Introduction:

Formative evaluation is a continuous activity developed throughout the educational teaching process in order to regulate it; but, in its broadest conception, its purpose is for the student to build a personal system for lifelong learning.

Objective:

To promote self-regulation of learning through formative evaluation in medical education.

Development:

During formative evaluation, the professor, as a mediator, has the responsibility of training professionals who are given the appropriate tools for managing lifelong learning, which is specified in self-regulation learning competencies. Thorough systematization of different publications, the stages of this process are specified according to Zimmerman’s and Moylan’s (2009) Cyclical Phases model -one of the most widespread in the scientific literature-; and it is explained how, through formative evaluation in medical education, the professor can guide the process towards self-regulation of learning.

Conclusions:

The elements that characterize self-regulation of learning are presented, highlighting its importance throughout life. The attributes of formative evaluation to manage learning are justified, as well as how to guide it towards the promotion of self-regulated actions through the development of metacognitive capacities that encourage the student to improve the processes that allow them to learn, the strategies to regulate learning, and such projection in an adequate domain of the modes of action that characterize the professional activity.