RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To compare depressive symptoms among medical students taught using problem-based learning (PBL) and the traditional method. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Beck's Depression Inventory was applied to 215 medical students. The prevalence of depression was calculated as the number of individuals with depression divided by the total number in the sample from each course, with 95% confidence intervals. The statistical significance level used was 5% (p ≤ .05). RESULTS: Among the 215 students, 52.1% were male and 47.9% were female; and 51.6% were being taught using PBL methodology and 48.4% using traditional methods. The prevalence of depression was 29.73% with PBL and 22.12% with traditional methods. There was higher prevalence among females: 32.8% with PBL and 23.1% with traditional methods. The prevalence of depression with PBL among students up to 21 years of age was 29.4% and among those over 21 years, 32.1%. With traditional methods among students up to 21 years of age, it was 16.7%%, and among those over 21 years, 30.1%. The prevalence of depression with PBL was highest among students in the second semester and with traditional methods, in the eighth. CONCLUSIONS: Depressive symptoms were highly prevalent among students taught both with PBL and with traditional methods.