[The challenge of education at the IMSS: how to become the advanced guard of institutional progress]

A panorama of the educative actions at the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social is presented, and it is discussed why they have not had a significant impact in health care services. In order to explore how the explanation is in the working environment where the graduates of educative programs are inserted, it is analyzed the nature of the state, the organizational complexity of its institutions and how it is legitimated. It is recognized that the organizational complexity is constituted by the institution itself, its environments, groups, individuals, activities, and the way in which a certain type of interaction is carried out in the institutional management focused in control, as well as in the management centered in participation, which may influence the working environments in such a way that it works as a powerful antidote against degradation. The course of participative education at the IMSS is described, and how the consolidation of participative education and the operation of the institutional teaching career are about to constitute the most powerful lever for the advancement of the institutional performance when contributing to the emergency of stimulating working environments, where the activities acquire growing effectivity and progressive reach.