The role of Korean Council on Medical Education and its future direction
10.5124/jkma.2019.62.6.294
- Author:
Hee Chul HAN
1
Author Information
1. Department of Physiology, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. heehan@korea.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Editorial
- Keywords:
Education, medical;
Organization and administration;
History;
Capacity building;
Organizational policy
- MeSH:
Capacity Building;
Education, Medical;
Korea;
Organization and Administration;
Organizational Policy;
Societies, Medical
- From:Journal of the Korean Medical Association
2019;62(6):294-299
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
This study was conducted to recognize the role of Korean Council on Medical Education (KCME), which is composed of 12 medical organizations related to medical education, and its importance in Korean medical society. The historical background of the establishment of the KCME is reviewed, along with changes in medical education in Korea starting in the early 1960s. In 1971, the first organization for medical education in Korea, the Association of Korean Medical Colleges, was established by 14 deans of medical colleges. This organization sought to create a good environment for medical education, but because of conflict between deans and medical educators, in 1983 it was divided into two organizations : the Korean Society of Medical Education and the Korean Council of Deans of Medical Colleges. Neither was active until they co-organized a congress about medical education in 1994, and fortunately, they have continued to collaborate since. At that time, the Korean government aggressively tried to authorize 9 new medical colleges, which caused Korean organizations related to medical education to unite against this governmental policy by establishing the KCME. The KCME played an important role in monitoring policy changes and achieved some noteworthy results. However, recent changes, including the fourth industrial revolution and patterns of mutual influence among medical education, research and clinical practice, have spurred the KCME to change and broaden its activities. Therefore, the KCME should take the lead in launching a serious discussion reorganizing Korean medical societies so that academic medicine and practical medicine may flourish.
