[Determination of human resources needs from task analysis]

This study describes the problem in the health field of integrating teaching and services, since there is no clear definition of the functions and tasks of manpower required in services nor a specification of how the manpower must be trained in the educational system. As an example of a systematic analysis of the problem, the study cites a research project carried out in Mexico, whose objectives were: to develop a technique to determine the kind and number of health personnel that must be trained; to provide a link between the training units and health service institutions and to try to integrate the curricula of each of the categories of health personnel. The subsequent stages give a detailed description of the task analysis process. At the educational level, the information obtained leads to the development of curricula more relevant to national needs; at the institutional level, it leads to the introduction of standards of evaluation for a better analysis of services and to the establishment of services with more extensive coverage. Another advantage is that the system can be used at the regional level without duplicating the model for each locality. In addition, the information produced is conducive to the development of curricula that provide for the lateral and vertical mobility of manpower.