1Department of Medical Education and Humanities, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University
2Department of Anatomy and Histology, College of Oriental Medicine, Daegu Haany University
3Department of Medical Education, Catholic Kwandong University College of Medicine
Correspondence to: Su Jin Chae, Department of Medical Education, Simgokro 100Gil 25, Seo Gu, International St. Mary’s Hospital Catholic Kwandong University, Incheon, Republic of Korea, Tel: +82-32-290-3882, Fax: +82-32-290-3440, E-mail: edujin@cku.ac.kr
Received April 12, 2021 Revised May 11, 2021 Accepted May 18, 2021
The purpose of this study was to examine the curriculum of the medical humanities and social medicine at 11 Colleges of Korean Medicine (CKM) based on the Korean Medicine Education Accreditation Standards 2021 (KAS2021) and suggest ways to improve the quality of Korean Medical education in the future.
Methods
The curricula for each grade were collected from the websites of 11 CKM. Based on KAS2021, medical humanities and social medicine courses were extracted and compiled. Courses offered, frequency of course offerings, time of offerings, credits, and course hours were investigated.
Results
Courses in languages and literature were most frequently offered in CKM. Most medical humanities and social medicine courses were offered in the pre-medical program and the fourth year of the medical program and were conducted as individual courses. Developing a curriculum that integrates conceptual definitions of the medical humanities and social medicine with basic and clinical studies is necessary.
Conclusion
Eleven CKM should reorganize and operate their medical humanities and social medicine curricula based on each college’s circumstances. This will allow each college to improve the quality of its educational offerings, creating a foundation for fostering excellent korean medicine doctors with professional medical skills and communication skills.
Types of medical humanities and social medicine courses and the number of colleges that offer the courses
Subfields
Subjects
No of colleges
Classification
Medical Ethics
Medical Ethical Studies, Medicine and Ethics, Medical Ethics, Medical Science Ethics, Korean Medicine Ethics
10
Required
Philosophy
Eastern Philosophy, History of Eastern Philosophy, Medical Philosophy, Korean Medicine Philosophy
10
Required
Elective
Language and Literature
English
Medical English, English Conversation
4
Required
Chinese
Chinese Reading, Chinese Conversation, Basic Chinese, Medical Chinese, Readings in Chinese Medical Literature, Intermediate Chinese, Chinese for Korean Medicine
7
Required
Elective
Other
Chinese Literature
Medical Chinese Literature, Chinese Literature for Korean Medicine, Chinese Literature, General Chinese Literature, Ancient Medical Texts
11
Required
Elective
Other
Medical Statitics
Medical Statistical Studies, Theories in Medical Statistics, Medical Statistics, Practice in Medical Statistics
9
Required
Elective
Health Informatics
Korean Medicine Informatics, Medical Informatics
4
Required
Elective
Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Complementary Integrated Medicine
1
Elective
Sociology of Medicine
Medicine and Society
1
Elective
Medical Leadership
Medical Leadership
1
Elective
Career
Self-understanding and Career Design, Specialized Practice, Practice in Career Experience
3
Required
Science History
Perception and History of Science
1
Elective
Business Administration
Hospital Management, Hospital Management and Practice
4
Required
Elective
Forensic Medicine
Forensic Medicine
6
Required
Elective
Public Health Law
Health Law, Healthcare Law, Medical Law
11
Required
Medical Communication
Medical Interviews, Medical Communication
2
Required
Elective
Medical Psychology
Clinical Psychology, Psychology.
3
Required
Elective
Community Medicine
Community Clinical Practice
1
Required
Medical Management
Hospital Administration, Medical Management, Medical Insurance and Hospital Administration
3
Required
Table 2
Educational Status of Medical Humanities and Social Science Courses in 11 Colleges of Korean Medicine (Number: credit, Parentheses: hours)
Subject areas
Demensions
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
Average of no courses
Medical Ethics
Pre
1
2(2)
2(2)
2(2)
Med
2
1(2)
2(2)
1(2)
1(2)
2(2)
1(2)
Med
2
1(2)
Philosophy
Pre
1
1(2)
2(2)
2(4)
4(6)
2(2)
2(2)
Med
2
2(4)
4(4)
1(2)
2(2)
Language and Literature
English
Pre
1
2(2)
2(4)
2(4)
Med
2
2(4)
Chinese
Pre
1
2(4)
4(4)
2(4)
4(4)
Med
2
2(4)
1(2)
4(4)
2(4)
4(4)
Chinese Literature
Pre
1
4(8)
4(8)
4(4)
2(4)
4(4)
4(4)
6(6)
4(4)
4(4)
Med
2
4(8)
3(6)
2(4)
4(6)
2(4)
3(4)
4(4)
6(8)
2(4)
Med
1
1(2)
Medical Statitics
Pre
1
2(2)
Med
2
1(2)
1(2)
1(2)
2(2.5)
4(6)
1(2)
Med
2
2(2)
3
2(2)
Health informatics
Pre
1
4(6)
Med
2
1(2)
2(2)
Med
1
1(2)
Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Pre
2
1(2)
Med
Sociology of Medicine
Pre
2
1(2)
Med
Medical Leadership
Pre
1
1(2)
Med
Career
Pre
1
1(1)
Med
Med
2
1(2)
4
5(10.7)
History of science
Pre
1
1(2)
Med
Business Administration
Med
4
1(2)
2(2)
1(2)
2(4)
Forensic Medicine
Med
2
1(2)
1(2)
3
1(2)
1(2)
4
1(2)
2(2)
Public Health Law
Med
2
1(2)
2(3)
3
2(4)
4
1(2)
2(4)
2(4)
2(2)
2(4)
4(4)
4(4)
2(2)
Medical Communication
Med
2
1(2)
1(2)
Medical Psychology
Med
1
1(2)
1(2)
3
2(4)
Community Medicine
Med
4
4(8)
Medical Management
Med
4
1(2)
1(1)
2(2)
Total
Pre-Med
6
7
7
4
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5.36
Med
3
4
3
3
3
1
2
2
3
5
4
3.00
1) Pre Medical Course(Pre-med), Medical Course(Med)
References
1. Institute of Korean Medicine Education & Evaluation. Teaching Medical Humanities in Korean Medical Schools: Tasks and Prospect. Korean J Med Educ;(2019). 191-119.
https://doi.org/10.3946/kjme.2007.19.1.5.
2. Meng KH. Teaching medical humanities in Korean medical schools: Tasks & prospect. Korean J Med Educ;(2007). 195-11.
3. Cheon ME, Lim BM, & Shin SW. Education of medical humanities and social medicine in schools of Korean medicine in Korea. Korean J Orient Prev Med;(2012). 1631-42.
https://doi.org/10.13048/jkm.15015.
4. Yu J, Cheon M, Lim B, Kwon Y, & Kim BJ. Awareness and attitudes of professors regarding research ethics education in the colleges and the school of Korean Medicine. J Korean Med;(2015). 361-13.
5. Lee HJ, Hong JW, Hong SP, Lim YK, Kim DkJJG, Lee SY, & Kwon YK. Attitudinal study of Korean oriental medical doctors toward the educational necessity of human social medical study in the curriculum of Korean oriental medicine. Korean J Orient Physiol Pathol;(2010). 241134-1141.
6. Korea Institute of Orental Medicine. Yearbook of Traditional Korean Medicine;(2018). 70-117.
7. Basic WFME. Medical education. WFME Glob Stand Qual Improv;(2021). [cited 2021 Month DD].
8. An JH, Kwon I, Lee SN, Han JJ, & Jeong JE. Study on the medical humanities and social sciences curriculum in Korean medical school: Current teaching status and learning subjects. Korean J Med Educ;(2008). 20133-144.
https://doi.org/10.3946/kjme.2008.20.2.133.
9. Kim GW, Koh Y, Lim CM, Huh JW, Jung SH, Kim JB, & Hong SB. The effect of medical interview course in Korean medical school. J Korean Med;(2012). 33121-129.
https://doi.org/10.3904/kjim.2015.027.
10. Wootaek J. Suggestions for the improvement of medical humanities education. Korean Educ Rev;(2010). 1223-31.
11. Hojong Y. Two aims of medical humanities education: Good doctors and happy doctors. Korean Educ Rev;(2015). 1751-56.
https://doi.org/10.17496/kmer.2015.17.2.51.
12. Kwang-ho M. Teaching medical humanities in Korean medical schools: Tasks and prospect. Korean J Med Educ;(2007). 1915-11.
https://doi.org/10.3946/kjme.2007.19.1.5.