Since the currently increasing proportion of problem-solving test items in both National Board of Medical Licensure and Specialty Board Examinations, valid measurement of the examinee's professional c ompetence becomes the utmost concern in various quallification examinations in medical community. However, appropriate guideline with regard to its construction techniques has not been referred in the literature. This article identified the existing misconcept in test item construction among facullty members and described methods to upgrade the knowledge level of individual items. The author developed the baseline skills accompanied with examples for construction of test items in each determined level of knowledge, and introduced the conversion technique of recall-type items to problem-solving ones. Construction of more practical test items instead of theoretical items was emphasized with/without providing raw data or pictorials. Replacement of simpe, recall-type of test items with problem-solving ones in written examinations should be encouraged not only in the National Licesure and Specialty Board Examinations but also during every MD-programs. It is also stressed that the examination should reflect the situation much close to the real clinical setting by application of raw data/pictorials identical in practical clinical and laboratory situations which encourage the examinees to reinforce their learning habit form theory-based learning to problem-based ones.
Learning ; Licensure, Medical ; Specialty Boards

Physicians who have defected from North Korea and settled in South Korea (North Korean defector physicians, NKDPs) have experienced hardship in the occupational integration process due to their low socio-economic status, lack of information, and differences in medicosocial cultures, English-based medical terminology, and the clinical knowledge gap between North and South Korea. Here, we review the relevant literature on the credentialing process for former Soviet physicians in Israel. We present empirical findings regarding the ongoing educational experience of NKDPs preparing for the Korean national medical licensing examination. The approval process from the National Health Personnel Licensing Examination Board for NKDPs to sit for the national medical licensing examination under the current licensing system needs more objective credentialing criteria. Systematic and sustained supportive plans are needed for educating NKPDs to prepare for the licensing examination. Securing additional internships and residencies is needed for further sustained training of NKDPs after certification. A continuing medical education program can address the needs of those who have not completed a residency program for primary care and improve quality of care. We hope more extensive discussion will take place on the credentialing and integration of NKPDs following a policy of engagement from the perspective of human resource building and partnership for unification of the medical system between South and North Korea.
Certification ; Credentialing ; Democratic People's Republic of Korea ; Education, Medical, Continuing ; Health Personnel ; Humans ; Hypogonadism ; Internship and Residency ; Israel ; Licensure ; Mitochondrial Diseases ; Ophthalmoplegia ; Primary Health Care ; Refugees ; Republic of Korea

Both MD and postgraduate education programs in Korea have been established and conducted independently with considerable lack of close coordination for the forthcoming programs from the designing stag e; this phenomenon has apparently led to a significant retardation of continuing medical education (CME) together with ignorance of competency development by self learning in medical schools. It was further triggered with teacher-centered learning epxperience during the medical school life. Postgraduate institutional education programs were denatured by a simultaneous availability of both Ph.D. and clinical subspecialty training programs, and facilitated decrease of relevance on CME. This article summarized the growing patterns of CME programs in Korea, and described the problems of current undergraduate and postgraduate education based in terms of competency required for CME program. The followings recommendations were specially stressed to promote CME in Korean medical society; (1) providing an opportunity for medical school students to experience the situations closely similar to that in the postgraduate practice during the MD course, (2) earlier introduction of recertification and/or relicensure mechanisms in both medical licensure or specialty board qualification, (3) expansion of medical school's role to CME for their graduates, and (4) emphasis of CME activity by strengthening of accreditation of the training hospitals.
Accreditation ; Education* ; Education, Medical* ; Education, Medical, Continuing* ; Humans ; Korea ; Learning ; Licensure, Medical ; Schools, Medical ; Societies, Medical ; Specialty Boards

No abstract available.
Accreditation ; Education, Medical ; Licensure

Subspecialty board certification is a post-graduate program in which clinicians can acquire the qualifications for special areas or techniques, after they have received a board certification in a specialty in clinical medicine. Considering the trend of increasingly sub-classified and professionalized medicine and the higher demand on specialized medical services, introduction of subspecialty board certification is inevitable. However, given the characteristics of the medical environment in Korea, such as the medical payment system, a possibility of undesirable outcomes should not be overlooked. An imprudent administration of the specialty board system would cause conflict and split within communities of medical professionals and also produce confusion among medical consumers. Accordingly, the establishment of subspecialty board system should proceed based on academic communications as well as organic collaboration with the parent academic society and/or the relevant academic societies. Individuals can submit an application for a subspecialty board qualification under the agreement of specialized academic societies which have already been authorized, but the authorization of the societies is determined following a rigorous assessment by the Korean Academy of Medical Sciences (KAMS). An active intervention by KAMS is essential for maintaining the quality of specialty board system and preventing imprudent administration. KAMS will make the best effort to prevent distribution of unauthorized certificates and to rectify rational implementation of the subspecialty board certification system.
Accreditation ; Certification ; Clinical Medicine ; Cooperative Behavior ; Humans ; Korea ; Parents ; Specialty Boards

An endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is endoscopically complicated procedure which carries a higher risk of serious adverse events, and it is more challenging compared with general endoscopy. On a national basis, the accepted standards of practice in ERCP are needed to be outlined to ensure consistent clinical standards in patient management. Certificated system for general endoscopy has been implemented since 2006 in Korea. However, an established system for certification of ERCP does not exist, which requires longer training than general endoscopy. Recently, much has been reported about the need to measure and improve the quality of endoscopy services, but still the variability exists in standards used by hospitals for credentialing physicians to ERCP in Korea. There is an urgent need to settle the credentialing process to enhance practice and to protect patients, which suits our society. This article investigated the system of ERCP certification in overseas, and should be helpful to establish the standard certification system of ERCP in Korea.
Certification ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Credentialing ; Endoscopy ; Humans ; Korea

Although the subspecialization of surgical practice and fellowship training have progressed well in most of the university hospitals in Korea, no apparent supervision system has yet been activated. There have recently been active debates and discussions between society members on the issue of a certification for fellowship training, which ultimately prompted the Korean Surgical Society to prepare appropriate measures. In order to facilitate the process of establishing ideal measures, in our unique circumstance of surgical practice, I can suggest some of my personal opinions. First of all, I recommend that the Korean Surgical Society and its all member to strive against government interference and achieve an attending system for surgical practice and to obtain reasonable insurance reimbursement for surgeons' work, which are all prerequisites for both general and subspecialty surgical practices. Rigorous criteria for approval and credentialing of a fellowship training program should be established, whether certification will be given or not. Certification should be offered only when there is agreement between all the members of subspecialty boards and the association of practicing surgeons. All measures should be taken so as not to compromise surgical residency training by subspecialty fellowship. As subspecialization progresses, the specialty of general surgery also needs to be redefined. A discreet long-range plan of the surgical work force should be done to keep the proper number of both generalist- general surgeons and subspecialist-general surgeons. In order to take the initiative for the moderation of the interests between different subspecialty boards, and to establish a structured fellowship training program, the Korean Surgical Society should reinforce its administrative functions.
Certification ; Credentialing ; Education ; Fellowships and Scholarships* ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Insurance ; Internship and Residency ; Korea ; Organization and Administration

This article aims to describe the training and medical licensing system (uieop) for becoming a physician officer (uigwan) during Korea's Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392). In the Goryeo Dynasty, although no license was necessary to provide medical services to the common people, there was a licensing examination to become a physician officer. No other national licensing system for healthcare professionals existed in Korea at that time. The medical licensing examination was administered beginning in 958. Physician officers who passed the medical licensing examination worked in two main healthcare institutions: the Government Hospital (Taeuigam) and Pharmacy for the King (Sangyakguk). The promotion and expansion of medical education differed depending on the historical period. Until the reign of King Munjong (1046-1083), medical education as a path to licensure was encouraged in order to increase the number of physician officers qualifying for licensure by examination; thus, the number of applicants sitting for the examination increased. However, in the late Goryeo Dynasty, after the officer class of the local authorities (hyangri) showed a tendency to monopolize the examination, the Goryeo government limited the examination applications by this group. The medical licensing examination was divided into two parts: medicine and 'feeling the pulse and acupuncture' (jugeumeop). The Goryeo Dynasty followed the Chinese Dang Dynasty's medical system while also taking a strong interest in the Chinese Song Dynasty's ideas about medicine.
Acupuncture Therapy ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Delivery of Health Care ; Education, Medical ; Humans ; Korea ; Licensure* ; Licensure, Medical ; Music ; Pharmacy

At present, graduates of international pharmacy schools can apply to take the Korean Pharmacist Licensing Examination after passing a review by the Accreditation Board of the Pharmacy Schools and Licenses. However, since the educational content of different schools and the roles of pharmacists differ from country to country, a preliminary examination might be necessary before the Pharmacist Licensing Examination. To prepare to implement a preliminary examination for foreign pharmacy graduates in Korea, we summarized the preliminary examinations used in four other countries and presented a proposal for a preliminary examination. Data were collected via the internet and through telephone interviews with appropriate persons. The proposal was revised after a public forum. There are preliminary examinations in the USA, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom, and these involve written, oral, practice, and English proficiency tests. We proposed that the Korean preliminary examination consist of a written test on basic pharmacy, a test in the Korean language, and an interview. The preliminary examination should include suitable items that effectively evaluate international graduates. Graduates of international pharmacy schools who have an ability equivalent to graduates of Korean pharmacy schools should be eligible to write the Korean Licensing Examination.
Accreditation ; Australia ; Canada ; Great Britain ; Humans ; Internet ; Interviews as Topic ; Korea ; Licensure ; Pharmacists ; Pharmacy ; Schools, Pharmacy

Since the late 19(th) century, great strides have been made towards advancements in the field of urology, with respect to clinical activity, education and research; therefore, pediatric urology has become an important part of urology. In this article, the historical developmental process of pediatric urology was reviewed, including its legitimate development into an independent section within the urological field as well as achieving an independent role in the urological society. Also, the developmental process of pediatric urology was reviewed in relation to the organization of academic societies and the creation of subspecialty certification. In addition, the development of pediatric urology was further discussed by reviewing the evolution of management for a typical pediatric urological disease, vesicoureteral reflux. From its early history, pediatric urology has played an important role, and efforts to achieve advancements are still being made. As seen from the historical changes in the management concept of vesicoureteral reflux, current medical knowledge can sometimes, at a later date, be proven wrong. An effective way to stay abreast of the state-of-the-art medical standards and knowledge, as well as techniques, is the participation in local and international academic activities, which provide the opportunities for exchanging clinical experience and knowledge. Also, changes in the system, such as the enforcement of recertification of a specialty board, may contribute to maintaining or upgrading the standards of urology as a whole.
Certification ; Education ; Specialty Boards ; Urologic Diseases ; Urology* ; Vesico-Ureteral Reflux