A study of the attitudes of the foundation staff of a new medical faculty to problem-based learning

The characteristics of the foundation staff of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) University Faculty of Medicine numbering 18 were studied using open-ended questions in an interview setting. All were experienced academically with mean total years of experience being more than 20 years. The mean age of 51.7 years indicated that the majority of staff interviewed were in the latter stage of their academic career. Although one of the criteria for accepting candidates was flexibility in their outlook to new teaching learning systems and positive attitudes to problem-based learning (PBL), only seven understood PBL and five were openly hostile to the system. The reasons for joining the Faculty were protean, but most saw the job as being challenging in nature and a change from routine. The question is raised whether the selection procedure was appropriate and whether more stringent criteria might have been applied, to have included attitudinal aspects in addition to the academic achievements of the candidates, for the righly motivated and oriented individual to be appointed.