THE IMPORTANCE OF THE NATURAL SCIENCES IN THE EDUCATION OF HEALTH PROFESSIONALS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Abstract

Sociology Health degrees in Brazil still fall short of ensuring a solid command of the Natural Sciences. To gauge the scale of the problem and the solutions already tested, we carried out a systematic review aligned with PRISMA 2020. Research question: What is the impact of teaching these sciences on the measured theoretical knowledge of undergraduates in Medicine, Nursing, Biomedical Science, Physiotherapy, Dentistry and Pharmacy? We searched SciELO, BVS/LILACS, Oasis/BDTD and complementary sources, covering 2015-2025. The PIO strategy and strict filters were applied; two independent reviewers, blinded to each other, screened and extracted data. Twenty studies (eighteen articles, two theses) met the criteria. Diagnostic assessments revealed systematic gaps: mean scores below 60 % in anatomy, biochemistry and microbiology when instruction is passive. Active interventions clinical simulation, deliberate practice, body painting and gamification increased immediate performance by 15-40 percentage points and, in two trials, retained the advantage after 30 days. Study-design heterogeneity ruled out meta-analysis; we therefore adopted a narrative synthesis, with overall moderate-to-high methodological quality. The training pipeline needs structured reinforcement of basic content. Faculties should expand practical workload, embed recurrent diagnostic assessments and upskill faculty in active methodologies. Without these changes, the conceptual gap persists and compromises patient safety. Investing in basic disciplines is not a cost; it mitigates operational risk and boosts academic performance.