Innovative learning approaches in an established medical school: the experience at JUST in Jordan.

The Faculty ot Medicine at Jordan University of Science and Technology was established in 1986. Innovative changes were introduced to the traditional subject-based, hospital-oriented curriculum in 1999, the objectives of which were to integrate student learning, emphasize student-centred learning, develop training in a community setting, and introduce elective learning packages. To evaluate the integrated learning in the new curriculum, we assessed the validity and reliability of students' scores. The scores for the integrated 'modules' were compared with those in general subjects studied in the traditional way. Our study showed that results of tests taken on the new 'modules' are both valid and reliable measures of students' performance.