Teaching about persistent physical symptoms with the aid of a television show: medical undergraduate students’ perceptions

BACKGROUND: Persistent physical symptoms (PPS) are highly prevalent and often challenging to manage, yet they remain marginal in medical education. Innovative pedagogical approaches may help address these gaps. APPROACH: We explored undergraduate medical students' perceptions of using the Brazilian TV series Basic Unit (Unidade Básica) to discuss PPS and their management in primary health care (PHC). The activity took place in a private medical school in southern Brazil. Students watched an episode portraying a family affected by PPS and participated in guided discussions connecting the fictional case with real clinical experiences. Sixteen students (mostly in their final year) later joined online focus groups. Discussions were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analysed according to Ricoeur's hermeneutics. FINDINGS: Students reported that Basic Unit offered a realistic and relatable depiction of PPS, contrasting with traditional medical dramas that focus on acute, hospital-based conditions. They recognised the importance of communication skills, empathy, and family assessment tools - such as genograms and family meetings - in understanding and managing PPS. The audiovisual format helped them visualise complex psychosocial dynamics and strengthened their grasp of key primary care concepts. CONCLUSION: Using Basic Unit as a teaching tool helped students bridge theory and practice, valuing PHC and the biopsychosocial approach to PPS. This low-cost, context-specific resource can complement communication-skills and family-medicine teaching, contributing to curriculum innovation and reinforcing the role of PHC in addressing complex, person-centred problems.