Training Process of the Clinical Student Assistant through a Community-Based Model

Abstract

Introduction: Despite the progress made in undergraduate education by the Cuban Medical University, particularly in its community-oriented approach, challenges persist in the training process of student clinical assistants—especially those whose roles have been increasingly redirected toward primary health care. According to previous studies conducted by the lead author at the Medical University of Santiago de Cuba, these challenges stem from an insufficient epistemological and methodological framework for the axiological-professional formation of student assistants, particularly those engaged in clinical practice within community settings. This shortfall is reflected in the theoretical and practical deficiencies exhibited by these students in such contexts, as well as in the limitations of the educational support provided by their tutor professors. These issues manifest as axiological-professional shortcomings among the students, constituting part of the complex challenges identified by the Cuban Medical University, which is under increasing pressure to deliver immediate solutions with viable epistemological, praxeological, and axiological relevance to the context.
From this perspective, a community-based pedagogical model was designed, grounded in the scientific conception of the Configurational Holistic approach, aiming to bridge the identified epistemological gap in training. To construct the theoretical framework, the study employed methods such as analysis-synthesis, dialectical-holistic reasoning, modeling, and bibliographic analysis. Expert evaluations deemed the model relevant, valid, and feasible for implementation in community-based clinical assistantship programs.