The health systems of the Americas face profound transformations arising from demographic, epidemiological, technological, social and cultural changes that challenge traditional forms of training health professionals. Within this context, the symposium Education and Innovation in and for the Health Sciences proposes a space for critical reflection, exchange of experiences, and research on the trends, challenges and perspectives of educational processes aimed at developing human talent in health.
The symposium will address education for health professionals, analyzing curricular innovations, competency-based approaches, student-centered learning, active methodologies, clinical simulation, competency assessment, as well as the development of socio-emotional, professional and interprofessional competencies needed to respond to the contemporary challenges of healthcare. The symposium will promote analysis of competency-based education and Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) as guiding frameworks for curricular design, teaching, learning and assessment of professionals capable of responding to the changing needs of health systems.
Discussion will also be promoted on community-based education, recognizing the role of patients, families and communities as fundamental educational actors. Within this framework, patient narratives and lived experiences within processes of health, illness and care constitute opportunities to strengthen humanistic training, person-centered care, and shared decision-making, in line with the principles of value-based medicine.
As a cross-cutting theme, the symposium will examine the potential of artificial intelligence to understand its pedagogical, ethical and social implications, including its influence on processes of meaningful learning, metacognition, clinical decision-making, and interactions among students, teachers, patients and health systems.
Likewise, the role of health simulation as a strategy for developing clinical, communication and teamwork competencies in safe environments will be discussed, fostering patient safety and quality of care.
Furthermore, the challenges of interprofessional education, training for lifelong learning, and continuing professional development will be addressed, considered essential elements for building more integrated, equitable, humanized and socially responsible health systems in the Americas.
Challenges related to equity, diversity and inclusion will also be addressed, recognizing the importance of creating educational environments that value individual, cultural and social differences, foster the participation of historically underrepresented groups, and contribute to reducing health inequities.
Finally, research in health sciences education will be encouraged as a tool for generating evidence, guiding educational innovation, evaluating its impact, and strengthening the quality of training processes.
Particular attention will be paid to the experiences and challenges of Latin America and the Caribbean, promoting the exchange of knowledge, research and good practices that contribute to the development of more equitable, inclusive, humanized and socially responsible health systems.
