Applicant Profile

To enter the postgraduate program, the applicant must have studied medicine and certify a medical degree as a graduate of a higher education institution recognized by the Ministry of National Education or abroad (for which he/she must provide the resolution of validation in which it is demonstrated that the program studied and the degree obtained is equivalent and recognized by the MEN in Colombia as a Physician).

The applicant's profile should demonstrate medical knowledge and interest in social aspects as determinants of health, sufficient for a good performance in the training process in the Family Medicine Specialization.

Must have social sensitivity and humanistic principles, showing interest in caring in an integral and continuous way to people, in the different life cycles, their families and communities in health matters. Willing to contribute with his/her work and professionalism in the reduction of health inequities.

Graduate profile

The specialist in Family Medicine, graduated from UNINAVARRA will be characterized by being a professional with a general knowledge base in medicine and with specialization in the maintenance of the health of the individual in their different life cycles.

A skilled specialist who is familiar with community immersion tools, public health policies and generates strategies that positively impact national health indicators.

A person-centered professional with the pluripotential resolution capacity to work in primary health care, hospital, emergency, rehabilitation, palliative care and administration of health services and policies.

An ethical community leader who will be highly committed to the region, the country and the research processes that generate knowledge in the areas concerning health and its determinants.
To fulfill this profile, the graduate physician will have the following attributes:

Hypothyroidism under control: A guide for patients taking levothyroxine and their caregivers.

Dr. Martha Niebles, professor of the specialization in family medicine at UNINAVARRA, published the Guide for patients and caregivers on hypothyroidism in Perspectives in Family Medicine, digital magazine of the Colombian Society of Family Medicine (SOCMEF). This initiative represents much more than an academic publication: it is a bridge between scientific knowledge and the daily life of those who live with this disease. In a context where information circulates mainly through digital media, having reliable, clear and accessible content strengthens the educational role of family medicine and expands its impact beyond the doctor's office.

Published in February 2026, the guideline offers a comprehensive health education perspective aimed at both the patient and their caregiver, recognizing that the management of hypothyroidism is a shared process. It is a chronic disease that, although manageable, has significant implications for cardiovascular risk and quality of life. Levothyroxine, a drug with a narrow therapeutic range, requires precise and consistent use; however, many decompensations are not due to lack of treatment, but to lack of clear information on how to take it properly. Herein lies the strength of digital education: explaining in understandable language, resolving frequent doubts and empowering families to actively participate in care.

This type of digital publications consolidates an educational strategy consistent with the current needs of our community, where immediate access to accurate information can make a difference in therapeutic adherence and clinical outcomes. From the point of view of family medicine, to educate is to care, and to do so through digital platforms broadens the scope, equity and continuity of care. The full publication can be consulted below at the following link: https://socmef.co/boletin-cientifico-medicina-familiar/#flipbook-df_6021/1/

Narrative: The threshold of death

The UNINAVARRA family medicine specialization opened its cycle of narratives with a topic as inevitable as it is profoundly human: death. Not as an abstract concept or as a clinical outcome recorded in a medical history, but as an experience, limit and mystery. To talk about death is, in fact, to talk about the meaning of life, care and dignity. We are grateful for the participation of doctors Elizabeth Perdomo, Luis Quintero and Isidro Torres, who, from their professional background and human sensitivity, made this discussion transcend the strictly academic to become a space for intimate, honest and moving reflection. 

The activity, held on February 25, 2026, brought together family medicine residents, teachers of the specialty and of the medicine program, members of the community and administrative staff of the institution. It was a meeting where scientific knowledge dialogued with memory, vulnerability and personal experiences. It was understood that death is not only a biological event, but a relational experience that challenges the physician, the family and society. Each intervention built a bridge between professional training and the deepest dimension of human beings: their awareness of finitude. 

As a culminating moment, an experiential cognitive experience was developed that invited participants, through guided instructions, to imagine their own death and confront the reality of being finite. The exercise did not seek to generate fear, but rather to awaken understanding, empathy and a sense of ethics. In that moment of inner silence, many recognized that only those who are capable of thinking of themselves as mortal can authentically accompany the pain of others. This experience strengthened essential qualities in the doctors in training: compassion, deep listening and the ability to sustain life even when approaching the threshold of death. 

Labor welfare: Family medicine contributing to the welfare of UNINAVARRA collaborators.

Well-being at work is not an accessory concept: it is an essential dimension of integral health. From family medicine we understand that the human being is not fragmented between the personal and the professional; everything is interconnected. Neurolinguistic programming (NLP), as a set of techniques aimed at recognizing and transforming mental patterns, offers tools to identify internal barriers, limiting beliefs and “mental viruses” that condition the way we feel, act and relate to others. Often it is not the external circumstances that determine our performance, but the internal discourses that we repeat without questioning them. Recognizing them is the first step to redefine them.

On February 21, Dr. Isidro Torres, in coordination with the University Welfare Office, led an activity aimed at UNINAVARRA's administrative collaborators. More than a training, it was an experiential experience. Through dance and music, NLP techniques applied to emotional management were explored, promoting conscious joy, group cohesion and practical strategies to cope with daily stress. Family medicine, traditionally associated with the clinical setting, showed here its scope in the promotion of health in work scenarios, understanding that emotionally healthy teams build more humane and resilient institutions.

During the conference, participants reflected on the extraordinary capacity of the brain to learn, adapt and create new possibilities. It was emphasized that human potential is not determined by labels or comparisons, but by inner conviction and willingness to change. Many limitations stem from unexamined beliefs. The activity culminated with a process of meditation and relaxation through pranic healing techniques, generating an atmosphere of serenity and harmony. Thus, the family physician reaffirms his role in all fields of wellness -biological, emotional, social and occupational- accompanying not only the disease, but also the integral flourishing of individuals and communities.

Service Alliance: UNINAVARRA and the Colombian Aerospace Force serving the community.

In the city of Ibagué, on Saturday, February 28, teachers and residents of UNINAVARRA participated in a large comprehensive community day in articulation with the Colombian Aerospace Force, developed continuously from 7:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. This inter-institutional alliance allowed to join academic, logistical and human capacities to directly reach those who need it most, reaffirming that collaborative work strengthens the social impact and multiplies the benefits for the community.

The academic and assistance team was made up of 12 members: 9 resident doctors of the first, third, fourth, fifth and sixth semesters of the Family Medicine Specialization, and 3 teachers: Dr. Marta Niebles, Dr. Ingrid García and Dr. Harold Mendieta. The day had a multidisciplinary approach with the participation of professionals in law, psychology, speech therapy, dentistry and veterinary medicine, providing comprehensive care to both people and their pets, understood as an essential part of families. This articulated work showed the importance of community service as a training scenario and, at the same time, as a concrete response to real social needs.

In total, 456 people were attended during the brigade. In the medical component, a general practitioner performed triage, while the Family Medicine team was in charge of the clinical assessment and the resolution of 246 consultations. The residents, under permanent teaching supervision, provided timely, safe and humanized care, addressing internal medicine, pediatrics, gynecology, dermatology, orthopedics, optometry and urology pathologies. The high satisfaction of the community -close to 100 %- and the logistical support of the Colombian Aerospace Force consolidate this experience as an example of the social commitment of UNINAVARRA and the fundamental role of Family Medicine as the articulating axis of the service to the most vulnerable populations.

Publication letter to the editor: Comments to the article “Pancytopenia: Diagnostic approach. Literature review.”

Resident Diana Elizabeth Andrade-Mejía and professor Jhonatan Andrés Portes-Ortiz, from the Specialization in Family Medicine of UNINAVARRA, published a letter to the editor in the journal Salutem Scientia Spiritus of the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Volume 11, Number 4, October-December 2025, ISSN: 2463-1426 online). This academic contribution, entitled as observations to the article “Pancytopenia: Diagnostic approach. Literature review”, constitutes a rigorous exercise of critical analysis and scientific dialogue, fundamental pillars in the construction of medical knowledge.

The publication of letters to the editor reflects the importance of judicious and systematic reading of scientific articles. Reading in depth not only involves understanding results, but also contrasting methodologies, analyzing the strength of the evidence, identifying possible conceptual gaps and evaluating the coherence between findings and conclusions. It is precisely this academic exercise that allows teachers and residents to develop the ability to make informed observations, propose clarifications and contribute to the continuous improvement of the scientific literature, thus strengthening the quality of the academic debate.

This type of production demonstrates the permanent updating of the teaching staff and physicians in training, as well as their competence to make academic corrections based on evidence. Critical capacity, based on scientific knowledge, not only enriches existing publications, but also consolidates a responsible and reflective research culture. In this context, the letter to the editor transcends the brief format to become an act of intellectual rigor and commitment to academic excellence in family medicine.

We have an Internationalization Policy "UNINAVARRA FACING THE WORLD"which aims to offer the academic community a bridge between the local environment and the globalized world. Through its lines of action, it provides opportunities for interaction with the national and international environment in classroom and online mode, where you can live training experiences in other contexts, interact with people from different cultures, learn about the global dynamics and its social, cultural, economic, environmental changes, among others; enhance your career with national and international projection and strengthen your training as a global professional and citizen of the world.

Lines of action and opportunities:
- International Cooperation Management: Agreements, alliances, joint projects and networking with more than 200 institutions from different countries around the world such as Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Spain, United States, Italy, Mexico, Peru, among others.
- Academic Mobility Management: Student exchange opportunities during one or two academic periods throughout the development of the student's academic program in different types of mobility such as: academic exchange (taking subjects), short course, internship, practicum, medical rotation, mission, research stay, observership and degree modalities. Teaching mobility as national and foreign visiting professors in your classroom.
- Multiculturalism and Multilingualism Management: Activities that contribute to the development of intercultural competencies and communicative competence in a foreign language, mainly English as a universal language.
- Management of the Internationalization of the Curriculum: Joint classes with other institutions through mirror class methodology or COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning).
More information: https://uninavarra.edu.co/internacionalizacion/