Medical Education in Korea: Present and Future in Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery

Abstract

It is a great pleasure for me to participate in this seminar honoring Professor Soda's retirement. It was in 1970, that we first met, when I stayed in Kyushu University for 1 year as a research fellow. At that time he was a associate professor of the department of otolaryngology and he helped me in various ways. My experience in those days made me believe that Professor Soda was not only a gentleman with a warm personality, but also a scholar with a worldwide vision. There after, as I was working to better the system of Korean medical education, I learned that Professor Soda had interests in the exchange of ideas and experiences between Japan and Korea. In this occasion, I am grateful and flattered that Professor Soda invited me to speak on Korean medical education. I am also deeply impressed again at Professor Soda's great interest in Japanese medical education and feeling of responsibility, even at the time of his retirement. I think the purpose of medical education is similar in many countries, but each country has its own history and background. This makes each country very different and special. Today I will talk about some of the experiences to improve the medical educational system in Korea very briefly and will touch some of the otolaryngological field. By doing this, I will endeavor to take a small part in honoring Professor Soda's efforts upon his retirement.