PURPOSE: Despite the importance of selecting students whom are capable for medical education and to become a good doctor, not enough studies have been done in the category. This study focused on analysing the medical students' academic performance (grade point average, GPA) differences, flunk and dropout rates by admission types. METHODS: From 2004 to 2010, we gathered 369 Konyang University College of Medicine's students admission data and analyzed the differences between admission method and academic achievement, differences in failure and dropout rates. Analysis of variance (ANOVA), ordinary least square, and logistic regression were used. RESULTS: The rolling students showed higher academic achievement from year 1 to 3 than regular students (p<0.01). Using admission type variable as control variable in multiple regression model similar results were shown. But unlike the results of ANOVA, GPA differences by admission types were shown not only in lower academic years but also in year 6 (p<0.01). From the regression analysis of flunk and dropout rate by admission types, regular admission type students showed higher drop out rate than the rolling ones which demonstrates admission types gives significant effect on flunk or dropout rates in medical students (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: The rolling admissions type students tend to show lower flunk rate and dropout rates and perform better academically. This implies selecting students primarily by Korean College Scholastic Ability Test does not guarantee their academic success in medical education. Thus we suggest a more in-depth comprehensive method of selecting students that are appropriate to individual medical school's educational goal.
Achievement ; Education, Medical ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Student Dropouts ; Students, Medical

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of high school students' mental health on their academic achievement and school dropout rate by using longitudinal data. METHODS: For this study, 153 high schools were randomly sampled on a nationwide scale. The descriptive data was collected from a school information internet site which is organized by the Korean Ministry of Education. We used the schools' mean scores on the Adolescent Mental Health Problem-Behavior Questionnaire-II (AMPQ-II) scale which was used for estimating students' mental health in the 2013 school-based mental health screening test. The data analysis was conducted by using hierarchical regression analysis. RESULTS: The results of this study showed that the AMPQ-II scale's mean scores have significant effects on the following year's academic achievement and annual dropout rates. Especially, the AMPQ-II scale's mean scores tend to increase the school dropout rate in vocational schools. CONCLUSION: The finding of this study is that Korean high school students' mental health states significantly influence their academic achievement and school dropout rate.
Adolescent ; Education ; Humans ; Internet ; Mass Screening ; Mental Health* ; Statistics as Topic ; Student Dropouts*

PURPOSE: A considerable number of medical students drop out due to low academic achievement, and these students have a high probability of repeated failure experiences. This study investigated the personal and academic problems of these students to help develop student support systems. METHODS: First-year (n=146) and second-year (n=119) medical students were asked to complete questionnaires. The questionnaires consisted of personality traits and the students' management of/satisfaction with school life. RESULTS: Students who had already dropped out accounted for 17.4% of the study subjects. The most common reason for dropping out was low academic achievement, and the most difficult part of taking a leave of absence from school was psychological anxiety. The group who dropped out had significantly lower levels of emotional stability, sociability, responsibility, dominance, masculinity, and superiority and more vulnerable mental states compared with those who did not drop out. They also expressed less motivation with regard to medical science and less satisfaction with school life than did the group that did not drop out. Those who dropped out tended not to prepare for exams, and they managed their time ineffectively. They also tried to resolve their difficulties alone and rarely sought help from teachers. CONCLUSION: More intimate student-teacher relationships should be established, and teachers should be encouraged to meet and interact with their students on a regular basis. Additionally, personality inventories should be used to assist in efforts to understand students, especially to identify hidden social and emotional problems.
Achievement ; Anxiety ; Humans ; Interpersonal Relations ; Masculinity ; Motivation ; Personality Inventory ; Student Dropouts ; Students, Medical ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed to investigate the relationships among the lifetime incidence of trauma, internalizing symptoms, and quality of life (QoL) in out-of-school youths (OSYs). METHODS: We recruited 50 OSYs in South Korea. Participants completed the following surveys: completed Lifetime Incidence of Traumatic Events for children, Youth Self Report, and The KIDSCREEN-27 QoL measure for children and adolescents. Mediation analysis was conducted to test the research hypotheses. RESULTS: The mean lifetime incidence of traumatic events among OSYs was 3.27 (standard deviation, 2.41). Internalizing symptoms significantly mediated the lifetime incidence of trauma and QoL. OSYs with fewer internalizing symptoms exhibited a better QoL in the domain of psychological well-being, although their lifetime incidence of trauma was higher. CONCLUSION: The results of current study suggest that assessment and therapeutic intervention with regard to internalizing symptoms are needed to increase the QoL of OSYs.
Adolescent* ; Anxiety ; Child ; Depression ; Humans ; Incidence* ; Korea ; Negotiating ; Quality of Life* ; Self Report ; Student Dropouts

OBJECTIVE: Post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) in out-of-school youths (OSYs) may be influenced by alcohol use, but there is a lack of evidence explaining how PTSS affect alcohol use problems in OSYs. The present study aimed to investigate the relationships among PTSS, quality of life, and alcohol use in OSYs. METHODS: In total, 125 OSYs (46.4% male) in South Korea completed the Korean Version of the Child Report of Post-Traumatic Symptoms (CROPS), the KIDSCREEN-27 Quality of Life Measure for Children and Adolescents, and the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption. RESULTS: Mean CROPS score was 18.7 (SD=11.6); 37.6% were problem drinkers. Quality of life in the domain of parent relations and autonomy significantly mediated the relationship between PTSS and alcohol use problems. OSYs with high parental satisfaction and autonomy were less likely to have alcohol use problems even with PTSS. CONCLUSION: Family assessments and therapeutic approaches are needed for OSYs with both PTSS and alcohol use problems.
Adolescent ; Alcohol Drinking ; Child ; Humans ; Korea ; Parents ; Quality of Life ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic ; Student Dropouts

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted in order to collect data regarding depressive disorder of elderly people at a community health center. METHODS: A total of 109 elderly people participated in this study. Trained examiners evaluated the general characteristics and symptoms of the subjects. Then the doctors conducted interviews with the elderly subjects in person and diagnosed depressive disorder according to the standard of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV-TR. RESULTS: The prevalence of depressive disorder was 19.3%, major depressive disorder 10.1%, dysthymic disorder 1.8%, and others 7.3%. According to results of logistic regression analysis, in terms of demographic variables, the odds ratio of elementary school dropout compared with elementary school graduates was 3.60, after adjusting for age and sex. Thus, we found that elementary school dropout was associated with an increased risk of prevalence of depression. CONCLUSION: This is the first study of prevalence of depressive disorder in a primary health care center in Korea. Results of this study confirm that the prevalence of depressive disorder is two times higher among adults in the Chungju community. In addition, the level of education was also highly related. Examiners detected a possible relationship between sex and residence. The results will be helpful in conduct of future studies at the health care center.
Adult ; Aged* ; Community Health Centers* ; Delivery of Health Care ; Depression ; Depressive Disorder* ; Depressive Disorder, Major ; Dysthymic Disorder ; Education ; Humans ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Odds Ratio ; Prevalence* ; Primary Health Care ; Student Dropouts