Diversity and difference: health professional training challenges

Abstract

This paper aims to discuss the issue of diversity from its incorporation into the training of health professionals through the analysis of the National Curriculum Guidelines (DCN) of two Brazilian undergraduate health courses: medicine and psychology. Thus, it debates the concept of diversity from the contribution of the social sciences, considering the multiple concepts in the nature of social and cultural differences, breaking with essentialist concepts of difference. Reflecting on how diversity appears in the curricular guidelines of these courses, it analyzes from recent studies how this has been considered in training and the main challenges. Intersectionality is an essential political theoretical framework to apprehend the articulation of multiple differences and inequalities acting in a dynamic, fluid, and flexible way from particular historical contexts. Thus, it is sensitive to address the issue of diversity in the training of health professionals. We highlight the importance of studying differences, suggesting an analytical framework that articulates discourses, practice, subjectivation, and social relationships.