My honest review of FMUSP Winter School (2023)

In early 2023, I had the privilege of being selected as one of 50 students worldwide to attend the Faculty of Medicine at the University of São Paulo (FMUSP) Winter School in July that year. During my time there, I was based in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology (OBGYN) department, where I gained valuable exposure to the diagnosis, management, and treatment of women's health conditions within Brazil’s healthcare system.

Application process

The application tends to open in mid-February of that same year and requires you to complete a Google form comprising of: 150-200 words on a short personal profile about you and your achievements at medical school so far (make sure to mention what specialties you want to do/are passionate about as well). Then a motivation statement (in 250-300 words), explaining: 

• the reasons why you want to attend the chosen course at FMUSP Winter Schools, your expectations about it and your own contribution; 

• your career plans and expectations; 

• the reasons why this course will contribute to your plans.

You will also need to provide a letter of recommendation to support your application (so have a good tutor or clinician who knows you well in mind).

Once you're accepted, you now have to pay a 1000 USD fee if you're a student from North America, Europe or Asia. This came into force in 2024 so I luckily did NOT have to pay any fee for the experience, only cover my flights and accommodation - which they provided at a very affordable rate and you shared with the other students on the programme.

Experience

I applied because I thought it was a great chance to immerse myself in a different healthcare system and demographic from what I was familiar with. In OBGYN, there is a massive global health component that I am interested in so I thought it would be great to have on my CV but also be able to see it first-hand. One of the most impactful experiences was learning about contraception education and counselling in a predominantly Catholic country where abortion remains illegal. Understanding how religious and cultural influences shaped healthcare delivery broadened my cultural awareness and deepened my empathy for the unique challenges faced by women in Brazil.

The programme was primarily hands-off and lecture-based, with seminars covering topics such as the connection between the gut microbiome and menopause, as well as cutting-edge developments like womb transplantation. I attended clinics and observed patient care (mostly done in Portuguese but translated into English for us), which gave me insights into medical practice and the regional differences in managing women’s health, particularly the impacts of COVID-19 on antenatal care, contraception access, and chronic gynaecological conditions.

Although it was mainly lecture-based, there were opportunities to step outside the core specialty. A particular highlight for me was scrubbing into a neurosurgery and if you demonstrated initiative, the teams were more than happy to accommodate you!

Exploring Brazil

One of the highlights of participating in the FMUSP Winter School 2023 was the opportunity to explore Brazil outside of the academic setting. Over the weekends, we had the freedom to travel, and I made the most of this by visiting Rio de Janeiro with some of the other students. I was fortunate to have a friend living in Rio, which made it easy and affordable to stay over. We took a very reasonably priced flight to Rio and returned by Flixbus, which cost around £30 each way — making it accessible even on a student budget.

In Rio, we were able to experience some of Brazil’s most iconic sights: Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf Mountain to the lively atmosphere of Copacabana and Ipanema beaches. It was truly memorable to explore a new part of the country and the weather was incredible for winter. Back in São Paulo, we also spent plenty of time outside of lectures getting to know the city. São Paulo is vibrant, diverse, and full of hidden gems — from local food markets and historic downtown areas to the colourful street art of Vila Madalena. Brazil overall was very affordable compared to the UK, and Ubers, in particular, were inexpensive. We often shared rides, which made it easy to travel around the city comfortably and safely.

Improving my Portuguese language skills was another personal goal!

Costs

At the time, there was no application fee; I only covered the cost of my flights (which were already >£1000 so I was not keen to spend any more), and FMUSP provided very affordable accommodation. I was also fortunate to successfully secure my university's 'Broadening Horizons' fund, which helped offset a small part of my travel expenses.

Since then, a participation fee of approximately $1,000 USD has been introduced. Overall, while the experience was extremely enriching, I would encourage prospective applicants to carefully consider the added cost, as the programme is predominantly lecture-based with limited hands-on clinical involvement.

In summary...

Professionally, taking part in this overseas activity has helped the development of my CV as a prospective OBGYN doctor. Studying Brazil’s public healthcare system, Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS), deepened my understanding of cost-effective healthcare delivery and gave me perspectives that could be applied to the UK system. It was also a chance to connect with esteemed OBGYN doctors and meet international students from around the world - some of whom I am still friends with!

Overall, it was a rewarding academic, cultural, and professional experience but the added fee would have made it less attractive if I was to have been accepted this year.