Analysis of the curriculum of medical humanities and social medicine in Colleges of Korean Medicine based on KAS2021

Article information

J Korean Med. 2021;42(2):82-89

Publication date (electronic) : 2021 June 01

doi : https://doi.org/10.13048/jkm.21017

So-Youn Park ¹

, GwanWook Bang ¹

, Seong-Hun Choi ²

, Su Jin Chae ³^,

¹Department of Medical Education and Humanities, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University

²Department of Anatomy and Histology, College of Oriental Medicine, Daegu Haany University

³Department of Medical Education, Catholic Kwandong University College of Medicine

Correspondence to: Su Jin Chae, Department of Medical Education, Simgokro 100Gil 25, Seo Gu, International St. Mary’s Hospital Catholic Kwandong University, Incheon, Republic of Korea, Tel: +82-32-290-3882, Fax: +82-32-290-3440, E-mail: edujin@cku.ac.kr

Received 2021 April 12; Revised 2021 May 11; Accepted 2021 May 18.

Abstract

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to examine the curriculum of the medical humanities and social medicine at 11 Colleges of Korean Medicine (CKM) based on the Korean Medicine Education Accreditation Standards 2021 (KAS2021) and suggest ways to improve the quality of Korean Medical education in the future.

Methods

The curricula for each grade were collected from the websites of 11 CKM. Based on KAS2021, medical humanities and social medicine courses were extracted and compiled. Courses offered, frequency of course offerings, time of offerings, credits, and course hours were investigated.

Results

Courses in languages and literature were most frequently offered in CKM. Most medical humanities and social medicine courses were offered in the pre-medical program and the fourth year of the medical program and were conducted as individual courses. Developing a curriculum that integrates conceptual definitions of the medical humanities and social medicine with basic and clinical studies is necessary.

Conclusion

Eleven CKM should reorganize and operate their medical humanities and social medicine curricula based on each college’s circumstances. This will allow each college to improve the quality of its educational offerings, creating a foundation for fostering excellent korean medicine doctors with professional medical skills and communication skills.

Keywords: KAS2021; Korean medical college; Korean medical education; Medical humanities; Social medicine

Table 1

Types of medical humanities and social medicine courses and the number of colleges that offer the courses

Table 2

Educational Status of Medical Humanities and Social Science Courses in 11 Colleges of Korean Medicine (Number: credit, Parentheses: hours)

References

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Article information Continued

Table 1

Types of medical humanities and social medicine courses and the number of colleges that offer the courses

Subfields		Subjects	No of colleges	Classification
Medical Ethics		Medical Ethical Studies, Medicine and Ethics, Medical Ethics, Medical Science Ethics, Korean Medicine Ethics	10	Required
Philosophy		Eastern Philosophy, History of Eastern Philosophy, Medical Philosophy, Korean Medicine Philosophy	10	Required
Philosophy			10	Elective
Language and Literature	English	Medical English, English Conversation	4	Required
	Chinese	Chinese Reading, Chinese Conversation, Basic Chinese, Medical Chinese, Readings in Chinese Medical Literature, Intermediate Chinese, Chinese for Korean Medicine	7	Required
				Elective
				Other
	Chinese Literature	Medical Chinese Literature, Chinese Literature for Korean Medicine, Chinese Literature, General Chinese Literature, Ancient Medical Texts	11	Required
				Elective
				Other
Medical Statitics		Medical Statistical Studies, Theories in Medical Statistics, Medical Statistics, Practice in Medical Statistics	9	Required
Medical Statitics			9	Elective
Health Informatics		Korean Medicine Informatics, Medical Informatics	4	Required
Health Informatics		Korean Medicine Informatics, Medical Informatics	4	Elective
Complementary and Alternative Medicine		Complementary Integrated Medicine	1	Elective
Sociology of Medicine		Medicine and Society	1	Elective
Medical Leadership		Medical Leadership	1	Elective
Career		Self-understanding and Career Design, Specialized Practice, Practice in Career Experience	3	Required
Science History		Perception and History of Science	1	Elective
Business Administration		Hospital Management, Hospital Management and Practice	4	Required
Business Administration		Hospital Management, Hospital Management and Practice	4	Elective
Forensic Medicine		Forensic Medicine	6	Required
Forensic Medicine		Forensic Medicine	6	Elective
Public Health Law		Health Law, Healthcare Law, Medical Law	11	Required
Medical Communication		Medical Interviews, Medical Communication	2	Required
Medical Communication		Medical Interviews, Medical Communication	2	Elective
Medical Psychology		Clinical Psychology, Psychology.	3	Required
Medical Psychology		Clinical Psychology, Psychology.	3	Elective
Community Medicine		Community Clinical Practice	1	Required
Medical Management		Hospital Administration, Medical Management, Medical Insurance and Hospital Administration	3	Required

Table 2

Educational Status of Medical Humanities and Social Science Courses in 11 Colleges of Korean Medicine (Number: credit, Parentheses: hours)

Subject areas		Demensions		A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H	I	J	K	Average of no courses
Medical Ethics		Pre	1							2(2)	2(2)			2(2)

		Med	2	1(2)		2(2)	1(2)		1(2)			2(2)	1(2)

		Med	2		1(2)

Philosophy		Pre	1		1(2)	2(2)			2(4)	4(6)	2(2)			2(2)

		Med	2	2(4)				4(4)				1(2)	2(2)

Language and Literature	English	Pre	1			2(2)			2(4)	2(4)

		Med	2					2(4)

	Chinese	Pre	1						2(4)		4(4)		2(4)	4(4)

		Med	2	2(4)	1(2)			4(4)					2(4)	4(4)

	Chinese Literature	Pre	1	4(8)	4(8)	4(4)	2(4)	4(4)	4(4)		6(6)		4(4)	4(4)

		Med	2	4(8)	3(6)		2(4)	4(6)	2(4)	3(4)	4(4)	6(8)	2(4)

		Med	1				1(2)

Medical Statitics		Pre	1			2(2)

		Med	2	1(2)	1(2)		1(2)	2(2.5)			4(6)	1(2)

		Med	2											2(2)

			3							2(2)

Health informatics		Pre	1									4(6)

		Med	2		1(2)	2(2)

		Med	1										1(2)

Complementary and Alternative Medicine		Pre	2		1(2)
Complementary and Alternative Medicine		Med	2		1(2)

Sociology of Medicine		Pre	2							1(2)
Sociology of Medicine		Med	2							1(2)

Medical Leadership		Pre	1										1(2)
Medical Leadership		Med	1										1(2)

Career		Pre	1			1(1)
		Med	1			1(1)

		Med	2											1(2)

			4										5(10.7)

History of science		Pre	1		1(2)
History of science		Med	1		1(2)

Business Administration		Med	4		1(2)			2(2)			1(2)	2(4)

Forensic Medicine		Med	2		1(2)								1(2)

			3								1(2)	1(2)

			4	1(2)				2(2)

Public Health Law		Med	2		1(2)								2(3)

			3									2(4)

			4	1(2)		2(4)	2(4)	2(2)	2(4)	4(4)	4(4)			2(2)

Medical Communication		Med	2		1(2)		1(2)

Medical Psychology		Med	1						1(2)				1(2)

			3	2(4)

Community Medicine		Med	4			4(8)

Medical Management		Med	4			1(2)	1(1)							2(2)

Total		Pre-Med		6	7	7	4	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5.36

		Med		3	4	3	3	3	1	2	2	3	5	4	3.00

1) Pre Medical Course(Pre-med), Medical Course(Med)