Nível de alfabetização financeira dos estudantes de medicina: análise empírica e implicações para a formação acadêmica e profissional

Abstract

Financial literacy has emerged as an essential competence for life in society, especially in professions of high complexity and long training, such as medicine. The literature highlights that medical students, both in Brazil and abroad, face significant challenges related to indebtedness, resource management, and lack of preparation to deal with personal and professional financial issues. In this context, the present study aimed to measure the financial literacy level of medical students at a private institution and to propose an educational product designed to reduce the identified gaps. This is an applied, descriptive, and quantitative research, conducted through a survey. The target population comprised 637 regularly enrolled medical students, of whom 242 responded to the questionnaire validated by the Research and Development Center in Financial Education (DENARIUS/UNIFEI). Data analysis employed descriptive statistics, nonparametric tests (Mann-Whitney, Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Kruskal-Wallis), and ordinal and multinomial logistic regression models. The results revealed a low level of financial literacy among participants, with an average score of 2.65 on a scale from 0 to 6, and only 36% classified as financially literate. Statistically significant differences were identified between sexes, with male students performing better. The analysis also indicated that prior exposure to finance-related content, saving habits, and ways of dealing with installment purchases are relevant predictors of financial literacy levels. It is concluded that the lack of financial competencies among the investigated students may compromise both their academic trajectory and future professional practice. As a practical contribution, the study proposes the creation of an elective course structured in two complementary axes: formal content of personal finance (budgeting, debt, investments, taxation, and medical career planning) and behavioral aspects (expense control, consumption decisions, and saving strategies). This educational product seeks to prepare future physicians for a more conscious practice, reducing financial stress and increasing the sustainability of their careers.