Distance learning and continuing education: searching for progress in health

Abstract

The Open University of Brazilian National Health System (UNASUS) was established to meet the training and education needs of the Unified Health System workers, facilitating access to continuing instruction through distance learning. This paper aims to report the experience of the students from UNASUS specialization courses in Family Health and Mother-Child Health, offered by the Federal University of Maranhão, based on the production of their scientific studies and the contribution of distance learning to the transformation of the health conditions in the communities they serve. The main issues studied were mother and child health care and consisted of action plans, aiming to tackle the identified problems and to ensure healthy living as a citizen's right public asset. Distance learning allowed to these professionals to access continuous training and also, provided tools that suggest ways of modifying the formation and implementation of health policies.

Medical Education; Distance Education; Continuing Education; Unified Health System