The effort to send medical students to the coronavirus front

Today’s issue of the Brazilian government’s Federal Register included an ordinance from the Education Ministry authorizing federal universities to fast-track the graduations of students majoring in medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and physiotherapy who have completed at least 75 percent of their internship credits. In order to qualify for early graduation, they must work in efforts to combat the coronavirus, following specific criteria from local administrations. They will receive temporary medical licenses, to be issued by the Health Ministry.

On March 19, reporter Natália Scalzaretto talked with several students — many of whom are treating the situation as something comparable to a military draft.

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