A Study on Direction for the Development of Global Health Education in Korea

Abstract

As a result of the globalization of diseases and the delivery of health care, physicians today are required to understand global health (GH) including the global burden of disease, health inequities, and effective medical aid. Interest in GH among medical students has also increased significantly. To meet these needs and to reflect an increasing focus on social accountability in medical education, global health education (GHE) programs have already been well-established, particularly in North America. Korea’s official developmental aid (ODA) volume almost tripled from 2006 to 2011. Korea has committed to double its ODA/gross national income ratio over the next three years. With these increases, interest in GH among medical students has significantly increased. Despite significant interest among medical students, GHE programs have not been properly established in Korea. To develop GHE programs in Korea, proposed GHE curriculum frameworks were reviewed and core values, guiding principles, and GH competencies were identified in the context of the current literature. To identify key themes essential to the development of GHE programs in Korea, the curriculum frameworks should be focused on a global context and should be taught from the perspective of the social, political, and economic causes of ill health.