Teaching in pathology in the 21st century

Medical school teaching undergoes major changes in predictable cycles. Up until the present day, all previous reforms have focused on the improvement of various teaching aspects. Future reforms, however, will be different since they will be based on a different philosophy. That philosophy will be one in which there will no longer be the much less thanteaching aspectmuch greater than at the center of attention but the much less thanleaming aspectmuch greater than. Students will better be prepared how to learn during their medical school education and throughout their entire careers. Worldwide, various models to reform teaching and learning in medical school have been tried. Problem-oriented teaching has gained considerable interest. ne recently reformed medical school curriculum in Basel focuses on tutorial based problem-oriented teaching and hands-on much less thanproblem-oriented learningmuch greater than in private practice groups as well as various practical courses. Our 3-year experience with this new type of curriculum is very positive. However, at present it is too early to know whether our positive much less thaninitialmuch greater than impression is reflected in improved examinations scores. Experience made in other institutions suggests that such a new type of curriculum is not necessarily accompanied by better test results. Only time will tell. A final critical evaluation of our new much less thanproblem-orientedmuch greater than curriculum can only be made after many years. In case we suceed and students gasp the concept that life-long learning is not only a necessary obligation in medicine but also a natural part of life, all of our efforts will be worthwhile.