CURRICULUM CHANGE - THE IMPORTANCE OF TEAM ROLE

This paper describes a study examining aspects of team role in the man agement of curriculum change. The Belbin Team Role Self-Perception Inv entory was completed by 25 members (83%) of a faculty curriculum devel opment team. Overall the group showed a preference for the implementer and shaper roles, whilst the completer-finisher role was relatively w eakly represented, ranking fifth out of eight possible roles. Older an d more senior team members favoured the co-ordinator role, whilst youn ger and more junior members favoured the team-worker and completer-fin isher roles. Some implications of these findings are discussed in the light of the current trend for widespread change in undergraduate medi cal curricula and the challenges faced by medical schools in a resourc e constrained environment.