The Survey of Family Medicine Clinical Clerkships in Medical Schools in Korea

Abstract

Background : New educational objectives and evaluation methods in Korean medical schools have been suggested recently to cope with health care related environmental changes. Current status of family medicine clinical clerkships in Korean medical schools is to be known before establishing standards.

Methods : Educational Committee of Korean Academy of Family Medicine surveyed the family medicine clerkship in Korean medical school (about educational environment, subjects and evaluation methods) using structured questionnaires by e-mail and Fax from February through March in 2004.

Results : Family medicine clinical clerkship was run by 25 of 41 medical schools (65.9%). Educational subject areas included communication skill, observation in hospital based ambulatory office, primary care and family medicine, medical recording, diagnosis and treatment of common problems, residential out-hospital ambulatory programs, presentation of hospital based ambulatory programs, procedure skill, lifelong heath management plan, and health promotion, in descending order. Faculties of family medicine were directly in charge of educational subjects. However, educational methods were mainly composed of lectures and indirect observation. It should be noted that concrete and precise evaluation methods in the family medicine clerkship program had been lacking due to insufficient and obscure evaluation strategies.

Conclusion : Clerkship period, educational environment, and number of class were variable among medical schools in Korea. Educational format needs to be standardized in terms of common educational subjects such as communication skill education, patient education, and ambulatory care clerkship. More valid methods are to be introduced for family medicine clerkship evaluation.