Professional education in curricular internships of occupational therapists in Primary Health Care

This study regards the experience of implementing a professional internship intended to students of Occupational Therapy in Primary Health Care in a Federal University located in São Paulo State, Brazil. Occupational therapist profession in Brazil was inserted in this level of care to offer specialised support to teams, mainly concerning qualification of care to vulnerable and invisible populations (community, family and cultural aspects), health promotion, encouragement of team work, humanisation in health. Such curricular internship occurs since 2017 to students of the 4th and 5th years of undergraduate course, completing 240 hours. How is the practice programme in Primary Health Care organised in the pedagogic project? Which are the strengths and fragilities of this field, as far as education is concerned? Among the practice scenarios, there are Basic Health Unit, Family Health Strategy teams, Family Health Support Centre, Street Clinic and University Basic Health Unit, with tutors who establish the collaboration. The interns follow individual and group cases, take part in team meetings and actions for team qualification and are also supervised weekly by a professor. Among their strengths, we can list a diversified education, based on the most recent public policies for the level of care that represents the stepping stone to the health system. As well as the access to the occupational therapy professional in this first contact, if the team identifies such necessity. Regarding challenges, there is unawareness about professional practice, difficulty to access work instruments and resources, as well as physical space. We hope this experience can help other educational institutions to implement their practice programmes in and for the health system. Egresses report that enables learning to work in a team in different scenarios. Such strategy aims to form a generalist professional, with criticality regarding challenges and potentialities of Brazilian public health. Key messages This study reports the experience of a professional internship of Occupational Therapy in Primary Health Care, understanding the health system as a scenario for practice, teaching and learning. Educating occupational therapists to this level of care is necessary, in agreement with the attributes of Primary Care.