Santa Cruz. The most recent edition addressed the theme of Equity, guided by the recognition of diversity and the social determinants of health—such as housing, work, income, education, and leisure—reaffirming the SUS commitment to social justice and comprehensive care.