Public Health, with its missions to understand the population, anticipate risks, promote health, and prevent disease, has attracted young specialists. Francisca Pulido Valente and Dinis Loyens, who completed their internships in this field at the Public Health Unit of ULS Amadora/Sintra, chose to remain at the institution after completing their training, now sharing their perspectives on the specialty and the unit.
Both specialists emphasize the autonomy and responsibility granted to interns at ULS Amadora/Sintra, which allow them to explore individual interests and develop research projects. Francisca Pulido Valente (FPV) highlights the encouragement for research, both among interns and in collaboration with external entities, and the close relationship with supervisors. Dinis Loyens (DL) adds the freedom to invest in continuous training, such as courses, master's degrees, and doctorates, and the proximity to reference institutions like the Directorate-General of Health and the National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge.
The culture of collaboration is another strong point highlighted. DL mentions the mutual support among interns, specialists, and other health professionals, such as nurses and technicians, enriching the experience and learning with different perspectives.
The choice for Public Health was motivated by various factors. FPV, after an experience in Gastroenterology, sought an area that combined health policies, prevention, and multidisciplinary work, finding at ULS Amadora/Sintra a unit with a national reputation. DL, initially undecided between Infectious Diseases and Public Health, was inspired by the film Contagion and a positive experience with a supervisor in the Algarve. The unit's training reputation led him to choose ULS Amadora/Sintra to contribute to community protection.
The Public Health internship is characterized by a strong investment in theoretical training, with a year dedicated to acquiring scientific and methodological foundations, followed by internships in research, intervention, and auditing. The main activity involves analyzing health situations, research, and developing interventions to improve population health.
Responding about the limits of the specialty, FPV states that “The sky is the limit!”. Interns can explore diverse areas such as vaccination projects, female genital mutilation prevention initiatives, vector surveillance, TB screening for migrants, and HIV prevention. The specialty also covers school health, health promotion, violence prevention, cancer screenings, and addictive behaviors, with community institutions open to collaboration.
As specialists, FPV and DL maintain an “open door” policy for new interns, offering support and advice, replicating the training model they received. They also highlight Dr. Maria Etelvina Calé, Coordinator of the Public Health Unit, as an extraordinary leader: competent, humane, and inspiring.
The experience of Dinis Loyens and Francisca Pulido Valente demonstrates Public Health as a dynamic and multidisciplinary specialty. At ULS Amadora/Sintra, training is built through research, community intervention, innovation, and teamwork, preparing professionals for today's and tomorrow's health challenges.
