Jalecos que guardam cores, corpos que guardam lutas. Trajetórias e desafios de estudantes cotistas no curso de Medicina

Abstract

This study investigates the developments of quota policies in Brazilian higher education, established by Law No. 12,711/2012, recognizing them as an important affirmative action aimed at reducing educational, social, and economic inequalities in the country. Beyond ensuring access, the study seeks to understand the dynamics of retention, support, and institutional monitoring of students admitted through this policy. The research focuses on the academic trajectories of quota students in the Medicine program at the Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), linked to the Center for Medical Sciences (CCM), considering that this program has historically represented an elitist and socially restricted space. The study was developed within the Graduate Program in Public Policy, Management, and Evaluation of Education (PPGAVE) at UFPB. The promulgation of the Federal Constitution of 1988 marked a significant shift by breaking with assistentialist models and affirming Brazil’s ethnic and social plurality, enabling the expansion of inclusive policies and challenging traditional spaces, including universities. The advancement of affirmative action policies has transformed the profile of the student body in public institutions, promoting the inclusion of groups historically excluded from higher education. The study adopted a phenomenological approach, centered on human experiences, combined with bibliographic and documentary research and a case study. As a requirement of the professional master’s program, a Technical-Technological Product (TTP) was developed in the form of the Guide for Full Citizenship at UFPB, designed based on the experiences and perceptions collected during the research. The guide is intended for UFPB students, providing guidance on rights, institutional reporting mechanisms, and legal frameworks that ensure the protection of their integrity and citizenship. It is conceived as a tool to strengthen full academic participation, promote equity and inclusion, and foster a more just and accessible university environment. The research aimed to contribute to a critical understanding of the effectiveness of quota policies, particularly in highly selective programs such as Medicine, highlighting the challenges that remain regarding the real democratization of higher education. Based on the accounts of quota students in the Medicine program, the findings reveal that although quota policies have significantly expanded access for historically excluded groups, academic retention is still marked by challenges related to socioeconomic inequalities, material constraints, long commuting distances, the need to balance work and study, and, above all, recurrent experiences of prejudice and discrimination from peers and, in some cases, faculty members. The results indicate that these factors affect students’ sense of belonging, self-esteem, and academic engagement, while also revealing resistance strategies based on support networks, peer solidarity, and individual resilience. It is concluded that, for inclusion to be effective, affirmative action policies must be accompanied by continuous institutional measures of pedagogical, psychological, and financial support, as well as initiatives aimed at promoting an anti-racist, inclusive university culture committed to equity and the appreciation of diversity.