Introduction:

Learning processes planning is highly complex, both for students and teachers. Prior to decide what to do in the classroom, teachers should consider graduate profile and courses programs. But it is unclear how they finally define their purposes before taking a class.

Aim:

To analyze the process of purposes definition that underlies teaching activities election for undergraduate health programs.

Subjects and methods:

Qualitative study, according to the grounded theory. Four experts in medical education and 25 teachers were interviewed, prior informed consent. For data analysis, axial coding was performed.

Results:

Teachers' purposes are usually expressed in terms related to competency model. They are rooted in the conception of 'what is usually taught'. It is also affected by what is formally established in the curriculum. But its operationalization is strongly affected by personal and professional conceptions and teachers' experiences. For teachers, this increases the relevance of their work, although the guidelines defined by his university are less used.

Conclusion:

Teachers showed an active role in teaching purposes definition, which is consistent with what is expected by a reflexive teacher. However, the discussion of what problems in formal curricula leads him to make frequent personal adaptations remains open.

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