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MEC Approves 77 New Medical Courses and Brazil Experiences Unprecedented Expansion in Health: Country Reaches Nearly 500 Medical Schools and Graduates 50,000 Doctors a Year, a Pace That Promises to Revolutionize the SUS!
The teaching of medicine in Brazil is undergoing one of the largest expansions in recent history. In less than two years, the Ministry of Education (MEC) has approved the opening of 77 new medical courses, a move that has put the country in the global spotlight for the speed of its expansion. This trend represents an increase of 4,412 slots in medical education, according to a survey by the School of Medicine at USP (FMUSP).
But the growth has not stopped there. Between January 2024 and September 2025, another 20 existing courses were expanded, adding 1,049 new slots.
In total, Brazil has gained 5,461 medical training opportunities in less than two years, a milestone that reinforces the strategic role of the health sector in professional training.
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Today, the country has 494 medical schools, with 50,974 annual slots, of which about 80% are in private institutions.
This makes Brazil the second country with the most medical schools on the planet, behind only India, which has over 1.4 billion inhabitants and about 600 institutions.
Here, with a population of a little over 213 million people, the pace of openings is impressive and raises debates about quality, distribution, and impact on public health.
Northeast Leads Growth and New Cities Enter the Medical Training Map
According to a study conducted by the research group Medical Demography in Brazil, led by Professor Mário Scheffer from the Department of Preventive Medicine at USP, the Northeast was the region that benefited the most from the creation of new medical courses, concentrating 43% of the available slots (2,365). Right behind is the Southeast, with 1,225 slots, followed by the North (835), South (729), and Central-West (307).
Among the states that received the most approvals are Pará, Bahia, and São Paulo, each with eight new courses. In the capitals, the highlight goes to São Luís (MA), which alone secured five new approvals. Other cities such as Belém (PA), Teresina (PI), and Boa Vista (RR) also significantly expanded their offerings.
In the interior of the country, the advance has been equally remarkable. Municipalities such as Feira de Santana (BA), Sobral (CE), Tianguá (CE), Cariacica (ES), Santarém (PA), and Joinville (SC) received two simultaneous approvals, showing that the growth of medical training is moving inland, which could help reduce regional inequalities in access to health.
Brazil Promises to Reach 1.2 Million Doctors by 2030: Challenges and Impacts of This New Wave of Medical Courses
Despite the optimism surrounding the expansion, experts warn of the challenges that accompany the accelerated increase in slots. Professor Mário Scheffer emphasizes that, while the creation of new courses raises the number of doctors available, it also intensifies the imbalance between medical education and the availability of residency programs.
“On the one hand, it increases the availability of professionals. On the other hand, there is a gap between graduation slots and residency slots. Brazil needs to better plan the qualification, distribution, and integration of these new doctors into the Unified Health System (SUS),” evaluates the researcher.
According to the Federal Council of Medicine (CFM), the country already has over 560,000 active doctors, and the current training pace, more than 50,000 new professionals per year, could allow Brazil to reach 1.2 million doctors by 2030. This would equate to more than five professionals for every thousand inhabitants, an average higher than that of many European countries.
However, as Scheffer explains, the problem is not just the quantity of trained doctors but where and how they operate. Brazil still faces difficulties in retaining professionals in regions far from major urban centers, especially in the North and Northeast.
The Role of MEC and the Debate on Quality in Medical Courses
The MEC states that all approvals for medical courses follow strict evaluation criteria and that new universities undergo continuous accreditation and supervision processes.
In a statement published on the official MEC portal, the ministry highlighted that openings are made based on indicators such as the local need for doctors, available hospital infrastructure, and the capacity to offer supervised internships.
Nevertheless, the topic remains under debate. Organizations such as the Brazilian Medical Association (AMB) advocate for stricter policies to ensure the quality of medical education and the integration of new courses with the SUS.
There are also discussions about the need to expand residency programs and improve the distribution of scholarships in priority areas, such as family health and preventive medicine.
A Promising Future That Requires Planning
With technological advancement, increased life expectancy, and constant demand for qualified professionals, the landscape of Brazilian medicine is likely to continue growing. The creation of new courses increases access to training but also imposes an urgent challenge: ensuring that expansion comes with quality, infrastructure, and long-term planning.
Meanwhile, young people from all regions of the country see the medical degree as a real opportunity for professional advancement and stability in an increasingly competitive market.
And you, what do you think about this expansion of medical courses in Brazil? Do you believe that the increase in slots can improve access to health, or do you fear that this will affect the quality of medical training? Leave your comment below or share this article with someone who is also interested in the topic!
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