In the present article a synthesis about the condition of the formation of the biologists is presented at national and international levels and it is reflected in the curricular transformations that this profession demands in order to face the challenges imposed by a wide range about needs and socio-economic and cultural realities of the contemporary society. It starts reviewing the history of biological knowledge and the biology as a profession in the international area and in Colombia, as well as the condition of the curricula in this field. The article identifies the professional profiles, the curricula, the normative elements of the profession in Colombia, the trends and challenges of the professional practice in society. The article ends with the analysis of the job reality of biologists in Colombia.