EFFECT OF CURRICULAR CHANGE ON STUDENT PERCEPTIONS OF THE LEARNING-ENVIRONMENT

Background: The University of Michigan Medical School implemented a ne w 1st-year curriculum designed in part to redress environmental stress ors identified in the previous curriculum. A centralized action-orient ed evaluation program also was implemented to ensure the achievement o f curricular goals. Description: We describe the initial effects of pl anned curricular reform on students' perceptions of the learning envir onment. Evaluation: Survey data on students' satisfaction with the lea rning environment were collected at year's end before and after implem entation of the new 1st-year program, The attitudes of women and Afric an American students were examined because of their known disproportio nate dissatisfaction. Conclusions: Effect size analysis indicated a re al and practical improvement in all students' ratings of the new learn ing environment overall. Research on the long-term environmental effec ts of curricular reform is ongoing. We anticipate that interactions am ong faculty, students, and administrators concerning environmental imp rovements will provide a positive model for students' future interacti ons with professional colleagues and patients.