Wallace William da Costa, 44 years old, studies medicine at UFNT Personal Archive/Wallace William Wallace William da Costa, 47 years old, left Minas Gerais and his family to live in Araguaína, in the north of Tocantins, where he studies medicine at the Federal University of Northern Tocantins (UFNT). Now, about to start internship, he is trying to transfer to a university in his home state to be closer to his wife and four daughters, but complains about the delay in the process. The future doctor completed, at the beginning of this month, the 8th period of the course and started receiving invitations to give lectures about his career. Wallace was arrested at age 18 for drug trafficking and served six years in prison. The Court of Justice of Minas Gerais confirmed compliance with the sentence and the extinction of punishment. "What to think, if not prejudice. A request made in November 2025 [at UFNT], and the Federal University of Juiz de Fora would only receive it in April 2026. A process would be stopped for more than 70 days and would only be started after I appeared in person to collect", reports the student. UFNT informed that the transfer process awaits a response from the recipient institution so that it can continue with the next steps. In a statement, the Federal University of Juiz de Fora (UFJF) said that the Dean of Undergraduate Studies (Prograd) contacted Wallace to provide clarification and update information about the process. ? Click here to follow the g1 TO channel on WhatsApp READ MORE Ex-inmate who studies medicine at a federal university in TO is 2,000 km away from his family to make his dream come true Ex-inmate who studies medicine at a federal university in TO gives a lecture to prisoners: 'Showing that there is another way out' 'Education transforms': ex-inmate who studies medicine is approved in a public examination for a doctor
Former prisoner who is studying medicine tries to transfer universities and complains about delays in the process
Wallace William da Costa, 44 years old, studies medicine at UFNT Personal Archive/Wallace William Wallace William da Costa, 47 years old, left Minas Gerais and his family to live in Araguaína, in the north of Tocantins,...
Since starting the course, Wallace has only kept in touch with his family during vacation periods from classes. One of his daughters is autistic and needs special care. "I can't afford to bring them to live in Araguaína, I survive on scholarships and it's all very important to [guarantee] their survival and mine. [...] My greatest achievement is my family, it's for them that I value them. It's for them that I leave so far away to study and improve their lives. Everything I do, that I go through, is for them", he says. Contestant Wallace William says that his studies enabled him to pass several competitions for different states. "I passed a temporary competition at a federal hospital in Rio de Janeiro. When the permanent competition came out, I was also approved. Then, I passed the Fiocruz and Petrobras competitions. In total, there were nine approvals. I took on two positions, in which I worked until 2016, when I needed to undergo back surgery and was retired due to disability", he explains. In 2025, the student was approved in a public competition for the position of doctor in Minas Gerais. Now, he hopes to complete his course at the Federal University of Northern Tocantins (UFNT), Araguaína campus, to take on a public role. Fresh start The student was arrested in 1997 and served four years of his sentence in a closed regime at the José Edson Cavalieri Penitentiary, in Minas Gerais. The Court of Justice of Minas Gerais confirmed compliance with the sentence and the extinction of punishment. Wallace decided to change his life during the period he was in prison, when he resumed his studies and completed high school. "I looked through the bars and saw a beautiful moon, and I realized, at that moment, that it wasn't doing me any good. The following week I started studying in the penitentiary. I served four years in prison and two years on parole, during my parole I took a nursing course and started working", says the student. In 2023, he studied for the National High School Exam (Enem) and passed the Medicine course at UFNT. See more news from the region on g1 Tocantins.
