Another edition of the School of Medical Sciences (SMS) Winter Schools (WS) took place from July 1st to 5th. The event promoted by the SMS International Relations Office (ERI) gathered medical professionals and graduation students from around the world for a whole week of immersion into the Brazilian medical practice.

“12 participants from Colombia, Mexico, Argentina, Italy, Switzerland, United Kingdom and United States participates in workshops with activities in many areas from SMS and the Health Sector from Unicamp, such as the Clinical Hospital, the Women’s Hospital “Prof. Dr. José Aristodemo Pinotti – CAISM”, among other places”, said SMS’s ERI coordinator and WS host, Dr. Gustavo Pereira Fraga.

Joining in welcoming the students, there were also the rector of Unicamp, Marcelo Knobel; Unicamp graduation pro-rectorate assessor, Eduardo Sabatini, in this event’s occasion representing the Unicamp Graduation pro-rector, Eliana Amaral; SMS director, Luiz Carlos Zeferino; and the International Relations Executive Director, Mariano Francisco Laplane.

“Is it a pleasure to receive them at SMS through the Winter Schools, an event that allows the cultural, academic and scientific interchange [with students from another countries]”, said SMS director, Luiz Carlos Zeferino, highlighting that, despite still very young, the Unicamp Medicine graduation course is among the best in Latin America.

“It is extremely important for Unicamp to instigate the experience exchange of its students and professors with academics from another countries”, added the Unicamp International Relations executive director, Mariano Francisco Laplane, who used the opportunity to present a institutional video about the University.

Unicamp rector, Marcelo Knobel, said he is sure that during the week, the WS studantes will have the best experience possible regarding the Brazilian public service, being able to visit the Unicamp Health Area’s many assistance services, as well as speaking to specialists from many areas. “I know that your schedule for this week is already busy, but I’d also like to invite you to meet other areas in the University. Despite the fact that July is a vacations month, our research activities are still in full progress”, he added.

Beyond Fraga, who in the 2019 edition ministered the course Trauma Leagues – Apprenticeship from prevention to definitive treatment of trauma patients, also were present at the students’ reception event the coordinators of the three other offered courses: Luis Fernando Tófoli (Interdisciplinary Perspectives of Ayahuasca), Maria Angela B. Brandão (Pediatrics in the public health system: challenges and goals) and José Paulo Cabral de Vasconsellos (Ophthalmology in general medicine: Basica approach for a better clinical practice).

The 2019 Ayahuasca Winter Course at the School of Medical Sciences

Ayahuasca is a brew of indigenous origin and made of two Amazon plant species: a vine called Banisteriopsis caapi and a shrub named Psychotria viridis. This brew is the center of the ritual practices of many native groups of South America and the basis of the Brazilian ayahuasca religious practices. Though psychoactive, ayahuasca is regulated in Brazil for ritual and religious purposes. However, why would then a native natural product be of interest of a Medical School and would be at the center of a one-week winter school?

Right now, it is being reported in the field of psychopharmacology what has been named as a ‘psychedelic renaissance’. After many years in ostracism due to the prohibition of their use for therapeutic purposes, the beginning of the 21st Century is witnessing the birth of new evidence regarding these compounds as a potential treatment for a series of mental disorders: depression, addiction, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and others.

Brazil has a comfortable position in this field of research due to its particular legal status of ayahuasca. Not only ayahuasca research is possible but also it is recommended by the resolution that regulates its use in the country. There is anecdotal evidence of a potential impact in certain mental illnesses and scientific evidence at least for its potential in the treatment of depression and substance-related disorders.

The University of Campinas Unicamp) and its School of Medical Sciences (SMS) is the home of a group that is dedicated to studying ayahuasca: the Interdisciplinary Cooperation for the Research and Outreach of Ayahuasca (ICARO). ICARO was responsible for three versions of ‘Interdisciplinary Perspectives of Ayahuasca’, a course that is part of the Winter Schools at the School of Medical Sciences.

The course is designed based on two principles. The first, it that that ayahuasca is an interdisciplinary subject, and that it can only be understood if we study it through many different perspectives: Neuroscience, Psychology, Medicine, Chemistry, Botanic, and many others. The other principle is an active learning course design: students are invited to be co-builders of their knowledge and not only (but also) watch lectures.

In the 2019 edition SMS received three students from three foreign countries: Aaron Klaiber, from Switzerland; Sandra Gudziunaite, from Lithuania (currently residing in the UK); and Francesca Sorbara, from Italy. Six more students from Brazil completed the group of participants. Overall, the feedback was very positive, and we are looking forward to offering the fourth version of this Winter Schools course in 2020.

The 2019 Ophthalmology  Winter Course at the School of Medical Sciences

From July 1st to July 5th, the Department of Ophthalmology had 3 visitors from United Kingdom and Brazil in the workshop “Ophthalmology in general medicine: a basic approach for a better clinical practice” as part of the 2019 Unicamp Winter Schools.

During the week, the visitors had the opportunity to learn more about this specialty by lectures, clinical discussions, practical activities, examination of patients under supervision and watching surgeries, such as glaucoma, retina and cataract, in a new device named nGenuity, a 3D surgical system which allows the spectators have the same view of the surgeon.

Also, the visitors joined all the members of the department (nurses, residents, professors, attendants) for lunch on Wednesday, as part of the celebrations of the Junes party, where they were introduced to Brazilian typical food.

In their opinion, especially for Saheel, the visitor that came from UK, the Unicamp Winter School was a great opportunity to come to Brazil and learn some more about ophthalmology and see how a public hospital works the country. He mentioned his expectations for the next year, when he wants to come back for another workshop. We look forward to see him again, as well as our other visitors and everybody that wants to come and join us!

The 2019 Trauma League Winter Course at the School of Medical Sciences

The course “Trauma Leagues: apprenticeship from prevention to definitive treatment of trauma patients” at the third edition of SMS - Unicamp's Winter Schools 2019 was attended by students from Italy (Michele Bonetti - Università degli Studi di Genova), Colombia (Andres Ortiz, Universidad del Valle, Cali), and Brazil (Igor Augusto Cocielli Gonçalves, Isaque Miguel Pires, Mariana de Gouvea Alves, Renata Berlinger Saraiva, and Swyri Christynni Ribeiro de Freitas).

Several theoretical and practical activities were performed in which students could actively participate. Examples include the Extended Focused Assesment with Sonography for Trauma (e-FAST) introductory class in which students, after the lecture, were able to handle the ultrasound device and practice the exam technique. They were also able to follow the routine of the surgical residents of the Unicamp Hospital das Clínicas, following the visits with the assistants at the trauma ICU and surgical procedures; attended and discussed the treatment of real cases of trauma patients in multidisciplinary meetings with the surgery and radiology team.

In addition to these activities, the students visited the Mobile Emergency Care Service (SAMU 192 Campinas), being welcomed by the SAMU General Coordinator, Dr. Elisangela Nonato, and the nurse Juliana, and they visited the Emergency Care and Rescue Group (GRAU) at the State Police Air Service base, being able to see the organization of the services and how the rescue helicopter (callsign “Eagle”) works.

Throughout the course, the exchange students were accompanied by members of the Trauma League of Unicamp who assisted them during the activities, with the support of Prof. Gustavo P. Fraga, Thiago A. R. Calderan, Mario Eduardo Mantovani, and Vitor F. Kluger.

The WS 2019 resulted in a great exchange of experiences and a better understanding of the league's activities and what steps should be taken for foreign students to organize a trauma league in their home countries.

A Symposium in Acute Kidney Injury

During two days of activities, many aspects of Acute Kidney Injury were discussed in the Acute Kidney Injury Symposium (AKIS). This event took place in July 2nd and 3rd 2019, during the Winter Schools 2019 of the School of Medical Science, propitiating opportunities for interaction with experienced national and international speakers.

The AKIS had the presence of 65 people, including nephrologists, pediatric nephrologists, intensive care physicians, internal medicine physicians, trainees and under graduation medical students.

The speakers included Etienne Macedo, professor of medicine in the University of California, San Diego, USA and Luis Yu, professor of medicine in the University of São Paulo, Brazil besides speakers of the Divisions of Nephrology, Intensive Care Medicine and Emergency Medicine of University of Campinas, Brazil.