This review presents information on changes in the accreditation standards of medical schools in Korea by the Korean Institute of Medical Education and Evaluation (KIMEE) from 2000 to 2019. Specifically, the following aspects are explained: the development process, setting principles and directions, evaluation items, characteristics of the standards, and validity testing over the course of 4 cycles. The first cycle of accreditation (2000–2005) focused on ensuring the minimum requirements for the educational environment. The evaluation criteria emphasized the core elements of medical education, including facilities and human resources. The second cycle of accreditation (2007–2010) emphasized universities’ commitment to social accountability and the pursuit of excellence in medical education. It raised the importance of qualitative standards for judging the content and quality of education. In the post-second accreditation cycle (2012–2018) which means third accreditation cycle, accreditation criteria were developed to standardize the educational environment and programs and to be used for curriculum development in order to continually improve the quality of basic medical education. Most recently, the ASK 2019 (Accreditation Standards of KIMEE 2019) accreditation cycle focused on qualitative evaluations in accordance with the World Federation of Medical Education’s accreditation criteria to reach the international level of basic medical education, which emphasizes the need for a student-centered curriculum, communication with society, and evaluation through a comprehensive basic medical education course. The KIMEE has developed a basic medical education evaluation and accreditation system in a step-by-step manner, as outlined above. Understanding previous processes will be helpful for the future development of accreditation criteria for medical schools in Korea.

Yu JG, et al. Korean J Health Promot. 2018 Mar;18(1):1-6. https://doi.org/10.15384/kjhp.2018.18.1.1

During the Coronavirus Infection Disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic, the number of patients released from quarantine is exceeding the number of newly diagnosed cases. This study is a retrospective cohort study in which consultation data were collected from a COVID-19 follow-up health consultation program. The studied population was selected from patients who recovered after quarantine and treatment for COVID-19 in Daegu City and in Gyeongsangbukdo province, Korea, from March to June 2020. The healthcare providers comprised 20 family-medicine specialists who consulted and educated the patients through phone calls in accordance with structured guidelines. Physical and mental status before and after recovery were compared among patients who received a single consultation and those who received two or more consultations. A total of 1604 subjects were selected for the final analysis. Of these, 1145 (71.4%) had one consultation and 459 (28.6%) had two or more. The group that had two or more consultations reported significantly more physical symptoms, more psychological symptoms (including depression), and more psychological stress. Multivariate forward selection logistic regression analysis showed that re-confirmed cases of COVID-19, physical symptoms after quarantine, feelings of depression, and psychological stress had a significant effect on the number of consultations received. In conclusion, COVID-19 has various physical and mental sequelae after discharge from quarantine. Therefore, a well-structured follow-up program is needed after recovery.

Byeong Hwa Han, Hyun-su Kang, Keun Mi Lee, Seung Pil Jung. Korean J Fam Pract 2022;12:79-85. https://doi.org/10.21215/kjfp.2022.12.2.79

Purpose: The revised Clinical Skills Test (CST) of the Korean Medical Licensing Exam aims to provide a better assessment of physicians’ clinical competence and ability to interact with patients. This study examined the impact of the revised CST on medical education curricula and resources nationwide, while also identifying areas for improvement within the revised CST.Methods: This study surveyed faculty responsible for clinical clerkships at 40 medical schools throughout Korea to evaluate the status and changes in clinical skills education, assessment, and resources related to the CST. The researchers distributed the survey via email through regional consortia between December 7, 2023 and January 19, 2024.Results: Nearly all schools implemented preliminary student–patient encounters during core clinical rotations. Schools primarily conducted clinical skills assessments in the third and fourth years, with a simplified form introduced in the first and second years. Remedial education was conducted through various methods, including one-on-one feedback from faculty after the assessment. All schools established clinical skills centers and made ongoing improvements. Faculty members did not perceive the CST revisions as significantly altering clinical clerkship or skills assessments. They suggested several improvements, including assessing patient records to improve accuracy and increasing the objectivity of standardized patient assessments to ensure fairness.Conclusion: During the CST, students’ involvement in patient encounters and clinical skills education increased, improving the assessment and feedback processes for clinical skills within the curriculum. To enhance students’ clinical competencies and readiness, strengthening the validity and reliability of the CST is essential.