Introduction:

Nowadays, it is necessary to train medical students to be competent in the fulfillment of their functions at the healthcare levels. As part of the functions to be developed among medical students, health prevention competences should be developed.

Objective:

To propose a methodology for the formation of health prevention competences among medical students during comprehensive community work.

Methods:

A quantitative preexperimental study was carried out. The population consisted of 669 third-year medical students from Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de Holguín. A sample of 100 students was obtained by simple random sampling. Direct observation in the field and the Wilcoxon's signed-ranks test were used to verify the research hypothesis.

Results:

The health prevention competence and the methodology for its formation among medical students during comprehensive community work were provided, as well as were the main achievements and deficiencies shown during the actions carried out in education at work.

Conclusions:

The health prevention competence is part of the profile of occupational competences that singularize the training of a competent general practitioner. It is generic and requires. for its formation. the combination of instructive, educational and developmental actions from the potentialities of comprehensive community work performed by students as part of the occupational component of the major.