Curriculum framework for a master's degree in community medicine: some reflections with reference to Saudi Arabia

This paper describes a skeleton of a new curriculum intended for the teaching of community medicine leading to a recognized master's degree. The curriculum should have a detailed course framework and a distinctive rationale and justification with aims and specific objectives, contents, teaching methods, proper evaluation, available resources, and a well defined time framework. It is a prerequisite to develop a comprehensive curriculum before any postgraduate course is started. This curriculum must address all the relevant issues outlined in this paper. The authors recommend that the semitheoretical construction of the curriculum could be utilized in Saudi Arabia or possibly elsewhere with appropriate modifications