Portuguese 
Spanish 
MEC Updates Medicine Guidelines After Ten Years, Focused on SUS, Inclusion, SUS Costs, and Mental Health. New Exam Will Assess Training.
MEC Redefines Medical Training in Brazil
The Ministry of Education (MEC) approved the new National Curriculum Guidelines (DCNs) for undergraduate Medicine on this Monday (29), updating medical training after almost ten years. The decision, previously approved by the National Education Council (CNE), marks a turning point in Brazilian medical education.
The changes reinforce integration with the SUS, require practical experiences from the start of the course, and place inclusion and mental health at the center of training. Furthermore, MEC mandated the creation of a national mandatory exam to standardize the quality of courses across the country.
Medical Training Will Include Practical Experience in SUS From the Start
The new guidelines require students to engage with the SUS early in their undergraduate years. The learning path should begin with primary care and progress to complex areas, such as intensive care.
-
Surprising opportunity in the railway sector: MRS offers a free course for assistant train driver and shunter in Juiz de Fora with a R$ 1,600 scholarship, specialized training, and the chance to join one of the largest railway operators in Brazil.
-
It’s official: IFMS opens spots in free courses on artificial intelligence, drones, and app creation, expanding technological education in 2026 and preparing students for areas with high professional demand and accelerated digital transformation.
-
Senai launches an unprecedented program with Petrobras and opens 2,000 spots in free courses with recognized certification, a monthly allowance of R$ 600, and training for industrial professions that continue hiring across the country.
-
Petrobras and SENAI open 480 spots in free technical courses with a scholarship of up to R$ 858, meal allowance, and training in Mechanics, Welding, Metallurgy, and Industrial Automation to meet the growing demand of the industry and the oil and gas sector.
In this way, future doctors will acquire competencies across the entire spectrum of care, from prevention to rehabilitation. For the Minister of Education, Camilo Santana, this integration represents a necessary advancement:
“This is another important step to ensure the quality of medical training. The guidelines address mental health, technology, and inclusion issues based on the reality we are living.”
Inclusion and Mental Health Become Pillars of Training
One of the central points of the update is the valuation of diversity. Medical universities will now have to implement inclusion policies, psychosocial support centers, and mental health programs for students.
Moreover, MEC determined that colleges offer clinical simulation laboratories and ongoing training programs for teachers, ensuring education aligns with contemporary practices.
National Exam Will Measure the Quality of Medical Courses
The significant innovation is the creation of Enamed (National Exam for the Assessment of Medical Training). The exam will be administered in the 4th year of the undergraduate program, prior to the internship, and will aim to evaluate knowledge, skills, and competencies.
The exam will feature 100 multiple-choice questions covering general practice, surgery, gynecology and obstetrics, pediatrics, mental health, and public health. Courses with low performance will be subject to special monitoring and even on-site visits from MEC.
According to the Minister of Health, Alexandre Padilha:
“I have no doubt that we are making a significant leap with these new curriculum guidelines, an advancement that adds to the efforts led by the Ministry of Education in training professionals for our health system.”
Contemporary Topics Gain Space in Medicine
The DCNs have also started to include current topics such as artificial intelligence, large-scale data analysis, climate change, and sustainability. MEC emphasizes that these subjects are essential to align medical training with social transformations and the global health demands.
Padilha reinforced:
“The approval of the new guidelines allows for alignment of medical education with social health needs, strengthening SUS and addressing contemporary challenges.”
Poorly Evaluated Courses Will Face Penalties
MEC and the Ministry of Health announced that poorly evaluated medical courses may face sanctions starting in 2026 if they do not comply with the new requirements. Penalties may include restrictions, enhanced monitoring, and even course closures.
This measure arises after the accelerated expansion of Medicine offerings between 2017 and 2022, a period marked by an increase in the number of courses with unsatisfactory evaluations.
Therefore, the current objective is to ensure quality training, reducing future costs for the SUS and strengthening trust in the public health system.
