Potential for Integrated Medical School and Oriental Medical School Curriculum

Sohn, Tae Yong; Ohrr, Heechoul

Abstract

This study aims to suggest potential steps required for the integration of medical and oriental medical school by comparing the curriculum and its content between the two. The analysis was based on the specific behavioral objectives(SBOS) of the Korean Medical Association and Oriental Medical School Association. We used the school's catalog as well to get information on courses that are offered, hours, and credits. Major findings were as follows. 1. Clinical courses that are taught in oriental medical schools cover about 75% of the courses offered in medical schools on the basis of SBOS. This suggests that western medical knowledge is required for training oriental medical doctors in Korea. 2. If the SBOS of clinical medicine is taught for another 1 year at the oriental medical school, it will cover the entire content of the medical school. Also if 1.5 years of oriental medicine content is taught at medical school, it will include the whole SBOS offered in orienta medical school. Including a 1 year of clinical practicum, the extra years of required education would be 2 years for oriental medical students and 2.5 years for the medical students. Planning for an integrated for medical and oriental medicine requires close cooperation between all parties in practice and academics. A newly developed level of medicine will emerge from this if the plan takes into account the establishment of medical and oriental medical graduate schools and KMA's movement to reduce the number of SBOS to be taught in medical schools.