Prácticas intermedias en la formación de Trabajadores Sociales en una universidad confesional de Chile

The article examines the intermediate social work practices as scenarios in which key dimensions of vocational training are articulated and stressed. It is proposed that these spaces allow o problematize institutional, ethical and methodological challenges, and explore different ways of understanding the critical thinking in the disciplinary field. The research adopts a qualitative approach, cross-sectional design and descriptive scope, based on the analysis of practice reports and focus groups with students of the Adventist University of Chile. Through interpretative strategies, it is investigated how students express their experiences in the face of challenges presented at the different levels of professional intervention defined by the curricular network. The study shows that intermediate practices oscillate between the technical application of models and the construction of critical positions, revealing formative tensions around the use of theory, professional role and dialogue with the institutional approach. Among the training challenges identified, the following stand out: the need to deepen the epistemological and political understanding of theoretical frameworks, strengthen structural analysis and promote a critical reflection on the professional role oriented towards social transformation.