• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.39-53
• /
• 2021

Purpose: Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) have so far been trained as professionals under the same conditions, with no change in the 1995 Act. We aimed to find ways for them to secure expertise in accordance with social needs by strengthening the quality of the EMT education. Methods: This is a descriptive study comparing the operation status of the national emergency medical examination conducted by the Korea Health Personnel Licensing Examination Institute, and the national examinations of EMT paramedic and EMT basic. The scope of the national examinations for EMT was compared by subject and area. Results: The national written exam for EMT paramedic consists of five areas. EMT basic does not include basic medicine in three related subjects, 11 areas, and 18 detail areas. Paramedic care does not include advanced pediatric life support. In addition, nine areas and 20 detail areas are not included. Conclusion: The study suggests the need for institutional supplementation so that those who have completed EMT basic and the subjects prescribed by the ordinance of the Ministry of Health and Welfare at universities, etc., in the Higher Education Act can take the EMT paramedic national exam.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.7-19
• /
• 2024

Purpose: To adjust item numbers in a national test, this study used item response theory to examine changes in average scores, reliability, difficulty, and discrimination according to the adjustment of item numbers. Methods: We analyzed the dichotomous coding of correct and incorrect answers of 473 examinees in a mock test conducted in 2023. Additionally, as an explanatory pilot study, we used an online questionnaire to survey experts on their perceptions of the appropriate item numbers for each test subject from January 18, 2024, to February 15, 2024. Results: Regarding the item numbers on the national exam, experts preferred to reduce the number of management of emergency patients (33.14±6.09, p<.05) and advanced emergency medical care: subtopics (104.49±11.55, p<.05), and the total number of questions (217.82±20.95, p<.05). In a simulation set in which items with low item fit were removed after fitting a two-parameter item response theory model, reliability was maintained at .910 until the 5th test consisting of 185 questions with little loss of difficulty, discrimination, and average score, and there was no correlation between item numbers and average score. Conclusion: Experts responded that reducing the number of items on the national exam was appropriate. As a result of the item reduction simulation, there was no significant loss in the average score, difficulty, discrimination, or reliability. More reliable results could be obtained if the results were based on a validity analysis and analyzed using actual national exams.

• Safety and Health at Work
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.178-186
• /
• 2020

Background: Cognitive impairment is a public health burden. Our objective was to investigate associations between work hours and cognitive function. Methods: Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) participants (n = 2,497; 50.7% men; age range 44-84 years) reported hours per week worked in all jobs in Exams 1 (2000-2002), 2 (2002-2004), 3 (2004-2005), and 5 (2010-2011). Cognitive function was assessed (Exam 5) using the Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (version 2), a measure of global cognitive functioning; the Digit Symbol Coding, a measure of processing speed; and the Digit Span test, a measure of attention and working memory. We used a prospective approach and linear regression to assess associations for every 10 hours of work. Results: Among all participants, associations of hours worked with cognitive function of any type were not statistically significant. In occupation-stratified analyses (interaction p = 0.051), longer work hours were associated with poorer global cognitive function among Sales/Office and blue-collar workers, after adjustment for age, sex, physical activity, body mass index, race/ethnicity, educational level, annual income, history of heart attack, diabetes, apolipoprotein E-epsilon 4 allele (ApoE4) status, birth-place, number of years in the United States, language spoken at MESA Exam 1, and work hours at Exam 5 (β = -0.55, 95% CI = -0.99, -0.09) and (β = -0.80, -1.51, -0.09), respectively. In occupation-stratified analyses (interaction p = 0.040), we also observed an inverse association with processing speed among blue-collar workers (adjusted β = -0.80, -1.52, -0.07). Sex, race/ethnicity, and ApoE4 did not significantly modify associations between work hours and cognitive function. Conclusion: Weak inverse associations were observed between work hours and cognitive function among Sales/Office and blue-collar workers.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
• /
• v.11 no.5
• /
• pp.455-462
• /
• 2011

The purpose of this study was to examine the curriculum components affecting the professionalism of dental hygienists and to explore what improvements should be done for each of the influential curriculum components to boost the belief and attitude of dental hygienists. The subjects in this study were 934 dental hygiene students, 76 dental hygiene professors, and 285 dental hygienists, on whom a survey was conducted in person, by mail and by e-mail from April 10 to June 12, 2009. The collected data from 1,295 respondents were analyzed. First, overall dental hygiene professionalism was predicted by intellectual development, vocational education, socio-culturalization, ethics and creativity, which were educational objectives of curriculum, and that didn't have a close relationship to interpersonal understanding and selfactualization. Second, overall dental hygienist professionalism was predicted by learning interest, learning possibility and the significance of subjects, which were selection criteria of teaching content, and that wasn't closely linked to the validity of subjects and social significance. Third, overall dental hygienist professionalism was predicted by continuity and integrity, which were organizing principles of teaching content, and that didn't have a strong relationship to sequence. Fourth, overall dental hygienist professionalism was predicted by the content of school evaluation and school evaluation criteria, which were evaluation elements of curriculum, and that wasn't closely linked to the method of school evaluation, the content of the national exam, the criteria of the national exam and the method of the national exam.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
• /
• v.38 no.3
• /
• pp.261-266
• /
• 2013

Myofascial pain is a condition associated with regional pain and muscle tenderness characterized by the presence of myofascial trigger points. In this case report, a subject complaining of nighttime bruxism was clinically assessed, and a latent trigger point of the anterior temporalis muscle was identified with manual palpation. A surface electromyographic (SEMG) exam of the anterior temporalis muscle harboring the latent trigger point demonstrated several SEMG features, including post-contraction irritability, delayed relaxation following contraction and accelerated muscle fatigue. It was concluded that a SEMG exam may detect abnormal masticatory muscle function and, therefore, assist in the evaluation of myogenous temporomandibular disorders.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
• /
• v.9 no.4
• /
• pp.808-823
• /
• 2009

Objectives : This study was to suggest the basic data to develop the national exam contents for dental hygiene by comparing with those of other country. Methods : Several dental hygiene education course results were reviewed, and analyzed the culture subjects, basic major subjects, educational subjects, national exam contents in 3 or 4 years dental hygiene curriculum. Results : In Korea, grades of culture subjects in dental hygiene curriculum were different between 3 and 4 years education course, mean grades were 10.4, and 34.5 respectively. While there were few different between 3 and 4 years education course, mean grades were 36, and 36.5 respectively in foreign country. In Korea, grades of major subjects in dental hygiene curriculum were similar between 3 and 4 years education course as mean grades of 110, while there were different between 3 and 4 years education course, mean grades were 60 and 80 respectively in foreign country. In Korea, number of major subject was higher in 4 years(n=61) than 3 years(n=54). However, it was lower in 4 years(n=27) than in 3 years(n=33) in foreign country. Total grade number was 129 in 3 years, and 145 in 4 years in Korea, while it was 97 in 3 years, and 116 in 4 years in foreign country. By analyzing 3 years education course, culture subject was 9.5%, basic health was 11.2%, oral biology was 11.2%, clinical dentistry was 20.7%, public oral health was 10.4%, oral hygiene care was 35.9%, management of dental clinic was 9.4%, education was 2.8% in Korea. In USA, dental hygiene examination contains practice work as major part, while theory was thought of as most important things in korea. Conclusions : It is necessary to improve learning course of dental hygiene curriculum on the basis of other country's system, and then it could be possible to development of good quality's national examination contents, thus good quality of dental hygiene personnel would be turned out in Korea.

• Journal of Practical Agriculture & Fisheries Research
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.101-111
• /
• 2015

The purpose of this study is to identify any differences in academic records of students after they got into the Korea National College of Agriculture and Fisheries through the entrance exam. The target group was the students of 1,035 who enrolled from the year of 2012 to 2014 by the exams respectively, and this study compared those first year's records. As a result, this study found that their academic achievements have no significant differences statistically. With regard to the result, we could recognize that the average achievements of students are arithmetically high, who were accepted by admission officer's interview(talented students of agriculture and fisheries) and regular admission procedure to which the scholastic test result is applied. Accordingly, it is more desirable that we should rather focus on measures to improve the admission procedure that could contribute to academic achievements of students who are mostly accepted through the nonscheduled admission. It is pointless to focus on discussion that the achievement of students selected by a particular procedure is low. That kind of criticism proved groundless. Secondly, the study of the correlation between their admission records and after admission records of the freshmen in 2012 shows that a significant difference does not exist whereas those of in 2013 and 2014 has a slightly different statistically, though a coefficient of correlation was a mere 0.17. It account for this result that KNCAF has increased the applied-rate of highschool transcript from 33.3% to 50.0.% in admission procedure from the year of 2013. However, lowering the applied-rate of farming and fishing background is not everything as we consider the graduates' easy settling into rural area. It is a well-known fact that after graduation, the majority of students who have applied for a grace period of the delay in performing the obligation of farming and fishing, and of students who have paid the school expenses back came from ones with no sufficient foothold. This means that we should formulate a supporting policy for the students to settle into rural area smoothly after graduation if we keep the regulation of lowing the applied-rate of farming and fishing.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.57 no.6
• /
• pp.515-521
• /
• 2004

With the increasing resolution of modern CT scanners, analysis of the larger numbers of images acquired in a lung screening exam or diagnostic study is necessary, which also needs high accuracy and reproducibility. Recent developments in the computerized analysis of medical images are expected to aid radiologists and other healthcare professional in various diagnostic tasks of medical image interpretation. This article is to provide a brief overview of some of computer-aided diagnosis schemes in chest CT.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
• /
• v.16 no.6
• /
• pp.442-448
• /
• 2016

Dental caries and periodontal disease are considered to be chronic, but can be prevented through an incremental oral health program covering all ages. The National Oral Health Program for adults provides oral health exam and scaling, and is covered by national health insurance for those over 20 years of age in Korea. The aim of this study was to collect basic data for developing an oral health program for adults by identifying factors related to awareness and need. The data were obtained by convenience sampling of 303 subjects. The use of dental plaque disclosing agents affected tooth brushing frequency, toothbrushing time and use of oral auxiliary devices. Education on toothbrushing methods affected toothbrushing time and use of oral auxiliary devices. Of those surveyed, 93.1% replied that an incremental oral health program for adults was needed, and 68.0% intended to participate. In a regression model, the factors that had an effect on the perceived need for an oral health program were education level, use of oral hygiene auxiliary devices, and toothbrushing time, and the factors affecting intent to participate were education for prevention of periodontal disease and the use of oral hygiene auxiliary devices. The subjects stated that the following oral health programs were needed: an oral bacteria exam (74.3%), toothbrushing education (71.6%), a bad breath exam (69.3%), education on use of oral hygiene auxiliary devices (46.9%), a dental plaque exam (42.9%) and a saliva exam (37.6%). Oral health education appears to be an important factor for participation in an incremental oral health program.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.399-415
• /
• 2006

This research collected the curriculum for Dental Technology from a total of 20 schools-eighteen 3-year colleges and two 4-year colleges all in Korea. We divided 4 groups as regions from 20 colleges, and we compared the credit of university students who finished all the required courses and want to apply for a national examination and the credit to be had from another educational institution. As a result of this analysis, we get the conclusion below: 1. In the curriculum, average credit are shown like this order: Science of Dental materials 5.45 Orthodontics Technology 4.10 Dental Morphology 3.80 Oral Anatomy 3.05 Dental Health Science 2.45 Public Health Science 2.40 These show that the credit of fundamental studies, which is in order to take Dental Prosthetics, is increased. 2. In the curriculum, average credit are shown like this order: Crown and Bridge Technology 7.25 Removable Partial Dentures Technology 6.55 Complete Dentures Technology 6.40 Dental Ceramics 4.95 Inlay Technology 2.30 3. In the curriculum, average credit are shown like this order: Crown and Bridge Technology(Lab) 5.90 Removable Partial Dentures Technology(Lab) 5.35 Complete Dentures Technology(Lab) 5.30 Dental Ceramics(Lab) 4.35 Average points between regions in the subject of a national written exam are mostly similar, but the deviation among Science of Dental Materials, Crown and Bridge Technology, Removable Partial Dentures Technology, and Complete Dentures Technology is large. And in the practical technique exam, the deviation among Crown and Bridge Technology(Lab), Removable Partial Dentures Technology(Lab), and Complete Dentures Technology(Lab) is great.