Introduction of Hospital Service Training Program (HSTP) to the Medical Education in Korea

Abstract

Given the social responsibility of the medical profession, education for human understanding is perceived as one of the absolute requirements in the curriculum of medical colleges. In order to fulfill this requirement as least partially Ajou

University College of Medicine had carried out HSTP for the first time in Korea during the first three years of the six-year-medical education. This program has provided an excellent opportunity for the student to experience many different aspects of the hospital, including patient care and early informal contacts with the hospital staff, and to understand the general management of medical institutions. HSTP is planned to run for 8 weeks during summer or winter vacation and is divided into two or three separate periods of practice in general hospitals. It started during the 1990 summer vacation with 81 students (91% of total enrollment) assigned to 14 different hospitals. The training performance was evaluated and analyzed using questionnaires and interviews with participating students and hospital staffs. According to the survey results, students appreciated the opportunity for an early enhancement of human relationships with hospital staffs. Moreover, before-and-after test results showed that students had experienced a change in their perceptions of different aspects of the medical profession. These findings seem to verify the positive effects of the HSTP both in education and practice. Rotating assignments to several departments has especially helped students to understand various hospital functions and made it easier to continue their clinical clerkship. Overall responses of students and hospitals to the implementation of this program were very positive (students 82%, medical doctors 89%, nursing staff 85%), although significant differences were observed between the experienced doctor group (positive responses) and the young resident group (negative). Hospitals in general seem to agree that the HSTP is a good approach to access and solve

the current problems facing the medical professionals. Moreover, they promised to support this program continuously. There are several factors tob considered for improvement of the current program, such as standardization of training conditions and extension of each training term in a hospital. In conclusion, HSTP seems to be an effective complement to the education for human understanding in medical education in Korea.