The Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (Capes) is a foundation linked to the Brazilian Ministry of Education. Its role is to expand and consolidate stricto sensu graduate programs throughout Brazil. Through its Directorate of Evaluation (DAV), Capes assesses graduate programs for both their initial approval (evaluation of new course proposals) and their continued operation (periodic evaluation of graduate courses).

The programs are divided into 49 evaluation areas. The PPG is placed in the Medicine III area, which includes research focused on general surgery and its specialties.