Politics · Brazil · 3 hrs ago
Brazilian Congress approves medical exam requirement for doctors
Brazil’s Congress approved a measure requiring medical graduates to pass Enamed before they can practise medicine.
The national exam will be taken in three stages, at the end of the fourth, eighth and 12th semesters of medical school.
The final result will combine scores from all three stages, with the last stage carrying more weight.
The measure settles a dispute over who would run the exam, leaving responsibility with the Federal Council of Medicine.
Medical schools will still be assessed on student results, and universities with poor results may face penalties.
The measure now awaits President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s approval before it can take effect.
Brazil’s National Congress approved a provisional measure requiring medical students to pass the Enamed exam to qualify to practise medicine.
The measure now goes to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva for approval.
The vote settled a dispute between the government and the Federal Council of Medicine over who would conduct the exam, with responsibility remaining with the council.
The measure was approved on October 15, one day before it was due to expire.
The sources differ on the exam schedule: one describes three stages during the course, while the other describes two.
- Who
- Brazil’s National Congress approved the measure; it affects medical students and graduates.
- What
- The measure makes passing the Enamed exam a requirement to qualify to practise medicine.
- When
- October 15, 2026.
- Where
- Brazil.
- Why
- To assess medical training and ensure that doctors are prepared to practise.
Federal government
Federal Council of Medicine (CFM)
Who conducts the exam
Federal government
The government’s measure set out a national exam and sought to define its legal framework.
Federal Council of Medicine (CFM)
The CFM had proposed creating an exam for newly graduated doctors; the approved measure leaves Enamed administration with the CFM.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva sent the provisional measure to Congress, according to InfoMoney.
The Senate approved the measure, and InfoMoney reported that Congress approved it that night.
The measure was due to expire.
The measure was sent to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva for approval.
- Exam
- National Medical Training Assessment Exam (Enamed)
- Vote date
- October 15, 2026
- Expiry date
- October 16, 2026
- Passing threshold
- Above 60 points, according to CNN Brasil
- Exam format
- 100 multiple-choice questions, according to CNN Brasil
- Next step
- Presidential approval
2 sources
What people are saying
Every medical student has the right to a solid, high-quality education, just as every Brazilian has the right to be treated by a professional who is prepared.
In 2025, almost half of private medical courses did not obtain sufficient scores. In addition, almost 30% of these courses scored 1 and 2; that is why we created the provisional measure.
We managed to build consensus on the importance of guaranteeing the quality of medical education in this country, especially at private universities.