ABSTRACT
The University of Hong Kong (HKU) Li Ka Shing faculty of medicine (established 1886), introduced curriculum reform in 1997, and implemented problembased learning (PBL) as a part of hybrid curriculum. The reform made significant modi fi cations to timetabling including reorganization of basic sciences program into systembased blocks structured around PBL tutorials, lectures, practicals, demonstrations and relevant anatomy dissections. Assessment was also integrated at the faculty rather than departmental-based for the first three medical years. During the reform, apprehension and concern in relation to outcomes and quality of graduates were raised, particularly on students’ basic science foundation and whether students would be able to cope with demands related to PBL. To address these concerns, a study was undertaken to evaluate new graduates’ performance from two aspects: (1) knowledgebased performance before their internship, and (2) onthejob performance during their internship, under the old and new curriculum. To evaluate intern’s knowledgebased performance, a written test consisting of multiple choice questions and short answer questions, based on combination of basic sciences knowledge and clinical scenarios was given to two cohorts of old (2000-2001) and new (2002-2003) graduates. To evaluate graduate’s onthejob performance, scores from internship performance over the past 9 years were retrieved from the faculty. Results from the first 2 years of new curriculum graduates and the last two cohorts of old curriculum graduates demonstrated that they had similar basic sciences knowledgebased performance. On the other hand, new curriculum graduates did significantly better in their on-the-job internship performance. Areas of strength within our graduates were attitude to staff, sense of responsibility and attitude to patients.