title: Survey of attitudes towards curriculum reforms among medical teachers in different socio-economic and cultural environments.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Curriculum reforms in medical schools require cultural and conceptual changes from the faculty.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We assessed attitudes towards curriculum reforms in different academic, economic, and social environments among 776 teachers from 2 Western European medical schools (Belgium and Denmark) and 7 medical schools in 3 countries in post-communist transition (Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina). The survey included a 5-point Likert-type scale on attitudes towards reforms in general and towards reforms of medical curriculum (10 items each).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Teaching staff from medical schools in Bosnia and Herzegovina had a more positive attitude towards reforms of medical curriculum (mean score 36.8 out of maximum 50 [95% CI 36.1 to 37.3]) than those from medical schools in Croatia or Slovenia (30.7 [29.8 to 31.6]) or Western Europe (27.7 [27.1 to 28.3]) (P < 0.001, ANOVA). Significant predictors of positive attitudes towards medical curriculum reform in post-communist transition countries, but not in Western European schools, was younger age, as well as female gender in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Factors influencing faculty attitudes may not be easy to identify and may be specific for different settings. Their identification and management is necessary for producing sustainable curriculum reform.
authors.affiliation: Mostar University School of Medicine, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
authors.forename: Vladimir J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Simunovic
authors.forename: Darko
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hren
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ivanis
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dørup
authors.forename: Zdenka
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Krivokuca
authors.forename: Sinisa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ristic
authors.forename: Henri
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Verhaaren
authors.forename: Hans-Günther
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Sonntag
authors.forename: Samo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ribaric
authors.forename: Snjezana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tomic
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vojnikovic
authors.forename: Hajrija
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Seleskovic
authors.forename: Mads
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dahl
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marusic
authors.forename: Matko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marusic
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003479:Curriculum; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005060:Europe; D005180:Faculty, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D015279:Organizational Culture; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors