The Necessity of Education in Response to Technological Advancements and Future Environmental Changes: A Comparison of Korean Medicine Doctors and Students

Article information

J Korean Med. 2023;44(4):72-86

Publication date (electronic) : 2023 December 1

doi : https://doi.org/10.13048/jkm.23048

Yu Seong Park^1,†, Kyeong Heon Lee^1,†, Hye In Jeong², Kyeong Han Kim^3,

¹School of Korean Medicine, Woosuk University

²Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University

³Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Korean Medicine, Woosuk University

Correspondence to: Kyeong, Han Kim Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Korean Medicine, Woosuk University Tel: +82-63-290-9031, E-mail:solip922@hanmail.net

^†

Yu Seong Park and Kyeong Heon Lee contributed equally to this work.

Received 2023 October 18; Revised 2023 November 20; Accepted 2023 November 21.

Abstract

Introduction

The medical field is currently on the verge of a new wave of change. As the use of Artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more popular due to the progress of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, attempts to utilize AI in the medical field are also very active.1) In fact, in Japan, the AI-based X-ray analysis system ‘CXR-AID’ was officially certified as eligible for health insurance benefits.2) In addition, ‘Somzz’, a digital therapy device that implements ‘cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia’ on mobile devices, was the first digital therapy device to be approved by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in 2023,3) and tests genes to confirm or predict a patient’s genetic disease, Based on the results, the ‘DNA test’ market, which provides genetic factors for nutrients, exercise, skin, hair, eating habits, personal characteristics, and health management to confirm information helpful for the patient’s health management, is growing.4)

These changes, of course, also apply to the form of medical treatment, and ‘telemedicine,’ or telemedicine, which provides medical care through a mobile phone application or a phone call between a medical professional and patient rather than face-to-face with the patient, is permitted only for returning patients in Korea. In line with this, medical schools are successively establishing medical convergence business groups in line with the growth potential of medical AI in order to cultivate talent with both medical artificial medicine and engineering knowledge. And they are quickly taking steps to secure related educational capabilities by reflecting this in the curriculum. For example, Pusan National University is carrying out a talent training project to respond to the demand for AI in the health and medical field based on information life convergence education at the Yangsan Campus. In addition, it has introduced a bachelor’s and master’s degree linking course so that prospective medical professionals and engineers can acquire AI medical technology at an early stage. They provided support to develop capabilities and introduced a ‘convergence major’ in which medical and engineering universities participate together.5)

Furthermore, each medical school currently has a medical information department. For example, the medical information department of Korea University Medical School will develop and operate master’s and doctoral courses, operate industry-academic projects and professional curriculums reflecting industrial demand, establish an industry-academic cooperation system, and spread performance, and train master’s and doctoral-level professionals in digital health software engineering.6) Medical schools can further improve by integrating related papers and data from similar medical schools such as the Department of Medical Information into existing research bodies.

There have also been attempts to utilize the above-mentioned technologies in the Korean medicine. Pusan National University Graduate School of Korean Medicine conducted diagnostic practice for students using the Korean Medicine Diagnosis Expert System (ODS), an expert system developed by the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute.7) Healthcare company Dr. Song has built an AI ‘Doctor Chatbot’ service for hospital guidance and disease consultation, and Dr. Song has built an Korean medicine coordinator AI chatbot8) for incurable and chronic skin diseases. Each time the patient’s disease improved and lifestyle variables were entered, different diagnostic results were calculated and provided to the patient.

However, the reality is that no significant changes or attempts have yet been made in terms of education. In the case of medical schools, research related to education is being conducted, such as surveying the awareness of current students9), and a similar study was conducted in the case of nursing schools.10,11) However, in the case of Korean Medicine College, no particular research is being conducted, so related information is lacking. Therefore, through this study, we investigated the awareness and educational needs of future medicine such as medical AI, digital therapeutics, and DNA test among students and Korean medical doctors at Korean medicine colleges, and surveyed their opinions on introducing related subjects into the Korean medicine college curriculum in the future. We aim to provide materials to help improve Korean medicine education.

Method

Results

1. Sociodemographic characteristics (Table 1,2)

Table 1

Socio-Demographic Characteristics of Korean Medicine Students

Table 2

Socio-Demographic Characteristics of Korean Medicine Doctors

A total of 1,137 people responded to this study, of which 613 were Korean medicine students and 524 were Korean medical doctors. Daegu University of Korean Medicine had the largest number of Korean medical students (99 students (16.2%)), and Gachon University had the fewest students (17 students (2.8%)). When the 2021 Korean Korean Medicine Yearbook surveyed the number of students enrolled in Korean medicine colleges and graduate schools of Korean medicine,15) It appears to be in the same context as Daegu Korean Medicine University having the largest number of students and Gachon University having the smallest number of students. The scores within the College of Korean Medicine were 267 students (43.6%) in the upper class, 267 students (43.6%) in the middle class, and 79 students (12.9%) in the lower class, with a relative lack of responses from those in the lower ranks.

Of the 28234 Korean medicine doctors, 524(1.9%) answered. Among the responding Korean medicine doctors, 214 (40.8%) had less than 5 years of clinical experience, and 112 (21.4%) held a specialist certificate, of which 27 (5.2%) were in Korean medicine internal medicine. There were many, and Korean Medicine Pediatrics had the fewest with 4 (0.8%). Korean medicine clinics accounted for the largest number of employees at 255 (48.7%).

2. Basic understanding of each field (Table 3)

Table 3

Overall Perception of Each Field

The level of understanding of each field was highest for telemedicine among Korean medicine doctors (3.64±0.94) and Korean medicine students (3.65±0.95), and for digital therapeutics, Korean medicine doctors (2.48±1.23) and Korean medicine students (2.48±1.12) were the lowest. There was no significant difference in understanding between Korean medicine doctors and Korean medicine students in all items.

5. Necessity of education in Korean medicine colleges (Table 3)

To the question, ‘Do you think each field will require education at Korean medicine schools in the future?’, both Korean medicine doctors (4.28±0.9) and Korean medicine students (4.18±0.91) responded that medical AI has the highest need for education, while Korean medicine doctors (3.99±0.91) 1.03) rated digital therapeutics as having the least need for education, and Korean medicine students (3.9±1.04) rated DNA test as having the least need for education. There was a significant difference in the opinions of Korean medicine doctors (4.09±1.01) and Korean medicine students (3.9±1.04) in the DNA test items. Table 4. The need for education of educational content in each field.

Table 4

The Need for Education of Educational Content in Each Field

7. Contents currently requiring additional education at Korean Medicine College (Table 5)

Table 5

Subjects Requiring Additional Education Except for Four Subjects

To the question, ‘Except for the four above, please feel free to write about the contents that require additional education at the College of Korean Medicine,’ 433 Korean Medicine students and 285 Korean Medical Doctors responded, and for Korean Medicine students, the main answer field was clinical/practical (45.5%), Western medicine subject reorganization/collaboration (12.9%), AI/coding related (11.5%), Korean medicine subject reorganization (9.5%), management/law/systems (8.5%), new medical technology (3.5%), and other opinions (8.5%) %) was there. In the case of Korean doctors, clinical practice/practice including imaging, diagnosis, emergency, etc. (31.9%), reorganization/collaboration of Western medicine subjects (19.3%), management/law/systems/ethics (15.8%), reorganization of Korean medicine subjects (14.7%), This was followed by AI/coding-related (10.5%), other opinions (5.3%), and new medical technology (2.5%).

8. Free opinions on the survey (Table 6)

Table 6

Free Opinions on the Survey

To the question, ‘Please feel free to write your opinion on the need for education in major subjects according to future environmental changes’, 415 Korean medicine students and 393 Korean medical doctors responded. The main answer area of Korean medicine students was the reform/strengthening of the overall curriculum (59.5%), AI/DNA test/digital therapeutics/telemedicine-related education (16.6%), Detailed education on each subject such as Western medicine, clinical practice, and medical systems (12.8%), and other opinions (7%). There were also negative opinions (7%) regarding the introduction of desired or new subjects.

In the case of Korean medicine doctors, overall curriculum reform/strengthening (48.9%), Detailed education on each subject (24.4%), other opinions (14.2%), AI/DNA test/digital therapeutics/telemedicine (10.7%), negative opinions (1.8%) followed.

Discussion

The survey used in this study was divided into four parts: comprehensive questions, free opinions on contents requiring education, two groups’ evaluation of the need for education by content in each of the four fields, and free opinions on education in major subjects. Opinions were surveyed.

Korean medicine doctors and Korean medicine students showed a high level of understanding of telemedicine, but their understanding of medical AI and DNA test was ‘neutral’, and their understanding of digital therapeutics was low. The high level of understanding of telemedicine can be easily experienced directly because telemedicine is still allowed only for returning patients after the COVID-19 pandemic16) and the content and effects of telemedicine are learned through media such as news or related research 17,18). It is thought that this is because information about can be obtained. Conversely, the reason for the low understanding of digital therapeutics appears to be that digital therapeutics has only recently been commercialized in Korea. In February 2023, the insomnia treatment digital therapeutics ‘Somzz’ was approved as Korea’s first ‘digital therapeutics’, which is only about 5 months old as of July 20233) when the survey was conducted. In the “Digital therapeutics Doctors’ Awareness Survey” conducted on 1,008 Medigate doctor members on August 8, 202219), The prevailing answer to inquiries regarding comprehension and introduction to digital therapeutics was ‘I am uncertain, but I maintain a positive outlook’. This is consistent with many results.

The predicted importance of the four fields in the medical field was highest for medical AI for both Korean medicine doctors and Korean medicine students. This is thought to be because research and discussions on medical AI in the healthcare field are currently active. In fact, a survey study has been conducted on students in health and medical fields such as nursing schools in Korea11), and each medical school is making various efforts to train medical personnel with the ability to use AI.5) The item rated as least important for both groups was digital therapeutics, which appears to be for the same reason as the low understanding previously. In the digital therapeutics category, Korean medicine students gave higher scores than Korean medical doctors, showing a significant difference. This was judged to be due to the difference in age between the two groups. In fact, there is research showing that there is a digital gap by generation among teenagers, the MZ generation, and people in their 40s and older20), and most Korean medicine students are of a younger generation than Korean medical doctors. Therefore, it appears that they were given higher scores because they were more familiar with digital devices and technology.

Korean medicine doctors and Korean medicine students’ predictions of the importance of the four fields of Korean medicine were generally similar to the survey questions about the importance expected in the medical field. However, there was a difference in that Korean medicine students rated DNA test as the least important, and Korean medicine doctors gave higher scores than Korean medicine students in the telemedicine and DNA test categories, showing a significant difference. The reason for the significant difference between DNA test and telemedicine appears to be due to the presence or absence of clinical experience. This is in the same context as Park et al. expected that clinicians in the survey felt the need for osteology practice higher than medical school students because osteology practice was useful in treating patients.21) In fact, in clinical practice of Korean medicine, DNA test is applied to treat obesity and chronic fatigue, and recently, a ‘customized health functional food pilot project’ through DNA test, etc. is being conducted at Korean medicine medical institutions under the supervision of the Korean Medicine Association.22) Telemedicine is currently provided by Korean medicine doctors in clinical settings only for returning patients, and a survey conducted on Korean medicine doctors regarding the introduction of telemedicine was generally positive toward the introduction of domestic telemedicine and Korean medicine telemedicine17).

The evaluation of the need for education in four areas by Korean doctors and Korean medicine students showed overall similar response results to the expected importance of the 4 fields in the Korean medicine field, and in the DNA test section, Korean doctors gave higher scores than Korean medicine students, showing a significant difference. The reason appears to be the same as the reason why there was a significant difference in the predicted importance in the Korean medicine field.

In the categories of medical AI, DNA test, and digital therapeutics, most Korean medicine students and Korean medical doctors had the highest scores for education related to clinical use and the lowest for education related to research and development. Looking at the results showing that all results are distributed around an average of 4 points, we can see that all four items are considered important. In the field of telemedicine, unlike the other three fields, both Korean medicine doctors and Korean medicine students considered education related to system understanding to be the most important.

Regarding telemedicine, as there are differences of opinion in the policy process not only among government officials and medical workers, but also among medical workers 23), consultations between the parties have continued, and since the policy may be modified in the future, related systems must be established to avoid legal battles. It seems important to educate accurately.

Regarding areas that require additional education in addition to the four subjects, it can be seen that both current students and Korean medical doctors most want to strengthen education in the clinical/practical field, especially radiology and diagnostic equipment. This is based on a survey of Korean medicine students’ perceptions of Korean medicine education. This is consistent with the results of a previous study22) showing that 77% of Korean medical doctors agreed with the opinion that modern medical devices should be used.

In addition, there was a recent Supreme Court unanimous decision to allow Korean medicine doctors to use ultrasound diagnostic devices24), and as electroencephalography and low-dose X-rays are permitted25), the need for training related to diagnostic devices is expected to increase. In addition, the reorganization/collaboration of two-way subjects, AI/coding-related, reorganization of Korean medicine subjects, and management/law/systems/ethics subjects were distributed in similar proportions.

Regarding the need for education in major subjects, most Korean medicine students and Korean medical doctors believe that the curriculum of Korean medicine schools should change to suit the changing environment in the future, and there seem to be very few opinions that maintaining the current curriculum or introducing new subjects is unnecessary. This is a similar result to previous studies25) showing that satisfaction with the curriculum was not high.

There were many opinions about the need for Detailed education on each subject such as clinical, Western medicine, and medical systems, which were mentioned in the previous subjective survey. There were also quite a few opinions that education related to AI/DNA test/digital therapeutics/telemedicine is necessary.

This study surveyed the perceptions of Korean medical doctors and Korean medicine students regarding four subjects that could be considered for introduction into the Korean medical school curriculum, and synthesized opinions on other subjects that require education and the need for education in major subjects, suggesting the need for education. It is significant in that it suggests direction.

However, in this study, only 624 Korean medicine students and 524 Korean medicine doctors responded to the survey, making it difficult to generalize due to the limited sample. In particular, in the case of Korean medical doctors, the response rate from Korean medical doctors with less than 5 years of clinical experience reached 40%, which is a limitation in that it does not reflect the opinions of all Korean medical doctors. Additionally, in the case of subjective opinions, there is a limitation in that it is difficult to reflect each individual’s opinion in that a large number of opinions are classified according to subjective standards and expressed as a ratio. However, the curriculum of Korean medicine schools is changing rapidly due to KAS2022, etc., and the fact that many of the opinions of Korean medicine doctors who graduated relatively recently are reflected can be an advantage of this study. It is believed that follow-up research that supplements the limitations of this study, such as diversifying questions depending on clinical experience or focus group interviews, is needed.

Conclusion

As a result of conducting a survey of students attending 12 Korean medicine colleges and graduate schools of Korean medicine nationwide and current Korean medical doctors, the following conclusions were obtained.

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