Undergraduate curriculum reform in Saudi medical schools
Elfaki, E.A.
Saudi Medical Journal 21(10): 988
2001
ISSN/ISBN: 0379-5284 PMID: 11369974 Document Number: 535028
Curriculum reform in undergraduate medical education is quite essential for the success of the educational process. Saudi medical schools have been involved in curriculum reform over the past 2 decades. Review of the existing literature identifies the following as problems with today's curriculum including: Overcrowding of the curriculum, over presentation of some subjects, presence of relatively non-relevant subjects, dissociation between basic and clinical sciences, repetition of lectures and exams, need for new subjects of clinical relevance, predominantly hospital based medical education with minimal community-based practice, as well as non-optimal use of resources. The authors put forth suggestions for reform of the current curriculum to meet today's problems and future demands.