Ebert Predicts Med School Faculty Will Agree to Overhaul Curriculum

Robert H. Ebert, dean of the Medical School predicted last night that his faculty will eventually approve a major overhaul of the school's curriculum.

"We're arriving at a historic point in looking at the curriculum," he told 200 students at a meeting that was itself an historic occasion -- the first time in memory that a Med School dean has sat down with all interested students to answer their questions on current issues.

Approves Recommendations

Ebert himself asked the school's student-faculty committee to arrange the affair, in order to discuss a controversial report on revamping the curriculum. He said the report, which is now before the faculty, is simply "one suggestion" for change, But he spoke in favor of all of its recommendations, and he indicated that he thinks the faculty will approve them or similar changes.

Need for Change

The dean said that the faculty has not agreed on "methods" for change. But he added, "I don't think there's any disagreement about the fact that there is a problem."

If the report's recommendation are approved by the faculty, the subjects that are now required of all students would be combined into several less time-consuming courses. Students could use the remaining time to take a number of elective seminars.

Dr. Alexander Deaf, chairman of the subcommittee that drafted the report, said that currently "there aren't opportunities for really great teachers to show their abilities."

He said that faculty members are very much interested in trying to be good teachers. "Everyone on this faculty wants a crack at you," he said.

Loudest Applause

A student received the loudest applause of the evening when he replied, "Some of the problem here is that they get it."