RESUMO
The transformations experienced by the society have strongly impacted the role of the medical profession in the world. Various factors such as technological progress and knowledge, globalization, massive access to information, market, policy and health systems determine a new and changing scenario for the practice of medicine. For several decades, there has been a growing concern from various medical schools worldwide to strengthen the teaching of medical students on contents related to professionalism, in order to prepare more efficiently future doctors, to successfully face the challenge to develop in this new context without abandoning the principles of hippocratic medicine, which for centuries have guided the exercise of the profession in the West. Although there are different interpretations and definitions for medical professionalism, there is consensus that involves humanitarian attitudes and behaviors that complement scientific and technical formation of excellence, which is framed in ethics and privilege above all the patients' welfare. Literature reviewed makes reference to various proposals to approach teaching and curricular introduction of medical professionalism. Most researchers raise the need to incorporate medical professionalism transversely in the curriculum using a variety of methodologies at both undergraduate and postgraduate level.