Is accreditation in medical education in Korea an opportunity or a burden?

Abstract

The accreditation process is both an opportunity and a burden for medical schools in Korea. The line that separates the two is based on how medical schools recognize and utilize the accreditation process. In other words, it would be a burden on the medical school if the medical school recognized the accreditation process as merely a formal procedure or a means to maintain accreditation status for medical education. However, if a medical school acknowledges the positive value of the accreditation process, it can be both an opportunity and a tool for developing medical education. The accreditation process's educational value is to improve the quality, equity, and efficiency of medical education and increase the options of choice. For the accreditation process to contribute to medical education development, accrediting agencies and medical schools must first be recognized as partners of an "educational alliance" working together towards common goals. Secondly, clear guidelines on the accreditation standards should be periodically reviewed and shared. Finally, a formative evaluation using self-evaluation must be introduced to utilize the accreditation process as an opportunity to develop medical education. This evaluation system could be developed through collaboration among medical schools, academic societies for medical education, and the accrediting authority.

Development of an Accreditation System for Evaluating Biomedical Scientific Associations Through a Participatory Process in Iran

“…The established system includes the main components mentioned for accreditation, namely the accreditation body, standards, and certification procedures. The same is true for the accreditation procedure which contains the main steps for such systems, i.e., self-evaluation, site visits and decision making (7,10).…”

“…MOHME is in charge of associa-tions' evaluation and monitoring. Hence, as in some other higher education sectors that governmental bodies perform accreditation of formal or informal organizations (7,8), MSAC at MOHME ordered the present study.…”

Special reviews on the history and future of the Korean Institute of Medical Education and Evaluation to memorialize its collaboration with the Korea Health Personnel Licensing Examination Institute to designate JEEHP as a co-official journal

“…His ideas were realized later by the establishment of KIMEE for medical education accreditation. Dr. Meng's review will provide how much pioneers did their best to establish the medical education [4]. They mentioned 3 kinds of values: quality and equity, efficiency, and choice.…”

“…Hanna Jung, Woo Taek Jeon, and Shinki An at the Yonsei University College of Medicine. They propose that medical education accreditation has pedagogic value [ 4 ], and mention 3 kinds of value: quality and equity, efficiency, and choice. They state, “Therefore, it is necessary to consider how the quality of medical education can be effectively improved while considering equity and excellence in medical school accreditation.…”

Accreditation standards items of post-2nd cycle related to the decision of accreditation of medical schools by the Korean Institute of Medical Education and Evaluation

“…Medical schools carry the social responsibilities of improving the quality of medical care as well as of training healthcare workers required by the community [1]. During the last 30 years, medical schools in the Republic of Korea have achieved rapid quantitative development, while also voluntarily making efforts to improve the academic environment and standards at medical schools [2].…”