The characteristics of the process of curricu lum change in the medical course of the Marília Medical School reflect an interaction of both internal and external influences, guided by the quest for the school's greater commitment to the needs of society. The principles of the new curriculum point to a transformation of educational practices and healthcare, with a view to encouraging students to become active and critical in the building of their knowledge, but equally ethical and humane in their relations with patients/family members and healthcare teams. The challenge of expanding clinical practice, previously limited to the biomedical model, touches upon interdisciplinary articulation, integration of the social, biological and psychological dimensions, and the combination of theory and practice and of the worlds of work and study. This challenge is faced permanently in developing the curriculum, given that this calls for changes in the practices of teachers, students and healthcare professionals.
Medical education; curriculum; program evaluation