Medical education adaptation in South Korea during the COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction: We describe the circumstances and adaptations in the South Korean medical education during the COVID-19 pandemic and discuss areas in need of improvement in preparation of a worsening situation or for similar future public health crises. Methods: Literature reviews, focusing on research papers about medical educational changes in South Korea during the COVID-19 pandemic were performed. Selective data collected from a nationwide online survey by the Korean Association of Medical Colleges on the status of curricular changes in medical schools during the COVID-19 was presented. Results: All lectures have moved online, but clinical students continued their hospital placements during the pandemic, except for the first 3-5 weeks during the first surge in 2020. Initial technical naivety of the faculty and lack of technical resources were short-lived and the medical students settled well showing a much higher than expected student satisfaction level over online education. Practical skills sessions which benefit most from onsite hands-on experiences such as anatomy dissection, were delivered through a blended approach in some medical school. Student evaluation is the area of least change, mainly due to the students’ lack of trust in online assessments. Conclusion: South Korea' underwent major changes in medical education brought upon COVID-19 and the readiness of the technology adoption has been much increased. Student evaluation is the area of least transformation. Adoption of a programmatic assessment system should be considered to enhance not only learning but also improve trust among stakeholders of medical schools.

National examination for medical residency admission: academic variables and performance among different schools

Objective. To identify medical school characteristics associated with performance in a medical residency admission test. Materials and methods. Performance and selection rates according to type of medical school (Student´s t-test, Chi-squared test), accreditation status (Student´s t-test) and geographic regions (Anova) were analyzed from a database comprising 153 654 physicians who took the residency admission test Examen Nacional de Aspirantes a Residencias Médicas (ENARM) in the period 2014-2018. Results. Performance was 62.5% for accredited programs and 61.4% for non-accredited programs (p<0.001); public schools reached 62.3% and private schools 62.2% (p<0.001). Northern regions performed above 63% while South-Southeast at 58.9% (p<0.001). Selection rate was 26.2% for accredited programs and 22.9% for non-accredited (p<0.001); 26.6% for public schools and 23.6% for private schools (p<0.001). North-East and North-West reached 31% while South-Southeast 20.7%. Conclusions. Type of school, accreditation status and geographic region may influence performance and selection rate.

Challenges in Founding and Developing Medical School Student-Run Asylum Clinics

In response to the rapidly rising number of asylum applications, student-run asylum clinics (SRACs) designed to provide pro bono forensic medical evaluations have emerged at medical schools across the United States. Distinct from traditional student-run clinics in the services they provide and in their operational models, SRACs face a unique set of challenges. This study aims to identify the common challenges in building SRACs and to collect insights to inform a structured approach to collaborative problem-solving. This study gathered data from online surveys and semi-structured phone interviews with representative medical student SRAC leaders. 14 clinics participated in the 2017 online survey, 15 clinics in the 2018 online survey, and eight clinics in the 2018–2019 phone interviews. We identified common challenges in five areas: volunteer recruitment, clinic operations, case demand, institutional support, and leadership. SRACs stand to benefit from ongoing extramural collaborations to overcome shared challenges.

Starting as a medical student

Chapter 1 provides a plethora of practical tips on starting out as a medical student. In particular, notes on documentation required before starting medical school, student loans, living arrangements, and occupational health clearance will be of practical use to all students. Tips on what to purchase before starting (books, laptop, etc.) and which stethoscope to buy are presented. An approach to finances at medical school is outlined: budgeting for rent, bills, food, travel, stationery, books, and entertainment is as important as recognizing key sources of funding (student loans, organizations, bank loans, etc.). A guide to maximizing the first week at medical school/freshers’ week is offered including the most important societies to consider for medical students. Balancing work and other aspects of life is key to a sustained and happy career: an overview of strategies to manage stress is outlined. The transition from sixth form to medical student entails specific responsibilities which are helpfully summarized, as are tips on being a successful student doctor.