Changes in physicians education and practice induce, nowadays persistent modifications in program's curricula and contents and in learning methodologies, in almost all medical schools and countries. In many of these, and in Chile, this process shows some peculiarities due to the unusual proliferation of medical schools and their differing proposals about the profile of the professional training based on epidemiological considerations and teaching resources. The institutional initiatives leading to reforms, have defined quality and pertinence of these programs and profiles, as it has been the case of the curricular renewal in the University of Chile School of Medicine. Relevant to this reform have been: 1) the introduction of communication skills, pursuing to increase humanistic contents, to improve patient doctor relationship and to accomplish the actual goals of medicine, and 2) capacitating the faculty in the proper disciplines and competencies, for better application of new knowledge and teaching tools to improve learning of the health professionals. Prospective evaluation of these changes will allow us to assess, with best evidence, its definitive role, that is momentarily availed by student's satisfaction (Rev Méd Chile 2003; 131: 331-7).