gms | German Medical Science

In October 2003 a new license regulation has been enacted in Germany. It hasd a profound impact on the medical curricula nationwide.In the past, a limited number of medical faculties had embarked on a process to change their curricula. Compared to medical teaching abroad, German curricula were characterised by teacher centered curricula, I.E., high study load, traditional frontal teaching, large representation of theoretical, systematic medical knowledge presentation. Patient care and clinical skills training although represented of course played a relative subordinate role. The new license regulation tried to remedy these deficient conditions. It opened the road to diversification in medical curricula to an extent that now detrimental effects are already visible.Some of these conditions are described and strategies for dealing with these deficiencies are discussed.