Abstract
Every medical school aims to provide better education, and it sometimes requires changing the current education system. However, an attempt for a change may not always be successful. In many cases, it is so not because an intended change was not properly directed but because conflicts in the process of adopting the change were not properly handled. This paper suggests seven points for how to successfully bring a change in medical education. First, the medical education should not simply focus on the pass rate of the national medical examination but also on the cultivation of creative leaders. Second, the faculty of medical school should be creative, self-motivated, and passionate. Third, people in charge of an intended change should have a good understanding of complicated dynamics between the dean's office, medical education experts, professors, and students. Fourth, people who are leading the change should also grasp the possibility that a well-intended change might not be well-received by professors, students, and dean due to their tendency to be complacent with the current system. Fifth, a successful introduction of a change requires good teamwork of a thinker, an actor, and a coordinator. Sixth, a change takes time as it takes place through a step-by-step process. Seventh, an attempt for a change accompanies a negotiation with professors with different thoughts and views regarding education, and people who want a change need to be flexible in that negotiation. In addition to these seven points, people who are responsible for a change should be consistent and consider the renown of the school.
