Integrated Management Plan for Graduate Medical Education and Accreditation Bodies in Korea

Lim, Ki Young

Abstract

Graduate medical education is the most important phase among the three stages of medical education. It links basic medical education and continuing professional development. It is also a critical period in acquiring meaningful knowledge, skills and professionalism. The residents should be able to develop the core common competencies on top of their specialozeds field's expertise, in order to function as independent and qualified physicians. Despite the obvious importance of graduate medical education, the system in Korea has been designed and executed to meet the needs of the hospitals in the perspective of manpower management, rather than to educate and empower the residents. As a result, graduate medical education in Korea lacks clear educational objectives and systemic, resident-centered curriculums. Yet, we have no accreditation body to evaluate graduate medical education programs. In order to normalize graduate medical education, an integrated and unified institution that manages the whole process of the graduate medical education is desperately needed. Special attention should be given to the role of medical schools in educating the core common competencies. The Korean Association of Medical Colleges, the Korean Institute for Medical Education and Evaluation, and the Korean Academy of Medical Sciences should cooperate intimately to establish a new organization for the systemic management and development of graduate medical education.