ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: In Korea, students should have the consciousness of 'I' and 'we' to adapt well in society. Medical students in Korea must develop interpersonal and intrapersonal characteristics that are in accordance with Korean culture. This study intends to determine the relationship between the level of I-consciousness/we-consciousness and interpersonal problems in medical students. METHODS: The I-consciousness/we-consciousness Inventory and the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems were used for 212 first year medical students and 191 second year medical students at Yonsei University College of Medicine in 2008. RESULTS: The levels of I-consciousness/we-consciousness and interpersonal problems in medical students were higher than those of other general college students. There was a significant inverse correlation between the level of I-consciousness/we-consciousness and interpersonal problems for 118 of 130 factors. The higher the level of I-consciousness/we-consciousness in medical students is, the fewer interpersonal problems there are. CONCLUSION: Educational programs that take into account the consciousness of 'I' and 'we' are useful for the development of medical students' personalities.