Permanent education: improvements in a specialisation in Family Health alongside a distance learning course

Abstract

The distance education is considered an important resource to be used to professionals acquire other capacities and special training to work. This article aims to evaluate structure, process and results of the curso de especialização em Saúde da Família ( specialisation in family health), offered by the UNA-SUS – Universidade Aberta do Sistema Único de Saúde (Open University of the Unified Health System) in partnership with the Unifesp – Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Federal University of São Paulo). A quantitative study was carried out from the 30 assertive questions followed by the Likert scale, which was answered by 54 professionals which completed the course. The evaluation of the platform, the available material, the tutor’s performance, the occasional meetings, the elaboration of final dissertation, the integration of theory and practice received positive assessment, except with regard to the continuity of access to the available material so that it could contribute to the practice. The course was effective, in general, as in its structure as in its process and results and the professionals would indicate it to other professionals.