INTRODUCTION:The major question regarding the access to residency programs is how to properlyselect the candidates in order to choose those who will better return to societythe intellectual and financing investment given to them. The Program in Coloproctologyof Hospital Sirio Libanês decided to make an exam to favor not only knowledge,but surgical skills, capability of solving problems, capability of being teamplayers, and personality as well. The Ministery of Education model was observed.SELECTION OF CANDIDATES: 1) written exam (5 credits), with tests evaluatingknowledge on medicine in general; 2) practical tests (4 credits), applied bymembers of the Program: a) case discussion; b) case discussion focusing pre,intra e post operative care; c) surgery in animals; d) critical care in simulatingmodel; 4) interview (1 credit) by members of the Program. DISCUSSION:The National Commission for Medical Residence favors knowledge of the candidates,and only one credit is given to personal interview, which differs from othercountry models. Our Residency Program in Coloproctology decided to carry ona practical exam that allowed interaction among candidates and examiners, aswell as the possibility to evaluate surgical skills, capability of problem solving,team player behavior, personality. Therefore, the practical exam helped to betterevaluate candidates during the interviews. CONCLUSION: The practicalexam was complex to prepare. However, it was very useful to promote a betterevaluation of the candidates. PROPOSAL: Based on this experience, theauthors suggest to SBCP: 1) to define selection criteria to be applied to allBrazilian approved programs; 2) to create a resident evaluation system to beapplied to all programs.
