[Social criteria for selecting patients in emergency services].

OBJECTIVE To identify the social first-year and senior undergraduate students of a healthcare management course used for selecting patients who need emergency medical care. METHODS A random sample of 64 first-year and 25 senior year students of a healthcare management course in São Paulo, Brazil, were studied. To collect data, a survey instrument was developed with nine hypothetical simulated case scenarios, including the social criteria involved in the patient selection process, such as age, sex, economical status, life-style, and social duty. RESULTS There were significant differences in the two groups concerning criteria such as the patient's life-style and economic status. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that the respondents accept the inclusion of social criteria in the decision-making process in a situation of scarce resources.