Evaluation of the presence of indigenous in the medical course under the optics of indigenous students, non-indigenous students and teachers at a university in the Amazon

Abstract

The present study aimed to analyze the presence of indigenous students from the perspective of indigenous students, non-indigenous and teachers of a medical course at a Federal University in the Amazon. This is a quantitative, prospective, cross-sectional, descriptive study carried out in the state of Pará, in Belém, at the Federal University of Pará and at the Institute of Health Sciences. Three forms were used about the presence of indigenous students in the medical course, one for each population analyzed (indigenous students, non-indigenous students and teachers), the categorical variables were described in the form of relative and absolute frequency and Fisher's Exact Test was used for statistical comparison, adopting a significance level of p ≤ 0, 05. One hundred sixty two questionnaires were evaluated, 18 from indigenous students, 128 from non-indigenous students and 34 from teachers. The study revealed that the three populations present opinions that are sometimes divergent, sometimes convergent, showing negative impacts on the formation of indigenous students who are sometimes not perceived by non-indigenous students and teachers, making the experience and permanence of indigenous students in higher education more challenging. Finally, it appears that although there are methods of entry of indigenous people into higher education, the institutions, teachers and students, for the most part, are not fully prepared to welcome these peoples and their diversity