Reform of medical education in Bosnia-Herzegovina: luxury or necessity?

• Published in: Croatian medical journal Vol. 45; no. 1; pp. 31 - 37
• Main Authors: Simunović, Vladimir J, Sonntag, Hans-Gūnther, März, Richard, Horsch, Axel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Croatia 01.02.2004
• Subjects: Bosnia and Herzegovina; Curriculum - standards; Education, Medical - methods; Education, Medical - standards; Humans; International Cooperation; Quality Control; Schools, Medical - standards; Teaching; Bosnia and Herzegovina
• ISSN: 0353-9504

We present the current status of medical education in Bosnia-Herzegovina to set the stage for the curriculum reform. Two principal questions are asked: is the reform necessary, and is it possible? In spite of the differences in size and tradition of medical schools in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BH), they have more features in common than not: all of them are under internal and external pressures for change and reform, which will eventually be inevitable. The history and strategy of reform in Heidelberg, Germany, and Vienna, Austria, are described and recommendations are made on the basis of their experience. The consensus on the need for reforms has to be reached by all parties involved, ie, faculty, administration, students, and the medical community. After that, the reform process must proceed according to the agreed timetable. The job should be delegated to a dedicated task force and work coordinated through the ongoing "Dictum" project, directed exclusively at reform of medical curricula in BH. The project is funded by a European Union TEMPUS program.