Curriculum Changes of Korea University College of Medicine

Lee, Young Mee; Kim, Hyung Kyu

Abstract

During last three decades, there has been many changes and innovations in the structure and process of medical education. The curriculum of Korea University College of Medicine, however, had sustained traditional curriculum, that is, discipline and lecture-oriented and focused on biomedical knowledges during the same period. Stimulated by educational innovations in other medical schools in Korea as well as in other countries, curricular changes has been occurred since late 1990 and new curriculum started in the year 2000 in Korea University. 12 integrated lectures, 8 elective programs for special areas such as medical informatics etc. introduced into the new curriculum. But, the large portion of new curriculum still includes department-centered lectures and total lecture hours are not much decreased. To cope with the explosion in medical scientific knowledge, longitudinal and horizontal integration between basic and clinical medical science is needed. Also, lectures should be diminished in number to allow for active learning to prepare self-directed lifelong learning doctors. Most of all, we should continuously innovate curriculum and gradually put new programs into preexisting curriculum with faculty's consensus.