Conventional medical curricula present information pertinent to chronic inflammatory diseases, infectious diseases and transplantation, via systematic lectures and courses in medical specialties without any integrated approach. The authors report on a 3-week model course that attempts to provide students with an overview of clinical presentation, diagnostics, and therapy of representative disease entities with particular emphasis on the interdisciplinary approach to these problems in hospital practice. In addition to problem-based learning in small groups, the model course comprises interdisciplinary concept lectures, practical demonstrations of specific diagnostic procedures, and bedside teaching. In the meantime, the course "Problem-Based Learning--Inflammation and Transplantation" has been held twice successfully as a mandatory course in the clinical part of the curriculum at the Muenster Medical School.