Brazil approves mandatory Enamed exam for medical registration

The Brazilian Congress has approved legislation making the Enamed (National Exam for the Evaluation of Medical Training) mandatory for professional medical registration. The rule applies to students enrolling in medical courses on or after June 19, 2026. Those already enrolled or graduated before this date are exempt from the requirement.

The approved text modifies the original provisional measure by increasing the number of assessment stages from two to three. Students will now undergo evaluations at the end of the 4th, 8th, and 12th semesters. The exam, organized by Inep, is designed to verify if graduates have acquired the necessary competencies according to curricular guidelines.

Proponents of the measure, including faculty from the University of São Paulo, suggest the exam will improve teaching quality and patient safety. By providing standardized parameters, the exam aims to address the heterogeneous quality of medical education resulting from the rapid expansion of medical schools in the country. The results may also assist the Ministry of Education in supervising institutions and assist in access to medical residencies.