• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.486-502
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• 2006

Earth Science is the study of Earth, where diverse organisms live, and it mainly focuses on the healthy, wealthy, and comfortable environment for our descendants. UNESCO and IUGS recently established the International Working Group on Medical Geology (1996), IGCP 454 Medical Geology (2000-2004), and International Medical Geology Association (IMGA, 2006) with the primary concerns of increasing awareness of Medical Geology among scientists, medical specialists, and the general public. Medical Geology and IMGA have been very successful in informing(educating) about the relationship between geological factors and health problems in humans and animals in the world through numerous international meetings, seminars, workshops, symposiums, and publications. Since there is a close correlation between Earth Science and Medical/ Dental Sciences as shown in the Medical Geology and IMGA, Earth Science, as with other areas in science, (i.e., Biology, Chemistry and Physics) should be included in the Medical Education Eligibility Test (MEET) and Dental Education Eligibility Test (DEET) for the Medical and Dental Graduate School. In this brief note, services and activities of UNESCO IGCP 454 Medical Geology and IMGA are introduced, sothat the inclusion of Earth Science as a subject requirement in the MEET and DEET can be considered. Such outcome will balance the development of Science Education in Korea.