Korean Medical Schools Research Articles

Current Status and Challenges of Korean Medical School Admissions Policies

Medical school admission policies vary from country to country. In Korea, medical school admission policies reflect the policy choices made by the Ministry of Education. After the Korean War, universities implemented their own entrance exams, and since then, various admissions processes have been implemented with consideration of the fairness of the exam and the increase in private education expenses. The introduction of the medical graduate school system has led many universities to implement tests separate from the academic ability test. Currently, 40 medical schools have been approved by the government and are responsible for providing medical education, but there is a growing movement to open new medical schools in various regions. The excessive interest in medical school admissions in Korea is creating an unfavorable social atmosphere, where academies are even being operated for elementary school students to help them achieve an eventual goal of entering medical school. Furthermore, an irresponsible and sudden increase in the number of students admitted to medical school is causing a disruption in medical education. Medical schools need unconditional government support to strengthen their role in the community and the nation, and policy consideration is needed to ensure that universities are as autonomous as possible.

Analysis of the current status of interview evaluations in Korean medical schools and professors' perceptions of the interview evaluations process.

This study aimed to investigate the overall operational status of medical school admission interview evaluations in South Korea and explore the operational experience of universities conducting interview evaluations. This study used a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative methods. Through a nationwide survey and data collection from 39 medical schools, the quantitative analysis explored interview evaluations procedures, the purpose of the interview evaluations, and the competencies expected of medical school freshmen. Concurrently, qualitative data were obtained through focus group discussions with 12 professors from 10 medical schools, providing in-depth insights into the operational experiences and challenges faced during interview evaluations. In the quantitative data, interview evaluations were most prevalent in the "comprehensive school records screening" for rolling admissions (85.5%), but less common in regular admissions (18.6%). Private schools (64.2%) showed a statistically significant higher proportion of interview admissions than public schools (11.1%) in the "high school grades focused admission" (p<0.01). Metropolitan areas (50.0%) conducted interview evaluations more frequently than non-metropolitan areas (11.1%) in the "College Scholastic Ability Test-focused admissions" (p<0.05). In the qualitative data, professors recognize the dominant role of "negative selection" in filtering out unsuitable candidates. Challenges in maintaining a consistent evaluator pool and team-based question development were acknowledged. Strategies, such as seeking student feedback for question improvement and conducting study meetings for interviewer preparation are essential. This study illuminates the operation of admissions interview evaluations in South Korea, revealing variations across regions and admissions types. These findings offer insights for enhancing medical school admission processes, guiding future research and policy.

Unresolved policy on the new placement of 2,000 entrants at Korean medical schools and this issue of Ewha Medical Journal

Unresolved policy on the new placement of 2,000 entrants at Korean medical schools and this issue of Ewha Medical Journal

Challenges for Sustainable Interprofessional Education in South Korea: Insights from Key Global Countries

Interprofessional education (IPE) is relatively new in medical schools in South Korea. Since the introduction of IPE in 2022, its effective and sustainable implementation has been of great interest in medical schools. This study analyzed literature on the development of IPE in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Japan to explore strategies for successful IPE in Korean medical schools. A systematic literature search focused on institutionalizing IPE yielded 30 papers for review. The findings included the following crucial elements for effective IPE: (1) government or institutional-led support; (2) establishment of networks and partnerships; (3) development of standardized core competency frameworks for IPE; and (4) inclusion of IPE in accreditation standards. These aspects underscore the importance of IPE as an essential component of health professional education that should be effectively and sustainably implemented in academic settings. The study concludes that the successful integration and sustainable development of IPE in Korean health education will necessitate expanded and proactive governmental support. Moreover, promoting collaborations among universities, hospitals, and local healthcare institutions will be vital for creating synergies in implementing IPE programs. Establishing networks to develop and execute joint IPE initiatives and securing initial support for conceptualizing and developing competency frameworks will be critical. Additionally, forming consortia of healthcare accreditation bodies to collaboratively develop and incorporate IPE standards into evaluation criteria will be essential. Efforts to surmount these challenges will contribute to building a structural and institutional support system for the successful introduction and sustainability of IPE in Korea.

Commemoration of body donors in a religiously diverse society: A tale of two Korean medical schools.

Although a diversity of religions exists in South Korea, with Buddhism and Christianity (Protestantism and Catholicism) being the two main faiths, Korean beliefs are deeply rooted in Confucianism. Despite the notion that the Confucian norm of filial piety discourages body donation to medical science, there has been a mindset shift in favor of body donation, driven by a heightened awareness of the body bequest programs and the care and dignity accorded to the altruistic body donors, together with the institution of commemorative services to honor them. As spirituality and religion are known to be factors that influence body donation, how religious- and non-religious-based memorial services are held to honor the donors as exemplified by two Korean medical schools-from a public university with no religious affiliation and from a Protestant-based university-are described here. The key concept of expressing gratitude and respect for the donors and their family members has positively impacted body bequest programs in this multi-religious society. Commemorative services held to pay tribute to the altruistic body donors may play an important role in inspiring a humanistic spirit in students, regardless of religious or non-religious beliefs, as exemplified by the two Korean medical schools. The takeaway here is that the elevation of spirituality in memorial services effectively resonates with society, thereby demonstrating the impact of spiritual principles independent of religious influence.

Status and perception of point-of-care ultrasound education in Korean medical schools: A national cross-sectional study.

As point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is increasingly being used in clinical settings, ultrasound education is expanding into student curricula. We aimed to determine the status and awareness of POCUS education in Korean medical schools using a nationwide cross-sectional survey. In October 2021, a survey questionnaire consisting of 20 questions was distributed via e-mail to professors in the emergency medicine (EM) departments of Korean medical schools. The questionnaire encompassed 19 multiple-choice questions covering demographics, current education, perceptions, and barriers, and the final question was an open-ended inquiry seeking suggestions for POCUS education. All EM departments of the 40 medical schools responded, of which only 13 (33%) reported providing POCUS education. The implementation of POCUS education primarily occurred in the third and fourth years, with less than 4 hours of dedicated training time. Five schools offered a hands-on education. Among schools offering ultrasound education, POCUS training for trauma cases is the most common. Eight schools had designated professors responsible for POCUS education and only 2 possessed educational ultrasound devices. Of the respondents, 64% expressed the belief that POCUS education for medical students is necessary, whereas 36%, including those with neutral opinions, did not anticipate its importance. The identified barriers to POCUS education included faculty shortages (83%), infrastructure limitations (76%), training time constraints (74%), and a limited awareness of POCUS (29%). POCUS education in Korean medical schools was limited to a minority of EM departments (33%). To successfully implement POCUS education in medical curricula, it is crucial to clarify learning objectives, enhance faculty recognition, and improve the infrastructure. These findings provide valuable insights for advancing ultrasound training in medical schools to ensure the provision of high-quality POCUS education for future healthcare professionals.

The new placement of 2,000 entrants at Korean medical schools in 2025: is the government’s policy evidence-based?

The new placement of 2,000 entrants at Korean medical schools in 2025: is the government’s policy evidence-based?

Analyzing the characteristics of mission statements in Korean medical schools based on the Korean Doctor's Role framework.

This study assessed the alignment between Korean medical schools' mission statements (MSs) and Korean Doctor's Role (KDR) domains, considering school characteristics. We analyzed the South Korean medical school's MS characteristics using a mixed-methods approach. Quantitative analysis preprocessed MS text data to identify concept words, while qualitative content analysis categorized information into predefined KDR domains and extracted themes from other parts. At the KDR domain level, "social accountability" was the most frequent, followed by "education and research" and "patient care," while "professionalism" had the least frequency. At the competency level, the most frequent domains were "involvement in public and global health initiatives," while "self-regulation based on professional leadership" and "professionalism and self-management" were not present. The study found that the majority of MSs had a homogeneous pattern and included traditional themes. Medical schools should evaluate and incorporate missing elements in their MSs to reflect the institution's own purpose and current societal needs.

The Impact and Implications of the Flexner Report on Medical Education in Korea.

The recent debate surrounding the expansion of enrollment in Korean medical schools has reignited interest in the Flexner Report, published in the United States in 1910. Historically, medical education in the United States transitioned from small proprietary schools to university-affiliated institutions, emphasizing basic science and clinical experience. The Flexner Report advocated for scientific medicine and led to significant reforms in medical education, including standardization of curricula and strengthened admission requirements. The influence of this report extended to Korean medical education, shaping its curriculum, accreditation system, and emphasis on academic excellence. The expansion of medical school enrollment has led to a crucial dilemma. Should we prioritize the training of physicians who provide practical medical services or continue to emphasize academic medicine as we do now? There has been insufficient discussion of the individualized curricula, necessary investments, and societal efforts to accommodate these changes. It is imperative to move beyond mere enrollment expansion debates and collectively determine the future trajectory of Korean medical education, devising actionable plans to achieve overarching goals.

Defining Medical AI Competencies for Medical School Graduates: Outcomes of a Delphi Survey and Medical Student/Educator Questionnaire of South Korean Medical Schools.

Given the increasing significance and potential impact of artificial intelligence (AI) technology on health care delivery, there is an increasing demand to integrate AI into medical school curricula. This study aimed to define medical AI competencies and identify the essential competencies for medical graduates in South Korea. An initial Delphi survey conducted in 2022 involving 4 groups of medical AI experts (n = 28) yielded 42 competency items. Subsequently, an online questionnaire survey was carried out with 1,955 participants (1,174 students and 781 professors) from medical schools across South Korea, utilizing the list of 42 competencies developed from the first Delphi round. A subsequent Delphi survey was conducted with 33 medical educators from 21 medical schools to differentiate the essential AI competences from the optional ones. The study identified 6 domains encompassing 36 AI competencies essential for medical graduates: (1) understanding digital health and changes driven by AI; (2) fundamental knowledge and skills in medical AI; (3) ethics and legal aspects in the use of medical AI; (4) medical AI application in clinical practice; (5) processing, analyzing, and evaluating medical data; and (6) research and development of medical AI, as well as subcompetencies within each domain. While numerous competencies within the first 4 domains were deemed essential, a higher percentage of experts indicated responses in the last 2 domains, data science and medical AI research and development, were optional. This medical AI framework of 6 competencies and their subcompetencies for medical graduates exhibits promising potential for guiding the integration of AI into medical curricula. Further studies conducted in diverse contexts and countries are necessary to validate and confirm the applicability of these findings. Additional research is imperative for developing specific and feasible educational models to integrate these proposed competencies into pre-existing curricula.

Faculty perceptions and use of e-learning resources for medical education and future predictions

Purpose: This study aims to investigate medical faculties’ perceptions and current practice of using e-learning resources, needs and suggestions for more effective use of such resources, and future directions of e-learning in medical education.Methods: This descriptive study was conducted on full-time faculty members who were registered users of the e-learning portal of the consortium of Korean medical schools. Participants were invited to an online survey containing 45 items that addressed their perceptions and use of e-learning resources, and their predictions of future use. Descriptive analysis and reliability analysis were conducted as well as a thematic analysis of qualitative data.Results: Ninety faculty members from 31 medical schools returned the questionnaires. Participants positively perceived e-learning resources and that they predicted their use would become increasingly popular. Still, only half of the respondents were using e-learning resources for teaching and agreed that they were willing to share their e-learning resources. Our study illustrates several barriers inhibit faculty use and sharing of e-learning resources, and a need for a more comprehensive, better-organized resource repository. Participants also pointed out the needs for more resources on multimedia assessment items, clinical videos, and virtual patients.Conclusion: Our study sheds light on medical faculty needs for institutional support and faculty development programs on e-learning, and institutional policies that address faculty concerns regarding ownership, intellectual property rights, and so forth on creating and sharing such resources. Collaborations among medical schools are suggested for creating a better organized around learning outcomes and more comprehensive repository of resources.

Strategies for Structuring Health Systems Science Curriculum in the Korean Medical Education: A Study Based on an Analysis of the Domestic Status of Health Systems Science Education and Case Studies of US Medical Schools

Health systems science (HSS) is recognized as the third pillar of medical education. alongside basic and clinical sciences. Today’s physicians must also be systems thinkers who are able to discern how social, economic, environmental, and technological forces influence clinical decision-making. This study aimed to propose strategies for structuring an HSS curriculum that is tailored to the Korean healthcare and medical education context. First, the authors of this study conducted a survey to identify the present curricular contents of HSS related education at Korean medical schools. Second, a needs assessment was performed to determine the necessity of HSS competencies, as well as the prerequisites for the seamless integration of HSS into the existing curriculum. Third, literature reviews on HSS education at 14 US medical schools and expert consultations was conducted. We would like to propose a set of strategic approaches, classified into two levels: comprehensive and partial restructuring of the current medical curriculum to incorporate HSS. The partial restructuring approach entails a gradual, incremental incorporation of HSS content, while maintaining the current curricular structure. In contrast, a complete overhaul of the curriculum may be ideal to build HSS as the third pillar of medical education, but its feasibility remains relatively limited. The partial reorganization approach, however, has the advantage of being highly feasible. Collaborative efforts between professors and students are imperative to collectively devise effective methods for the seamless integration of HSS into the existing curriculum.

What Are the Current Status and Educational Needs of Global Health Education in Medical Schools? A Nationwide Survey in Korea

This study investigated the current status and educational needs of global health education (GHE) at medical schools in Korea. Among the 40 medical schools nationwide, 32 schools that agreed to participate in the study collected data through a survey in 2022, and the results were examined by frequency analysis and content analysis. In total, 87.5% of medical schools included global health-related graduation outcomes. In the curriculum, global health lessons within courses were present at 71.9% of medical schools. Regarding extracurricular activities, 66.7% and 63.0% of medical schools offered overseas clerkships and overseas volunteer work, respectively. Although there were not many medical schools with a global health-related educational environment, 96.9% of schools agreed with the necessity of GHE in medical education. The prevailing opinion was that it was appropriate to continuously cover GHE as lessons within courses throughout all years of the program in medical education. The main opinions regarding the improvement of GHE related to curriculum development, personnel expansion, and awareness improvement at medical schools. These findings are expected to serve as a basis for identifying the current status of GHE at Korean medical schools and specifying future directions of GHE.

Exploring the interest of medical students in global health in South Korea: Does taking a global health course matter?

BackgroundPrioritizing global health is important for positive health outcomes. Doctors play a pivotal role in addressing health issues that they need to recognize the importance of global health practice. However, medical education in global health is still in its early stages in many countries, including South Korea.MethodsThis study is a quantitative cross-sectional study. Medical students were recruited from all 40 Korean medical schools and data collection was conducted in 2021. Stratified proportional quota sampling was employed as the sampling method. The study examined medical students’ interest in global health as the dependent variable. Independent variables included whether individuals had taken global health courses as part of their medical curriculum, while covariates included student background and institutional factors. Logistic regression was used to determine if taking a global health class was associated with global health interests.ResultsThe study included 2450 participants and almost 32% of medical students (n = 781) were interested in global health. Taking global health classes in school was associated with a higher likelihood of developing an interest in global health (OR: 1.29, 95% CI: 1.00-1.67). The likelihood of being interested in global health decreased across the academic year (OR: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.53–0.94). Individuals in graduate entry programs were associated with an interest in global health (OR: 1.32, 95% CI: 1.01–1.72).ConclusionThis study provides the first comprehensive nationwide assessment of medical students’ perspectives on global health education in South Korea. The findings underscore the importance of early and sustained exposure to global health topics in medical education in fostering interest in global health. These results can serve as valuable evidence for medical educators seeking to integrate global health education into their curricula.

의과대학 역량중심교육과정 평가준거 구안

Objectives The purpose of this study was to propose evaluation criteria for assessing competency-based medical education curriculum, which are currently the main educational programs in medical schools in South Korea. The ultimate goal was to enhance the quality of medical education by establishing evaluation criteria that reflect the characteristics of competency-based medical education curriculum.
 Methods To achieve this, the study conducted a literature review to identify the characteristics of competencybased medical education curriculum and analyzed existing evaluation models and criteria used in medical education. Based on this analysis, primary evaluation criteria were identified. Subsequently, interviews were conducted with five experts to derive practical elements that should be included in the evaluation criteria, considering the current reality of medical education curriculum in South Korean medical schools. Through the literature review and expert interviews, the final evaluation criteria were developed.
 Results Through literature analysis, we have developed a framework for evaluation criteria by combining evaluation models that are commonly used in medical education. By analyzing previous studies that mentioned evaluation criteria in the field of medical education, we initially derived 8 evaluation areas, 31 evaluation items, and 73 evaluation indicators. Subsequently, incorporating the secondary evaluation criteria factors derived from expert interviews, we organized them to finalize 5 evaluation areas, 19 evaluation items, and 61 evaluation indicators.
 Conclusions This study contributes to the development of evaluation criteria and models that reflect the theoretical and practical characteristics of competency-based medical education curriculum in medical schools. Additionally, through the investigation process, it provided in-depth insights into the challenges and areas for improvement faced in implementing competency-based medical education curriculum in current medical schools.

A Study on Educational Utilization of Narrative Medicine in Korean Medical Schools

The purpose of this study is to explore current status and future task of educational utilization of medical humanities, focusing on narrative medicine in Korea. For this end, firstly, this study explored Korean research literatures on medical humanities. Second, this study reviewed a case of curriculum in a medical school. Lastly, this study provided the implication and future task for education and research. This study is expected to become a reference for developing teaching and learning model to nurture medical professionals, medical humanities educators and researchers.

Medical students' self-directed learning skills during online learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic in a Korean medical school.

PurposeThis study examined medical students’ self-directed learning skills in online learning contexts, and whether there were any differences among the student groups (from pre-medical program year 1 to medical program year 2) amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. It also explored the components of self-directed learning skills influencing their perceived learnring performance and satisfaction in online learning contexts.MethodsThis study used a cross-sectional survey design and convenience sampling. It was conducted in a Korean medical school, which delivered all courses online because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The self-directed learning skill survey, which included student satisfaction and perceived learning performance items, was disseminated over two weeks through email to the participants. The collected data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, and multiple regressions.ResultsThe survey response rate was 70% (140/200). The overall mean of self-directed learning skills was 3.85. Students in medical year 2 showed the highest score (4.15), while students in medical year 1 showed the lowest score (3.69). The learning plan category score (3.74) was the lowest among the three categories. The pre-medical program year 1 students showed the lowest score in the perceived learning performance (3.16), and only the learning plan category impacted student satisfaction (t=2.605, p=0.041) and perceived learning performance (t=3.022, p=0.003).ConclusionWhen designing online learning environments, it is imperative to provide features to help students set learning goals and search diverse online learning resources. In addition, it is an effective strategy to provide the students in medical program year 1 with self-directed learning skills training or support for successful online learning.

Critical e-learning quality factors affecting student satisfaction in a Korean medical school.

PurposeThis research investigated the critical factors that affect the e-learning quality. The student satisfaction model with the five factors such as content, system, learner, instructor and interaction was proposed and empirically examined. It also investigated the relationship between the interaction and other constructs.MethodsThis study used a cross sectional survey design, and convenience sampling. To examine the critical factors and their relationship, a survey of 28 items was developed based on previous studies and sent out through a learning management system to all the students (n=250) enrolled in the pre-med 1 to the medicine 3 in one medical school in Korea. The medical school delivered all the courses online due to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. The collected data (n=209, 83.6%) were analyzed through structural equation modeling by using IBM AMOS ver. 26.0 and IBM SPSS ver. 26.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, USA).ResultsThe determinants of e-learning student satisfaction were system, learner, instructor, and interaction qualities, which together explained 72.6% of the variance of student satisfaction and the determinants of e-learning interaction quality were content and system qualities, which together explained 62.9% of the variance of interaction quality.ConclusionThe results of this study presented practical guidelines to improve e-learning quality in terms of student satisfaction in medical education contexts. The results indicated that more efforts should be directed toward improving interaction features such as interactive teaching styles, collaborative activities, providing instructors and learners with proper training for e-learning prior to e-learning and a quality of contents, and upgrading e-learning system for better performance and service.

Medical students\u2019 self-evaluation of character, and method of character education

BackgroundAs medical doctors must have a strong sense of ethics, character education is particularly important for them compared with other professions. This follow-up study aimed to establish the foundation for developing a character education program in medical schools by (1) conducting a survey among medical students on the self-assessment of one’s character based on eight qualities (service and sacrifice, empathy and communication, care and respect, honesty and humility, responsibility and calling, collaboration and magnanimity, creativity and positivity, patience and leadership), the perceived importance of character, and satisfaction with character education at medical school, and (2) analyzing the usefulness of learning methods for acquiring character elements. It also aimed at verifying the (3) gender differences in self-evaluation of character elements, and (4) academic-year differences in the survey items.MethodsMedical students’ perceptions were identified through a questionnaire survey among 856 medical students from five South Korean medical schools. The questionnaire comprised items on the achievement level of the character element, importance of character in the medical curriculum, satisfaction with character education in medical schools, and the learning method’s degree of helpfulness. Descriptive statistics, t-test, and one-way ANOVA were used to compare responses.ResultsThe importance of eight-character qualities had high average scores, whereas the average scores for satisfaction with character education and achievement level were comparatively low. For the question on each learning method’s helpfulness in gaining the eight-character qualities, the score of team-based learning activities was the highest, followed by club activities, relationships with peers, role modeling of professors, and course study. Regarding satisfaction with character education, male students gave higher scores than female students, manifesting a statistically significant difference. Regarding the importance of the character element in medical education, statistically significant differences existed based on academic year.ConclusionMedical students’ perceptions of character education varied according to gender and academic year. They regarded character education highly but were unsatisfied with the current character education at medical schools. Thus, diverse character education curricula must be developed and implemented along with extra-curricular character programs. An effective approach to implementing character education can be discovered by verifying the differences in students’ perceptions based on the character education courses in medical schools.

Analysis on Students' Career Preparation in One Korean Medical School: Based on the Relationship and Trend Between Career Maturity and Specialty Indecision.

BackgroundFor medical school students, specialty choice after graduation significantly impacts their future doctor life. Several Korean medical schools have made efforts to prepare career development programs. However, career support programs based on the systematic analysis of medical school students’ first to the final year are still lacking. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the students’ career preparation of one medical school in Korea using the Career Maturity Inventory (CMI) and Specialty Indecision Scale (SIS) and to explore the relationship between CMI and SIS variables.MethodsFrom December 2020 to July 2021, we conducted an online survey of 600 students in years 1 to 4 at Seoul National University College of Medicine. We analyzed the differences between the years of the students through one-way analysis of variance of the CMI and SIS and the relationship between the two instruments by correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis.ResultsA total of 198 students completed the survey. The average scores of the CMI variables tended to increase as the year of study went up, and the confidence score of the 1st year students was significantly lower than that of the 2nd and 4th year students. Although there was almost no consistent decrease by year in the SIS variables, 3rd and 4th year students showed significantly lower readiness scores than 1st year students. Additionally, we found that the CMI variables mostly had a negative effect on the SIS variables.ConclusionThere is an increasing tendency for career maturity by year of study in Korean medical school students. However, looking at the SIS results, the career concerns vary among the students. Therefore, medical schools can effectively use the SIS to identify the career concerns of students.