Human embryology is an extremely important part of training health professionals, but its study is often considered boring, decorative and without practical significance for many students, making it ineffective. This study aimed to produce interactive teaching material with embryonic models representing the embryonic development of the nervous system. To qualitatively evaluate the real effectiveness and ability to facilitate the teaching-learning process in the context of problem-based learning, the material was applied to first-year medicine and nursing students. The students felt that the material contributed to a better understanding of the topic and enabled visualization of embryonic events, as well as arousing interest in studying the subject. The material served to establish understanding and inspire the students to integrate the knowledge with other disciplines. Thus, in qualitative terms, analysis of the student questionnaires indicated that the material produced was effective for learning and worked as a resource in self-directed learning, promoting the diversification of search sources and being complementary to textbooks and other theoretical materials.