Two Year Experiences of the International Elective Clerkship for Medical Students

2년간의 의과대학 학생의 해외임상실습 경험

Background : The aims of medical education have recently been changing in Korea, which has been accompanied by efforts to modify the rotating clerkship courses, improve the quality of clinical education, and make global doctors. We report the experiences of medical students going through an international elective clerkship for during past two years. Materials and Methods: Third year medical students could apply to the international elective clerkship course during a 4 week period alter their third-year rotating clerkship at a university hospital. This was done twice - in 2008 and in 2009. Applicant students were allowed to select hospitals anywhere in the world. We analyzed their choices including data on nation, state or city, hospital or institute, contacted hospitals by medical college, differences of two years, etc. Results : Twelve students (10.9%) of a total of 75 third-year students applied to 3 nations and 4 hospitals in 2008. Nine students applied to the Tampa General Hospital at the University of South Florida (USF) in the USA, which was arranged by their medical college. In 2009, a total of five (4.2%) of 77 students applied to 2 nations and 3 hospitals, including three at the University of South Florida, one in another city in the USA, and one in another nation because of the increased financial burden due to a higher exchange rate. Conclusion: Medical students started their first international elective clerkship courses during the past two years. Experiences were interesting and meaningful to the students and the medical college. Greater effort and support to developing a new paradigm and to enlarge the scope of the program for making global doctors are required in the future.

결과적으로 영남대학교 의과대학에서는 3학년 학생을 대상으로 2008년도에 처음으로 해외임상실습을 시행하게 되어 2년간 새로운 경험을 하게 되었으며 외국의 병원까지도 교류의 기회를 넓히게 되었다. 향후에는 좀 더 영역을 넓히고 전 학생이 참가할 수 있는 프로그램을 개발하여 글로벌 의사양성이라는 교육목표를 완수하려는 지속적인 관심과 노력이 필요할 것으로 생각한다.