BACKGROUND: The College of Medicine at Korea University has lunched the new curriculum which incorporated optional elective courses in 2000. Optional elective course is consisted of 10 subjects. 8 subjects are conducted in classroom lectures and 2 of them are active experiences in research or community service. The purpose of this study is to identify the level of achievement of its own educational goals and objectives. Also, we tried to explore the possibilities of improving this course for the maximum educational effectiveness.. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We conducted a survey and the subjects of this study were second, and third year medical students who finished this course. RESULTS: 84.8% of respondents were aware of the goals of the course. 91.1% of them agreed this course is needed to enhance the effectiveness in undergraduate medical education. Most students agreed the course provide an opportunity to broaden their perspectives of field of medicine(81.4% of respondents). Also, this course provided good informations for students' future career choice(78.6% of respondents). However, students wanted to have more in-depth learning experience. INTERPRETATION: The implementation of the optional elective course at the Korea University, Medical College was successful. Despite of its initial success, the course has to be revised to allow students to get more in - depth study according their own interests.
Curriculum ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Education, Medical, Undergraduate ; Humans ; Korea ; Learning ; Lectures ; Lunch ; Social Welfare ; Students, Medical

No abstract available.
Blood Group Incompatibility* ; Bromelains*

Background and OBJECTIVE: There has been a few case reports of anaphylaxis due to honeybee in Korea. In order to observe the clinical feature of bee sting anaphylaxis. Moderials and methods: Six patients living in Kyunggi province area were referred under history of anaphylaxis after the bee sting. Atopy was defined by skin prick test result to common inhalant allergen. Serum specific IgE antibody to each bee antigen was detected by radioimmunoassay to identify the causative bee. RESULTS: All six cases were female. Three had atopy and four had combined allergic diseases such as allergic rhinitis, asthma, and urticaria. The etiologic bees consisted of yellow jacket (6 cases), paper wasp (4 cases), yellow hornet (3 cases), white faced hornet (1 case) and honey bee (1 case). Four cases had experienced anaphylaxis after ant bite and they showed positive result on specific IgE to imported fire ant. Specific immunotherapy against causative bee venom was begun using bee venom extracts from Bayer (USA) based upon results of specific IgE anti-body to bee venom. CONCLUSION: The yellow jacket is the most common cause of bee venom anaphylaxis in this area. Further studies will be needed to evaluate possible cross-reactivity between bee and ant venom.
Anaphylaxis* ; Ant Venoms ; Ants ; Asthma ; Bee Venoms* ; Bees* ; Bites and Stings ; Female ; Fires ; Gyeonggi-do ; Honey ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Immunotherapy ; Korea ; Radioimmunoassay ; Rhinitis ; Skin ; Urticaria ; Wasps

No abstract available.
Anemia, Megaloblastic* ; Humans ; Megaloblasts* ; Methotrexate*

PURPOSE: This study aimed at characterizing Korean nurses' occupational responsibilities to apply the results for improvement of the Korean Nursing Licensing Examination. METHODS: First, the contents of nursing job were defined based on a focus group interview of 15 nurses. Developing a Curriculum (DACOM) method was used to examine those results and produce the questionnaire by 13 experts. After that, the questionnaire survey to 5,065 hospital nurses was done. RESULTS: The occupational responsibilities of nurses were characterized as involving 8 duties, 49 tasks, and 303 task elements. Those 8 duties are nursing management and professional development, safety and infection control, the management of potential risk factors, basic nursing and caring, the maintenance of physiological integrity, medication and parenteral treatments, socio-psychological integrity, and the maintenance and improvement of health. CONCLUSION: The content of Korean Nursing Licensing Examination should be improved based on 8 duties and 49 tasks of the occupational responsibilities of Korean nurses.
Curriculum ; Focus Groups ; Infection Control ; Job Description ; Korea ; Licensure* ; Licensure, Nursing ; Methods ; Nursing* ; Risk Factors

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to develop a MD-MBA joint program that will teach doctors professional hospital management and administration skills. METHODS: To assess the demand for hospital management and administration skills in the medical field, information was gathered from community physicians through a questionnaire. Personal interviews were also conducted with doctors having who graduated from a MD-MBA joint program and those working for hospital consulting firms. We visited institutions in developed countries offering this program and conducted literature reviews. Based on the data collected, a tentative plan for the introduction of a MD-MBA program in Korea was developed. RESULTS: The results of this study are as follows. Community practitioners realize the need for basic management skills and feel that hospital management should be part of undergraduate or graduate medical curriculum. In the United States, there is an annual increase in the number of institutions offering MD-MBA programs and in the number of MD-MBA graduates. These programs are run very systematically. It is apparent that the introduction of this program to Korean medical students is imminent. This program can be offered in Korea at the undergraduate level with the School of Business Administration in charge of the program, with the Medical School in charge, or as a cooperative effort between these two schools. CONCLUSION: Most private practitioners and medical professors recognize the necessity for a MD-MBA program. Systemic and experiential research must be done. Support must be given to finances, human resources and equipment in offering this program.
Commerce ; Curriculum ; Developed Countries ; Humans ; Joints* ; Korea ; Program Development* ; Schools, Medical ; Students, Medical ; United States ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGREOUND: Since it has been reported that ketamine, an intravenous anesthetic, is a non-competitive antagonist of N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptors, a large number of experimental data on the several mechanism of this process have been accumulated. But the mechanism about the effect of ketamine on neurotransmitter release in central nervous system has not been clearly elucidated yet. Therefore the present study was undertaken to investigate the effects of ketamine and thiopental sodium on hippocampal norepinephrine (NE) release, and also to examine the relationship between ketamine and NMDA receptor mechanisms in the rat hippocampus. METHODS: Slices from rat hippocampus were equilibrated with [3H]norepinephrine ([3H]NE) and the release of labelled products was evoked by electrical stimulation (3 Hz, 5 V/cm, 2 ms, rectangular pulses, 2 min), and the influence of various agents on the evoked tritium-outflow and the basal rate of release were investigated. RESULTS: In rat hippocampal slices, ketamine (1~30 micrometer) and thiopental sodium (1~30 micrometer) did not affect the evoked NE release and the basal release in the normal and Mg2 free medium. NMDA (3~100 micrometer) did not alter the NE release in the normal medium, but NMDA (1~30 micrometer) increased the basal rate of NE release in the Mg2 free medium. The increasing effects of NMDA on basal release were completely abolished by ketamine treatment in a concentration dependent manner. But, thiopental sodium did not affect the NMDA effect. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that increment of the basal rate of NE release is mediated by NMDA receptor in the rat hippocampus and ketamine completely block this effect, but thiopental sodium is not involved in these process.
Animals ; Central Nervous System ; Electric Stimulation ; Hippocampus* ; Ketamine* ; N-Methylaspartate ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; Norepinephrine* ; Rats* ; Thiopental

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to analyze the assessment of student performance in Problem-Based Learning, which was an elective course at Korea University College of Medicine, from 2001 to 2003, and to delineate effective strategies for Problem-Based Learning. METHODS: A questionnaire was given to 126 third year Korea University medical students. The questionnaire consisted of 25 items in 2001, 37 in 2002, and 64 in 2003. These items covered self-evaluation and overall evaluation of contents, learning environments, small group activity, and tutor in PBL. The respective reliability of items in scale was .67, .75, .79, and 81. Data was analyzed using the Spsswin.11.0 RESULTS: The results of this study are as follows. By most of all respondents, PBL was recognized as a more effective learning method, more interesting, and able to provide a more diverse spectrum of information than traditional lectures. Neutral or negative responses were given for educational settings. Competence of students was increased in the PBL setting. A large percentage of learning method was through the use of textbooks. Most respondents were satisfied with the small group activity and tutor. CONCLUSION: There should be sufficient educational equipments such as rooms for small group activity, textbooks, and journals for PBL. We have to consider student's characteristics carefully and to make concrete guideline and system for effective Problem based learning.
Surveys and Questionnaires ; Diagnostic Self Evaluation ; Humans ; Korea ; Learning ; Lectures ; Mental Competency ; Problem-Based Learning* ; Students, Medical

BACKGROUND: Cervical epidural injection, performed via the interlaminar approach, represents a useful interventional pain management procedure indicated in patients with a cervical herniated disk. Due to thedecreased epidural space in the cervical region, cervical epidural injections may result in potentially serious complications, especially during a large volume injection. METHODS: Thirty-four patients with neck pain due to a cervical herniated disk that were referred to the pain clinic for cervical epidural steroid injection were randomized into two groups. One group received a cervical epidural injection of 4 ml drug and the other group received 2 ml drug. The injected mixture included triamcinolon, ropivacaine and omnipaque. Spread levels of the drug after injection were estimated with the use of C-arm fluoroscopy. RESULTS: Spread levels to the cephalad for patients in the two groups were 4.88 +/- 0.78 segments and 4.53 +/- 0.49 segments, respectively. Spread levels to the caudad for patients in the two groups were 4.59 +/- 0.93 segments and 4.47 +/- 0.51 segments, respectively. The results showed no significant difference in the spread level between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Use of a small volume of drug (2 ml) can provide a sufficient spread level of the injected drug that is desirable for patients with a cervical herniated disk.
Epidural Space ; Fluoroscopy ; Humans ; Injections, Epidural ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; Iohexol ; Neck Pain ; Pain Clinics ; Pain Management

PURPOSE: The purpose of this research is to elucidate the trend of incidence of childhood cancers for the recent 5 years and to use this study as a database of childhood cancers research by comparing to the existing data. METHODS: Childhood cancer patients registered in the cancer registry program of the Ministry of Health and Welfare in Korea during January 1, 1995 to December 31, 1999 were included as study samples. Our current data was obtained to be compared with the previous results 1st report during 1982~1987 and 2nd report during 1988~1992). Analysis of our study was obtained from the data of the patients of childhood cancers under 15 years old registered in the 128 hospitals, except for the patients who are registered repeatedly. RESULTS: Accumulated number of cases of the childhood cancers was 5, 433 (1.5% of the total cases of all ages). A male to female incidence ratio was 1.3 to 1. The most common malignant tumor was leukemia (33.1%). Out of 1, 800 cases of leukemia, 1, 142 cases (63.4%) were lymphoid leukemia, 468 cases (26.0%) were acute non-lymphocytic leukemia and 97 cases (5.4%) were chronic myeloid leukemia. The second most common malignancy was central nervous system tumor (16.0%), followed by lymphoma (8.0%), gonadal and germ cell tumors (7.9%), sympathetic nervous system tumor (6.7%), bone tumor (5.1%), soft tissue sarcoma (4.8%), renal tumor (4.0%), retinoblastoma (3.3%) and hepatic tumor (2.6%). The most common malignant tumor in the 0~4 year-old age was leukemia (32.6%), followed by central nervous system tumor (12.7%) and sympathetic nervous system tumor (11.5%). In the 5~9 year-old age group, the most common malignant tumor was leukemia (38.0%), as well, followed by central nervous system tumor (21.7%) and lymphoma (11.6%). In the 10~14 year-old age group, the most common cancers were leukemia (29.8%), central nervous system tumor (16.5%) and bone tumor (11.7%). CONCLUSION: We were unable to note any differences in the incidence of childhood cancers when comparing the current data and the previous ones.
Adolescent ; Central Nervous System ; Female ; Gonads ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea* ; Leukemia ; Leukemia, Lymphoid ; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive ; Lymphoma ; Male ; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal ; Retinoblastoma ; Sarcoma ; Sympathetic Nervous System