This article investigates the incorporation of the notion of 'skills' in the development of the Vocational Course on Laboratory in Biological Diagnosis in Health of the Joaquim Venâncio Polytechnic Health School (EPSJV), a technical and scientific unit of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz). The conducted research focused on determining validity and viability of understanding the skill-based curriculum in the light of the critical/emancipatory approach proposed by Deluiz, Ramos and Kuenzer. The qualitative research was comprised of interviews with teachers of the institution. Results show that the implementation of skill-based ideas was the result of legal determination, not an agreed pedagogical approach. Besides that, the identification, selection and development of skills guiding the development of the curriculum were performed with a totalizing perspective in mind, that is, encompassing all of the many existing dimensions of knowledge. Implementing this model and the subjective scope of skills were the most difficult challenges for teachers.
professional education; skill-based model; vocational course
