Expansion and changes in medical education in Brazil in the 20th and 21st centuries

ABSTRACT Introduction: More than two centuries after the first medical courses were created, Brazil ranks second in the world for the number of medical schools in a scenario that continues to expand rapidly. At the same time, advances in technical and scientific knowledge in the area of biological and health sciences and reflections on the professionalization of teaching have led to changes in teaching, with emphasis on the use of active methods, basic-clinical integration, multi-professional training, university extension, attention to the local-regional context and the incorporation of ethical, humanistic and scientific reflections related to the health not only of each individual but also of the community and the entire planet. Development: This essay reflects on the changes in medical education in Brazil in the 20th and 21st centuries, with emphasis on the expansion of medical schools, the main policies inducing change, the democratization of access to medical education, pedagogical innovations and the challenges for the future. Conclusion: Despite the inducing policies and changes over the last few decades, most Brazilian medical courses have failed to professionalize teaching, with few initiatives to invest in new technologies and continuing teacher training. Thus, in view of the technological, digital and educational revolution that the whole world has been going through, although the trend for the future of medical education in Brazil is promising, its success is dependent on urgent changes in the infrastructure of teaching and learning scenarios, in the organization of curricula and in the continuing training of teachers with institutional support.