Adopting a pedagogy of connection for medical education

In this article, we propose developing a "pedagogy of connection" based on the history and evolution of medical education in Brazil. This pedagogy emerged from the intersection of the healthcare and higher educational systems, both dedicated to the principles of social justice and universal access, in response to the country's efforts to address the enduring impacts of slavery and social inequality. Following the "Sanitary Reformation" movement-a foundational moment for Brazil's healthcare and medical education systems-Brazil established the Unified Public Healthcare System (Sistema Único de Saúde - SUS). SUS is founded on principles of universality, integrality, equity, community participation, political and administrative decentralisation, hierarchisation and regionalisation. Aligned with these core principles and inspired by critical pedagogy, Brazilian medical education has evolved with a profound commitment to social justice, critical consciousness, professional presence and compassion. This evolution has given rise to a "pedagogy of connection," which imbues medical education with a sense of purpose and joy, preparing future medical professionals to address the challenges of our ever-evolving society and healthcare systems. The connections fostered by this pedagogy occur in complementary dimensions: (a) healthcare system and society, (b) community, (c) profession, (d) patients, and (e) ourselves. This innovative pedagogy enhances medical education discourse and practice by emphasising the development of a professional identity grounded in social justice and patient-centred care, which remain challenges for current medical education systems. As the global medical education community embraces decolonisation, this pedagogy offers a framework that can be adapted and enriched in various contexts worldwide, fostering opportunities for mutual learning from diverse educational systems in a dialogical and democratic manner.