This article presents an interview with Professor Young-Mee Lee of Korea University College of Medicine, who is the recipient of the 14th Medical Education Innovation Award from the Korean Association of Medical Colleges. In the interview, Professor Lee shared her perspectives on three key issues in contemporary Korean medical education: the essential qualities of medical students in a changing healthcare environment, the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in medical education and its implications for the essence of physicians, and the educational significance of Korea’s combined six-year medical curriculum. First, Professor Lee identified humility and the capacity for self-directed learning as core qualities required of medical students, framing professionalism as a foundational concept in medical training. Second, she addressed medical AI education by outlining six core competency domains and emphasized that critical reasoning remains a uniquely human capacity that cannot be replaced by technological advances. Third, Professor Lee advocated for the combined six-year medical curriculum, characterizing it not as a simple extension of training time but as a structure that enables continuous self-reflection and intentional student development. Beyond issues of curricular design, she argued that meaningful innovation in medical education requires the restoration of trust among faculty, students, and society. Finally, she encouraged young physicians to first cultivate professional expertise within their current roles before expanding their involvement into the field of medical education.

Objective: Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) had a significant impact on the mental health of healthcare workers. Related assessments should be included in plans for future pandemics. We investigated the connections between grief, viral anxiety, depression, and preoccupation in the context of COVID-19 in healthcare workers, to determine which factors will need to be incorporated. Methods: A total of 267 healthcare workers who had experienced the death of at least one patient during the COVID-19 pandemic were asked to respond to questionnaires assessing grief, viral anxiety, depression, loneliness, and preoccupation with COVID-19, based on their emotional state during the 2 weeks immediately after the death. Multivariate linear regression, causal mediation analysis and structural equation modeling were used to examine the psychological processes underlying grief. Results: Linear regression showed that viral anxiety (β=0.287, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.235–0.338, p<0.001) and depression (β= 0.157, 95% CI: 0.073–0.241, p<0.001) had independent associations with preoccupation with COVID-19. Causal mediation analysis revealed that both viral anxiety (proportion mediated: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.37–0.66, p<0.001) and depression (proportion mediated: 0.77, 95% CI: 0.50–1.08, p<0.001) were mediators between grief and preoccupation with COVID-19. In a structural equation model, viral anxiety and depression mediated most of the effects of grief on preoccupation with COVID-19, and loneliness was a mediator between grief and depression. Conclusion Contingency plans for the next pandemic are being formulated. Effective measures to protect the mental health of healthcare workers should be included, and such measures should consist of assessments for grief, viral anxiety, depression, and loneliness.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of group education reflecting unmet needs led by Nurse Practitioners (NPs) on essential knowledge regarding chemotherapy for cancer patients and their families undergoing chemotherapy. Methods: Conducted at a tertiary general hospital in Seoul from December 30, 2020, to April 30, 2022, this study, which is based on a one group pre-post design, involved 104 cancer patients and their families. It assessed differences in knowledge regarding chemotherapy and satisfaction levels by means of participation through video-based group education led by NPs. The data were analyzed with SAS version 9.4 using paired t-tests and multiple logistic regression analysis. Results: The average score of knowledge regarding chemotherapy increased from 80.0 to 89.8 (p<.001). In multivariable logistic regression analysis, being less than 50 years old (adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR]=13.56, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.76~10.20) and having a college degree or higher (aOR=3.99, 95% CI: 1.15~13.82) were associated with an increase in knowledge regarding chemotherapy. Satisfaction with participation in the group education program was also reported to be high. Conclusion This study aimed to develop and implement a group education program for cancer patients and their families undergoing chemotherapy, assess changes in knowledge levels, and investigate satisfaction with the program. As a result of the study, the average score of patients who received the group education program increased; thus, it is an effective method for improving the degree of knowledge about the daily life of cancer patients and the management of side effects.