Korean J Med Hist.  1995 Jun;4(1):67-84.

On the objectives and the contents of the course: 'Introduction to Medicine': A literature investigation

• Rhi BY

Abstract

The education of Introduction to Medicine for the medical students can be traced back to the Hippocratic medicine in ancient Greece, when regarded some essays on the nature of medical care in Corpus Hippocraticum. However, its modern precurser may be the medical historian, Henry Sigerist who published the book: Einfuhrung in die Medizin (Introduction to Medicine) in 1931 on the basis of his lecture at Leipzig University. Influenced probably by the German medical tradition the education of the Introduction to Medicine has been flourished in the medical schools in Japan since 1941. In Korea the course has been introduced in 1971 and only few universities have adopted it as the regular course for medical students, while the education of behavioral science in the medical schools became more popular since 1970. The objectives and the contents of the education of the Intorduction to Medicine seem to be different according to the organizer of this course. This study deals with the questions about the objectives and contents of the Introduction to Medicine. Fourteen books by twelve authors entitled with either the Introduction to Medicine or the relevant one which were published in Japan, except for the above mentioned book of Sigerist, since 1945 were under the investigation. The motivations and the purposes of the authors for the publications of the books and their contents were compared each other in which the guidelines for the education of Introduction to Medicine were indirectly reflected. From this investigations it was recognized, the ways of editing or writing such books were so diverse that one could not elucidate any unitary direction. However, one could classify the books into three major categories in their approaches. One was a philosophical approach toward the nature of medicine including the nature of science, nature of life, the nature of man and the medical care and it was represented by Omotaka Hisayuki, the philosopher and medical ontologist in Japan. The second one was the historical approach toward the nature of the medicine represented by Sigerist and adopted partly by Kawakita in Japan. The third category was the combinations of both philosophical and historical approaches. In discussion the objectives and contents of the education of Introduction to Medicine of Seoul National University premedical course were demonstrated and also the newly published book of Introduction to Medicine volume I, II, III in Korea edited by the author. The similarities and differences of the course of 'Introduction to Medicine' from the 'Medical Overview or Guide to Medicine' from 'Behavioral Science' and from the course of 'the Medical History' were taken into consideration. As a conclusion it was suggested that the Introduction to Medicine should remain as an unique scientific field and curriculum for the medical students, as Omotaka has emphasized. The goal of this science should be set in search for the ultimate nature of the medicine and the nature of its objects; the life, man, illness and healing and also physician and patient in the human society. As for the methodological approach the author had preferences for uniqueness, creativity and flexibility in construction of the curriculum of the Introduction to Medicine rather than to try to standardize the curriculum common to all universities. It seems, however, to be desirable that the approaches are comprehensive and interdisciplinary including both philosophical and historical approaches in addition to the psychological, sociocultural and anthropological approaches.

MeSH Terms

Education, Medical/*history
English Abstract
Germany
History of Medicine, 20th Cent.
Japan
Korea
Publishing/*history
Textbooks/*history