Culture of Peace and Nonviolence vs. the Reality of Medical Education in Mexico

Abstract

Introduction: Medical education in Mexico, particularly during the undergraduate internship, unfolds within clinical environments that systematically violate students’ human rights. Evidence of mistreatment, institutional neglect, and deterioration of the right to health and education underscores the urgent need for situated empirical research aimed at transforming formative conditions. This study is grounded in a critical bioethical perspective, recognizing the imperative to consolidate public policies that dignify the educational process within teaching-assistance spaces. Objective: To analyze and interpret the narratives of undergraduate medical interns at a public university in Veracruz, Mexico, in order to identify critical dimensions that hinder the full realization of the right to medical education. Method: A qualitative study conducted using an interpretive approach, supported by methodological triangulation involving content analysis, documentary review, and institutional evaluation. The data consisted of testimonies collected by the Observatory of Medical Education and Human Rights, which categorized into eight formative dimensions. Results: The most frequently reported categories were “Lack of protection and safety,” “Deficient academic program,” and “Lack of academic attention from the university,” all of which reflect physical risk, pedagogical abandonment, and mental health deterioration. Additional findings included cases of sexual harassment, institutional violence, and self-medication. Discussion: The findings reveal a structural crisis in the medical internship model, demanding an ethical and political reconfiguration of the formative process. Ensuring safe, just, and humanizing environments for future health professionals is a pressing educational and public health priority.