Korean Med Educ Rev.  2024 Jun;26(2):83-92. 10.17496/kmer.24.009.

The Past, Present, and Future of Interprofessional Education in Medical Education in South Korea

• Park YC
• Lee ST
• Park KH

• KMID: 2557082
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.17496/kmer.24.009

Abstract

Interprofessional education (IPE) fosters knowledge, skills, and attitudes related to interprofessional collaboration (IPC) for safe, quality patient care. In recent years, the importance of IPC has extended beyond the medical field to local community settings. However, IPE has only recently been introduced and has yet to become widespread. This study reviews the origin and development of IPE in Korean medical education by comparing it with established models in other countries that provide useful insights into future directions for IPE in Korea. Dedicated institutions led the IPE effort in other countries; however, IPE initiatives in Korea were mainly driven by individual professors’ and medical schools’ interest and commitment, without structural support systems. An important finding of this study is that the lack of awareness and organizational support within the medical education community resulted in the absence of a mandatory curriculum for IPE, as it was omitted from the accreditation standards. For more organized adoption and implementation of IPE in Korea, this study suggests the need to widely communicate the importance of IPE to the medical community and the public. It is also imperative to establish leadership capable of guiding IPE, share materials through trusted institutions with IPE experience, and include IPE in the accreditation standards. These steps are essential for actively implementing IPE and meeting societal healthcare needs in Korea.

Keyword

Accreditation; Curriculum; Interprofessional education; Leadership; Medical schools