[Problem orientation in social medicine--participation in social medicine]

Problem-oriented learning is gaining increasing importance in medical education. The current discussion on reforming medical education in the medical schools in Austria reflects this importance. At the medical school in Graz for many years teaching the core module "social medicine" has been problem-oriented. Small groups of students work on selected topics of public health. The topics are related to every day practice and their particular psychosocial ramifications and consequences are illucidated. This subject is required in the last year of medical school. The students are not familiar with problem-based learning and have difficulties in adapting. To be better prepared for the coming changes in the discipline of medicine, the social dimension should be integrated earlier into medical education. The most efficient way of doing so should be clarified in the discussion of the reform in medical education.