In February 2016, the Brazil-FAIMER Regional Institute welcomed its 10th class of Fellows and celebrated this important milestone in Beberibe, Ceará, Brazil. More than 150 people took part in the anniversary celebration, including the 39 incoming Brazil-FAIMER Fellows, alumni who serve as faculty for the program, other alumni, international faculty, and prominent guests. A focal point of the celebration was a session featuring the 10 winners of the Brazil-FAIMER Projects That Work competition. A National Medical Education Day was also held, highlighting the history of the Brazil-FAIMER program and including a presentation by Dr. Francisco Campos, who was the National Secretary of Labor and Education Management in Health of the Brazilian Ministry of Health when the program was established—with support of the Brazilian government that was due in large part to Dr. Campos’ vision and advocacy.
Brazil-FAIMER, the third of FAIMER’s Regional Institutes to be developed, began in 2007 under the direction of Dr. Eliana Amaral and Dr. Henry Campos. Dr. Amaral is a Professor in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at Universidade Estadual de Campinas in São Paulo, Brazil, and a 2003 Fellow of the FAIMER Institute. Dr. Campos is Rector and Professor of Internal Medicine at Universidade Federal do Ceará in Fortaleza, Brazil, and a 2002 Fellow of the FAIMER Institute.
In recognition of the 10-year anniversary, the Associação Brasileira de Educação Médica (ABEM) published a special issue of its Cadernos da ABEM in March 2016, devoted entirely to the Brazil-FAIMER program. The issue includes an overview and history of the program, as well as summaries of a sampling of the many impressive education innovation projects that have been implemented by Brazil-FAIMER Fellows over the years, including the winners of the Projects That Work competition. A copy of the special Cadernos issue (PDF – 3 MB; in Portuguese) can be accessed here.
An English translation of the editorial that serves as an introduction to the issue, written by Dr. Amaral, Dr. Campos, and several members of the Brazil-FAIMER faculty, can be accessed here.