Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of declining surgical residency program enrollment on patient care and outcomes in colorectal cancer surgeries. Methods: This retrospective observational study included 676 patients (410 males; median age: 69 years) who underwent colorectal cancer surgery at Pusan National University Hospital between January 2018 and June 2024. Patients were divided into Group A (before December 31, 2023; with residents) and Group B (after January 1, 2024; without residents). All surgeries were performed by a single attending surgeon. Results: Preoperative variables were comparable between groups. Group A had more emergency and open surgeries, and a higher proportion of advanced-stage cancers. Overall complication rates were similar, but Group B had a longer hospital stay (9.72 days vs. 11.95 days). Specific complications such as anastomotic leakage and surgical site infections differed significantly. The overall number of surgical procedures declined markedly in 2024 compared to 2018 (77.1% vs. 49.9%). Conclusion The absence of residents did not increase overall complication rates but was associated with longer hospital stays and shifts in clinical practice. Greater reliance on attending surgeons contributed to more defensive decision-making and conservative patient management. Addressing these issues requires systemic reforms, including multidisciplinary collaboration and legal protections to improve surgical care.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of declining surgical residency program enrollment on patient care and outcomes in colorectal cancer surgeries. Methods: This retrospective observational study included 676 patients (410 males; median age: 69 years) who underwent colorectal cancer surgery at Pusan National University Hospital between January 2018 and June 2024. Patients were divided into Group A (before December 31, 2023; with residents) and Group B (after January 1, 2024; without residents). All surgeries were performed by a single attending surgeon. Results: Preoperative variables were comparable between groups. Group A had more emergency and open surgeries, and a higher proportion of advanced-stage cancers. Overall complication rates were similar, but Group B had a longer hospital stay (9.72 days vs. 11.95 days). Specific complications such as anastomotic leakage and surgical site infections differed significantly. The overall number of surgical procedures declined markedly in 2024 compared to 2018 (77.1% vs. 49.9%). Conclusion The absence of residents did not increase overall complication rates but was associated with longer hospital stays and shifts in clinical practice. Greater reliance on attending surgeons contributed to more defensive decision-making and conservative patient management. Addressing these issues requires systemic reforms, including multidisciplinary collaboration and legal protections to improve surgical care.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of declining surgical residency program enrollment on patient care and outcomes in colorectal cancer surgeries. Methods: This retrospective observational study included 676 patients (410 males; median age: 69 years) who underwent colorectal cancer surgery at Pusan National University Hospital between January 2018 and June 2024. Patients were divided into Group A (before December 31, 2023; with residents) and Group B (after January 1, 2024; without residents). All surgeries were performed by a single attending surgeon. Results: Preoperative variables were comparable between groups. Group A had more emergency and open surgeries, and a higher proportion of advanced-stage cancers. Overall complication rates were similar, but Group B had a longer hospital stay (9.72 days vs. 11.95 days). Specific complications such as anastomotic leakage and surgical site infections differed significantly. The overall number of surgical procedures declined markedly in 2024 compared to 2018 (77.1% vs. 49.9%). Conclusion The absence of residents did not increase overall complication rates but was associated with longer hospital stays and shifts in clinical practice. Greater reliance on attending surgeons contributed to more defensive decision-making and conservative patient management. Addressing these issues requires systemic reforms, including multidisciplinary collaboration and legal protections to improve surgical care.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of declining surgical residency program enrollment on patient care and outcomes in colorectal cancer surgeries. Methods: This retrospective observational study included 676 patients (410 males; median age: 69 years) who underwent colorectal cancer surgery at Pusan National University Hospital between January 2018 and June 2024. Patients were divided into Group A (before December 31, 2023; with residents) and Group B (after January 1, 2024; without residents). All surgeries were performed by a single attending surgeon. Results: Preoperative variables were comparable between groups. Group A had more emergency and open surgeries, and a higher proportion of advanced-stage cancers. Overall complication rates were similar, but Group B had a longer hospital stay (9.72 days vs. 11.95 days). Specific complications such as anastomotic leakage and surgical site infections differed significantly. The overall number of surgical procedures declined markedly in 2024 compared to 2018 (77.1% vs. 49.9%). Conclusion The absence of residents did not increase overall complication rates but was associated with longer hospital stays and shifts in clinical practice. Greater reliance on attending surgeons contributed to more defensive decision-making and conservative patient management. Addressing these issues requires systemic reforms, including multidisciplinary collaboration and legal protections to improve surgical care.

This research group (forensic research via omics markers in environmental health vulnerable areas: FROM) aimed to develop biomarkers for exposure to environmental hazards and diseases, assess environmental diseases, and apply and verify these biomarkers in environmentally vulnerable areas. Environmentally vulnerable areas—including refineries, abandoned metal mines, coal-fired power plants, waste incinerators, cement factories, and areas with high exposure to particulate matter—along with control areas, were selected for epidemiological investigations. A total of 1,157 adults, who had resided in these areas for over 10 years, were recruited between June 2021 and September 2023. Personal characteristics of the study participants were gathered through a survey. Biological samples, specifically blood and urine, were collected during the field investigations, separated under refrigerated conditions, and then transported to the laboratory for biomarker analysis. Analyses of heavy metals, environmental hazards, and adducts were conducted on these blood and urine samples. Additionally, omics analyses of epigenomes, proteomes, and metabolomes were performed using the blood samples. The biomarkers identified in this study will be utilized to assess the risk of environmental disease occurrence and to evaluate the impact on the health of residents in environmentally vulnerable areas, following the validation of diagnostic accuracy for these diseases.

This research group (forensic research via omics markers in environmental health vulnerable areas: FROM) aimed to develop biomarkers for exposure to environmental hazards and diseases, assess environmental diseases, and apply and verify these biomarkers in environmentally vulnerable areas. Environmentally vulnerable areas—including refineries, abandoned metal mines, coal-fired power plants, waste incinerators, cement factories, and areas with high exposure to particulate matter—along with control areas, were selected for epidemiological investigations. A total of 1,157 adults, who had resided in these areas for over 10 years, were recruited between June 2021 and September 2023. Personal characteristics of the study participants were gathered through a survey. Biological samples, specifically blood and urine, were collected during the field investigations, separated under refrigerated conditions, and then transported to the laboratory for biomarker analysis. Analyses of heavy metals, environmental hazards, and adducts were conducted on these blood and urine samples. Additionally, omics analyses of epigenomes, proteomes, and metabolomes were performed using the blood samples. The biomarkers identified in this study will be utilized to assess the risk of environmental disease occurrence and to evaluate the impact on the health of residents in environmentally vulnerable areas, following the validation of diagnostic accuracy for these diseases.

This research group (forensic research via omics markers in environmental health vulnerable areas: FROM) aimed to develop biomarkers for exposure to environmental hazards and diseases, assess environmental diseases, and apply and verify these biomarkers in environmentally vulnerable areas. Environmentally vulnerable areas—including refineries, abandoned metal mines, coal-fired power plants, waste incinerators, cement factories, and areas with high exposure to particulate matter—along with control areas, were selected for epidemiological investigations. A total of 1,157 adults, who had resided in these areas for over 10 years, were recruited between June 2021 and September 2023. Personal characteristics of the study participants were gathered through a survey. Biological samples, specifically blood and urine, were collected during the field investigations, separated under refrigerated conditions, and then transported to the laboratory for biomarker analysis. Analyses of heavy metals, environmental hazards, and adducts were conducted on these blood and urine samples. Additionally, omics analyses of epigenomes, proteomes, and metabolomes were performed using the blood samples. The biomarkers identified in this study will be utilized to assess the risk of environmental disease occurrence and to evaluate the impact on the health of residents in environmentally vulnerable areas, following the validation of diagnostic accuracy for these diseases.

This research group (forensic research via omics markers in environmental health vulnerable areas: FROM) aimed to develop biomarkers for exposure to environmental hazards and diseases, assess environmental diseases, and apply and verify these biomarkers in environmentally vulnerable areas. Environmentally vulnerable areas—including refineries, abandoned metal mines, coal-fired power plants, waste incinerators, cement factories, and areas with high exposure to particulate matter—along with control areas, were selected for epidemiological investigations. A total of 1,157 adults, who had resided in these areas for over 10 years, were recruited between June 2021 and September 2023. Personal characteristics of the study participants were gathered through a survey. Biological samples, specifically blood and urine, were collected during the field investigations, separated under refrigerated conditions, and then transported to the laboratory for biomarker analysis. Analyses of heavy metals, environmental hazards, and adducts were conducted on these blood and urine samples. Additionally, omics analyses of epigenomes, proteomes, and metabolomes were performed using the blood samples. The biomarkers identified in this study will be utilized to assess the risk of environmental disease occurrence and to evaluate the impact on the health of residents in environmentally vulnerable areas, following the validation of diagnostic accuracy for these diseases.

Purpose: This study was conducted to investigate the clinical characteristics of patients with advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) mutations and to evaluate response to standard treatment and HER2-targeted agents. Materials and Methods: Using tissue and/or blood next-generation sequencing, we identified 44 patients with NSCLC harboring HER2 mutations who were treated at Severance Hospital between December 2016 and February 2021. Clinical data, including patient characteristics, mutation status, incidence of metastasis for distant lesions, and response to chemotherapy, were retrospectively analyzed. Results: The median age was 58 years, and 61% of the patients were female. Most patients (64%) were never-smokers. Adenocarcinoma was the most predominant subtype (98%). A total of 66% of the patients had extrathoracic metastatic lesions, and 32% had intracranial lesions at initial presentation. The median time to the development of brain metastasis was 15.6 months (range, 2.4 to 43.7). The most common type of HER2 mutation was 12 base pair in-frame insertion in exon 20, A775_G776insYVMA. Of the 44 patients, two had concomitant driver mutations, one with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation (V769M), and one with BRAF mutation (V600E). Patients treated with pemetrexed-based chemotherapy (75%) had an overall response rate (ORR) and progression-free survival (PFS) of 30% and 8.3 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.9 to 12.7), respectively. The ORR and PFS of HER2-targeted agent treated patients (14%) were 0.0% and 1.9 months (95% CI, 0.1 to 2.8), respectively. Conclusion Given its distinct characteristics and treatment responses, novel treatment strategies for HER2-mutant NSCLC should be developed promptly to improve survival outcomes of patients.

Objectives: This study addressed longstanding issues in Korea’s public health dentist system by defining and standardizing job duties. A practical job description was drafted based on job analysis results to promote work efficiency and lay the groundwork for future educational programs. Methods: The job description elements were selected and drafted based on previous studies.These drafts were revised and refined with expert panel validation. Results: The main job duties of public health dentists encompass community oral health, dental practice, public oral health research, and special oral health, tailored for institutions such as health sub-centers, health centers, health clinics, national health organizations, and correctional facilities. For community oral health at public health subcenters involves 12 key duties including projects, education, and community engagement. Public health centers/clinics focus on 16 key duties mainly around health project planning and evaluation. Dental care across both settings has 15 main duties. Public oral health research emphasizes community surveys and epidemiology. Special oral health in correctional facilities covers 11 main duties including education and external resource linking. Conclusions It concluded that for the development of public health dentists in South Korea, it is necessary to develop public health dentist education programs to promote the performance of public health dentists and to equip them with the competencies necessary to perform such duties, focusing on job descriptions organized around the characteristics of workplaces and major tasks.