Introduction of America's Health Systems Science Education and Its Criticism. 2022

Taekjoong Kim
Associate Professor, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences in Medicine, College of Medicine, Inje University.

Recently, Korean medical education circles have proposed a fullscale introduction of America's health systems science to replace the existing medical humanities education in Korea. The so-called Flexner education system, formed in the early 20th century, was centered on basic and clinical sciences. America's health systems science education was introduced to supplement the system. The full-scale introduction of health systems science has been promoted, mainly by the Korean Association of Medical Colleges. However, it does not fit into the current circumstance of Korean medical education circles. It is deemed that there are political reasons behind the push - the alignment of interests between the medical education circles and the government. This study first examined the social and cultural circumstances behind the emergence of health systems science in America, focusing on pragmatism, a native American ideology, to critique the background of the introduction of the American system. It also discussed the negative aspects of pragmatism in American medical education in the cases of American educators Ralph Tyler and Abraham Flexner. Then, it specifically examined the background and reasons for introducing America's health systems science to Korea and discussed the problems of directly introducing the health systems science to Korea without any adaptation process through a comparative analysis with existing medical humanities. Finally, it suggested a more desirable adaptation form of health systems science that can be considered for its implementation in Korea.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007723 Korea Former kingdom, located on Korea Peninsula between Sea of Japan and Yellow Sea on east coast of Asia. In 1948, the kingdom ceased and two independent countries were formed, divided by the 38th parallel.
D004501 Education, Medical Use for general articles concerning medical education. Medical Education
D006076 Government The complex of political institutions, laws, and customs through which the function of governing is carried out in a specific political unit. Governments
D006078 Government Programs Programs and activities sponsored or administered by local, state, or national governments. Government-Sponsored Programs,Government Sponsored Programs,Government Program,Government Sponsored Program,Government-Sponsored Program,Program, Government,Program, Government Sponsored,Program, Government-Sponsored,Programs, Government,Programs, Government Sponsored,Programs, Government-Sponsored
D006809 Humanities Fields of inquiry in human constructs and concerns as opposed to natural processes and social relations. These are traditionally the study of literature, philosophy, and religion.
D014481 United States A country in NORTH AMERICA between CANADA and MEXICO.
D049673 History, 20th Century Time period from 1901 through 2000 of the common era. 20th Century History,20th Cent. History (Medicine),20th Cent. History of Medicine,20th Cent. Medicine,Historical Events, 20th Century,History of Medicine, 20th Cent.,History, Twentieth Century,Medical History, 20th Cent.,Medicine, 20th Cent.,20th Cent. Histories (Medicine),20th Century Histories,Cent. Histories, 20th (Medicine),Cent. History, 20th (Medicine),Century Histories, 20th,Century Histories, Twentieth,Century History, 20th,Century History, Twentieth,Histories, 20th Cent. (Medicine),Histories, 20th Century,Histories, Twentieth Century,History, 20th Cent. (Medicine),Twentieth Century Histories,Twentieth Century History

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