Analysis of Educational Goals and Objectives of Korean Medical Schools

Park, Jae Bok; Park, Jung Han

Abstract

The contents of educational goals and objectives of 32 Korean medical schools, that were listed in the Korean Medical Education Directory for 1994-1995, were analysed to help developing new educationa l goals and objectives. Regarding the professions in which the graduates of medical schools can be engaged, all of the 32 school were aiming at the medical doctor. 34.4% at the medical scientist, 28.1% at the medical educator, and 15.6% at the health administrator. Only 37.5% of the medical schools stated that their educational objective is training the primary physician and 50% of the schools did not specify the level of their graduates as a physician. The proportion of schools which stated that the medical student should learn in three domains of educational objectives, i.e. medical knowledge,clinical skills and attitude were 18.8% and 56.3% of the schools descirbed learning just in two domains of medical knowledge and skills which may reflect underating the importance of attitude. The proportions of knowledge and skills which may reflect underating the importance of attitude. The proportions of schools that stated aquiring the ability of holistic management of patients and self-learning/life long study in their educational objectives were 28.1% and 62.5%, respectively. The proportion of schools that emphasized on the medical ethics and morality was 93.8% and on cultivating human nature was 71.9%. These reflect that a high quality of ethics and morality was 93.8% and on cultivating human nature was 71.9%. These reflect that a high quality of ethics and human nature is required to the medical doctor. The universal and ultimate goal of human society and universities, such as democratic educational ideology, Korean educational ideology, prosperity of human society, promotion of human welfare, and improvement of public health, were included in the educational goals in 43.8% of the schools. As the primary goal of medical schools is the producing primary physicians, it is suggested to include the affective domain(attitude), cultivation of the capacity of self-learning and ability of holistic management of patients in the educational objectives of medical shools.