Medical Professionalism and Continuing Professional Development in the Next Amendment of the Postgraduate Clinical Training System / 医学教育

Under the current postgraduate clinical training system for physicians, three principles have been emphasized in its basic tenets; cultivation of character appropriate for physicians, generation of awareness to the societal role of medical science and healthcare, and mastery of basic clinical skills needed to respond appropriately to injuries and illnesses frequently encountered in general practice. In accordance with its quinquennial review rule, the Clinical Training Committee under the Medical Caucus of the Healthcare Professions Council released draft revisions of a notification published by the Director general of the Health Policy Bureau of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in March, 2018. The document is entitled "On the operation of the ordinance concerning the postgraduate clinical training prescribed in the paragraph (1) of Article 16-2, Medical Practitioners Act" .　A Key distinction of the revised draft is new learning outcomes featuring core values shared by physicians: commitment to physicians' societal mission of public health, altruistic behavior, respect for humanity, and maintaining one's own integrity. Another key distinction is securement of longitudinal consistency in the set of required faculties, from medical school curriculum to continuing professional development programs. Further improvements in systems and environments to enhance devotion to life-long learning are needed.

Executive Strategies for CPD Program Development and Enhancement

The Continuing Professional Development (CPD) program of Korean medical doctors had problems that did not resolve for many years. The primary concern of this study is to examine the problems of the CPD program of Korean medical doctors and to suggest practical guidelines to resolve such barriers. The findings show that the major barrier for improving CPD program is the lack of total quality management. Such lack came from insufficient manpower to plan, execute, and evaluate the CPD programs. The insufficient financial support aggravated the situation. In order to enhance the CPD program, various problems in planning, executing, evaluation stage must be dealt. Specific plans and resolutions in each stage have been suggested.