The aim of this paper is to reflect about some elements that are defining the professional culture of the psychologist in Brazil, as well as its effects upon the institutional practices in the public health service. The "psychological subject", model of subjectivity among psychologist is one of the defining elements of this professional culture, representation developed from the individualistic values and psi knowledge in our society. The hegemony of this conception of subjectivity has important consequences in the practices accomplished in the public health institutions, such as conflicts in the representations of health and illness between users and professionals; little efficiency in the therapeutic services and high index of desertion of treatment; hierarchies and discrimination among service users. On the other hand, there always appear obstacles to the creation of an "evaluation culture" among professionals and the construction of instruments that could allow the psychologist to continuously evaluate the quality of their services and practices in the public health institutions
Professional culture; subjectivity; public health services