Changing Face of Medical Education in Korea / 医学教育

ABSTRACT

1) Korean medical education movement into Anglo-Saxon model is more rapid than the change in Japanese medical education. Health personnel licensing examinations have been sponsored by non-Governmental organization, NHPLEB (National Health Personnel Licensing Examination Board) instead of The Ministry of Health since 1994.<BR>2) Though governments in developing countries and former socialistic areas still actively lead medical education system, only a few developed countries stick to such an old system. In Japan, many stakeholders continue to hold consciousness since Edo period that government will determine most of the system. In Korea, the situation is opposite.<BR>3) Korean medical schools began to adopt a new graduate school system (4+4 in 2002; 10 out of 41 medical schools decided to introduce the new system. Such new curriculum structure is compatible with international standard.<BR>4) In Korean medical schools, the budget for human resources seems to be relatively much richer than that in Japan. Reform in Korean medical schools increased the number of professors in each department, though Japanese ones move toward cutback.<BR>5) The Korean Society of Medical Education was established in 1983. The Society holds two annual meetings a year. Spring meeting is similar to the one for the Association for American Medical Colleges and held in conjunction with Nationwide Dean's meeting, including various faculty development workshops and committee meetings as well.