The Family Health Strategy is responsible for supporting the reorganization of Brazil's Unified National Health System (SUS) through primary care. A substantial increase in available residency positions in family and community medicine is one of the main strategies for supplying the growing professional demand related to this health policy. However, few medical students have chosen the family health career in recent years, and more than half of the vacancies remain unoccupied. The Brazilian literature shows little evidence to explain this fact. Some countries with a strong background in primary health care have also experienced a crisis in the primary care career choice. The current article discusses several arguments involved in this issue, emphasizing its complexity and the need for more scientific data concerning undergraduate students' motivations in choosing this medical specialty as compared to others, particularly in Brazil.
Family practice; Internship and residency; Community medicine; Primary health care; Medical education