Considering that medical schools should serve the community to which they provide professionals and that, therefore, they should have a knowledge of the community health needs, we evaluated the adequacy of the teaching program of the Medical School of Cantabria and the attitudes and expectations of the medical students. The results showed a majority of students younger than age 20 (90.2%), with a female predominance (68.5%), from upper and middle classes and with professional expectations of becoming a hospital specialist (86.9%) and working in urban media (95.4%). In the analysis of the teaching program a predominance of clinical over social topics was discovered, there was a lack of contact with primary care, the teaching was given as professorial lectures and the education of students was oriented towards hospital specialties. It was concluded that a change in the educational systems is needed for adequacy with the new health care system.