EVALUATING SEXUAL HEALTH EDUCATION IN A MEDICAL SCHOOL IN THE CITY OF SÃO PAULO ‒ SP

Sexual health is an essential component of comprehensive health, involving physical, emotional, and social dimensions. Despite its clinical relevance, the topic is still under addressed in medical training, often neglected due to insecurity, taboos, and curricular gaps. In this context, academic leagues have played a strategic role by promoting educational actions aimed at training future physicians. This study aimed to report an educational intervention on sexual health conducted among academic leagues and to reflect on its contribution to medical education. The activity was developed by academic leagues from a higher education medical institution in São Paulo and consisted of an expository and interactive class on sexual health, preceded and followed by online questionnaires. Twenty-seven medical students participated, 24 female and 3 male. Regarding course stage, 70.3% were in the 8th period, 22.2% in the 10th, and 7.4% in the 2nd. Before the intervention, 88.9% of participants recognized the importance of the topic for medical practice, but only 11.1% felt prepared to address it with patients. After the class, students reported greater conceptual understanding of sexual health and a marked improvement in self-confidence to apply the acquired knowledge in clinical care. The activity was evaluated as relevant, necessary, and transformative. The experience highlighted the lack of specific training in sexual health during medical school and the potential of actions promoted by academic leagues to fill this gap. The collective construction of knowledge in a welcoming and dialogic environment favored deconstruction of prejudice and strengthening of clinical and communication competencies. Initiatives like this are highly recommended and should be more frequently integrated into formal medical curricula, aiming to train more ethical, empathetic, and technically prepared professionals to deal with the diversity and complexity of sexual health.