In October 2004, the medical faculty of Hamburg University started a program to restructure completely clinical teaching according to new state regulations of June 2002. In this new curriculum design, the surgical disciplines were horizontally and vertically interconnected and integrated, with a focus on practical training and problem-based teaching. This study describes the concept of clinical teaching and presents the student evaluation results of the first four blocks with a focus on performance in surgical disciplines. There was high student satisfaction with the new program, compared with results before October 2004 and also with respect to other disciplines within the new curriculum. This was especially true for the practical courses in the newly established skills lab. Future developments in e-learning and practical teaching in the skills lab are necessary to overcome restrictions on medical education due to changes in the German health care system.
