In the past decades a number of studies has pointed to the existence of significant alterations in the contents and organization of health work. These alterations have led to changes in the professional training at the secondary and higher levels. Notwithstanding, few of those studies have attempted to analyse the process of technical work in the laboratories for R in health in this context. This article gathers elements about this process, and considers it as part of the practices for the production of techno-scientific knowledge and artefacts. Although insufficient for an exhaustive discussion on the subject, the gathered elements permitted us to deal with some of the major issues related to professional education in health, namely considerations about specialization, qualifications and the division between conception and execution. The discussion had as bases the description of the activities carried out by two technicians, one at the secondary level and the other at University level, in an R laboratory specializing in vaccines. The fieldwork had as bases the contributions of authors sharing the type of approach normally identified with "Social Studies on Science and Technology". Because they were grounded on the discussion of practices of techno-scientific research, the studies ended by contributing towards an investigation of the technicians', researchers' and assistants' work process.
work process in health; work in research laboratories in health; laboratory practices; laboratory studies
