J Educ Eval Health Prof.  2015;12:19. 10.3352/jeehp.2015.12.19.

History of the medical licensing examination (uieop) in Korea's Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392)

• Lee KL

• KMID: 2402026
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3352/jeehp.2015.12.19

Abstract

This article aims to describe the training and medical licensing system (uieop) for becoming a physician officer (uigwan) during Korea's Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392). In the Goryeo Dynasty, although no license was necessary to provide medical services to the common people, there was a licensing examination to become a physician officer. No other national licensing system for healthcare professionals existed in Korea at that time. The medical licensing examination was administered beginning in 958. Physician officers who passed the medical licensing examination worked in two main healthcare institutions: the Government Hospital (Taeuigam) and Pharmacy for the King (Sangyakguk). The promotion and expansion of medical education differed depending on the historical period. Until the reign of King Munjong (1046-1083), medical education as a path to licensure was encouraged in order to increase the number of physician officers qualifying for licensure by examination; thus, the number of applicants sitting for the examination increased. However, in the late Goryeo Dynasty, after the officer class of the local authorities (hyangri) showed a tendency to monopolize the examination, the Goryeo government limited the examination applications by this group. The medical licensing examination was divided into two parts: medicine and 'feeling the pulse and acupuncture' (jugeumeop). The Goryeo Dynasty followed the Chinese Dang Dynasty's medical system while also taking a strong interest in the Chinese Song Dynasty's ideas about medicine.

Keyword

Acupuncture therapy; Medical education; Medical history; Medical licensure; Physicians

MeSH Terms

Acupuncture Therapy
Asian Continental Ancestry Group
Delivery of Health Care
Education, Medical
Humans
Korea
Licensure*
Licensure, Medical
Music
Pharmacy

Figure

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  Fig. 1. Record of the land salary system called gaejeongjeonsigwa from the History of the Economy (Sikhwaji) in Goryeo History (Goryeosa) that described the salary for physician officers who worked in the Government Hospital (Taeuigam) and King’s Pharmacy (Sangyakguk) in 998.

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  Fig. 2. Biography of the family of physician officer, Gyeongseong Seol (1237-1313). This pages mentions that he quit the government post as royal physician (sangyakuijwa).

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  Fig. 3. Record of the History of Seogyeong (Seongeoji) in Goryeo History (Goryeosa) that explained that for the medical licensing examination in 1136, it was difficult to be recruited as a physician officer.

Reference

1. Lee KL. Dr. Yoon Jin-Kuk’s promotion certificates and the diploma certificate. Yonsei J Med Hist. 2002; 6:46–53.

2. Lee KL. Dr. Lee Jai-Young’s certificate of passing the bar exam for the medical doctor. Yonsei J Med Hist. 2002; 6:123–9.

3. Lee KL. Formation and development of Uieop. Hyean;Seoul (KR): 2010.