 |
the
MEDICAL EDUCATOR
VOL 1, No 9, October 1999 Fellow studies techniques to helpimprove Korean medical educationby Kristen KarigPublic Relations A desire to enhance medical education in South Korea brought Soung Hoon Chang, M.D., Ph.D., to the MUSC College of Medicine.
During an eight-month fellowship, Chang will immerse himself in curriculum design and coordination, problem-based and self-directed learning, small group tutorials, and standardized patients. Armed with an in-depth knowledge of these educational methodologies, he plans to pioneer changes at his home university—Kon-Kuk College of Medicine. The fellowship is sponsored by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. Each year, the commission offers 20 international fellowships; only one fellow may be selected from each country. Chang learned of MUSC through research on the Internet. “It is very interesting and exciting to see these systems of learning in action,” Chang said. Within the Korean medical community, there is a “serious shortage of faculty who desire to advance and update their pedagogical knowledge and skills,” said Yong-Il Kim, M.D., Ph.D., of Seoul National University College of Medicine. Chang will be the first faculty member from his college to experience these teaching techniques abroad. At MUSC, Chang’s activities include serving as a small group tutor for the Parallel Curriculum. He has observed several OSCEs (objective structured clinical examination) and attended an Undergraduate Curriculum Committee meeting. What surprised him about American medical students was the variety in their educational backgrounds. “Korean students don’t obtain undergraduate degrees before they begin medical school,” he explained. “Instead, their medical education spans a period of six years—two years of a pre-medicine curriculum followed by four years of medical training.” Kon-Kuk College of Medicine consists of four branches: pre-medicine,
medical school, nursing school and biomedical engineering, with almost
900 students. The college is one
“In most of the medical schools in Korea, the cram-style
Following in the footsteps of his father, a retired physician, Chang earned his medical degree in 1979 from Korea University. From 1982-84, he completed an externship at the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery in New York’s Lincoln Medical Center and served as a house physician in the Department of Surgery at Mount Vernon Hospital, NY. After three-and-a-half years of training at Korea University College of Medicine, he became a specialist in preventive medicine. In September 1990, Chang joined the faculty of Kon-Kuk University College of Medicine. He currently holds appointments as chairman of the Department of Preventive Medicine, chairman of the Department of Occupational Medicine and director of the Research Institute for Rural Health. Chang earned his Ph.D. in preventive medicine from Korea University in 1994. He is board certified in preventive medicine and occupational and environmental medicine and is a registered physician in Massachusetts. Before coming to Charleston, Chang spent a year at Harvard School of Public Health as a preventive medicine fellow. Chang’s commitment to effect change in medical education is clear. During his tenure as associate dean of the Kon-Kuk College of Medicine from 1995 to 1997, he restructured the medical curriculum to emphasize the clinical clerkship. He also spearheaded the effort to implement a basic medical sciences examination and the OSCE into the curriculum. Upon his return, Chang hopes to lead the College of Medicine education committee. His knowledge stands not only to affect learning at his home university, but the Korean system of medical education as a whole. Through publications and leadership in the Korean Society of Medical Education, Chang hopes the changes he initiates will have a ripple effect that reaches other Korean medical schools. For now, Chang and his family are enjoying life in America. He and his
wife and son, an eighth grader at Moultrie Middle School, live in Mount
Pleasant. His daughter is a freshman at Massachusetts College of Art.
Problem-based learning comes to the traditional curriculumby Kristen KarigPublic Relations With the integration of problem-based learning into the traditional curriculum, first-year students gain experience solving problems they’re likely to be confronted with as practicing physicians. This semester, Behavioral Science in Medical Practice (BSMP) in the Doctoring Curriculum replaces Introduction to Psychological and Psychiatric Aspects of Medical Practice as the undergraduate curriculum renewal continues to unfold. Students and faculty alike are responding enthusiastically to the change, said Darlene Shaw, Ph.D., director of medical student education, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and BSMP segment director. Through problem-based learning, students take a more active role in the educational process. Presented with a patient’s case, the students, working as a team, must apply their knowledge from past experience, lectures and labs to resolve the patient’s problem. The College of Medicine’s Parallel Curriculum relies on the problem-based approach as a primary method of learning. “The behavioral science course is a great way for students in the traditional curriculum to benefit from this form of self-directed learning,” said Bob Mallin, M.D., Doctoring Curriculum coordinator. Students are divided into groups of eight that meet for two hours a week. Two preceptors, a clinical physician (M.D.) and a psychologist or behavioral scientist lead each of the 15 groups. During the course of the semester, students will discuss a series of four cases, each of which targets a certain age range in the human lifespan. At the beginning of each case, students review and discuss the initial information. “In the process of discussing the case, students will come across things they don’t know the answer to,” said Ed Brown, M.D., Doctoring Curriculum coordinator. What the students identify as information they need to know becomes learning objectives for the case. After conducting research outside of class, group members report back on what they’ve learned for more discussion. Each case spans three weeks. “Too often we stuff their brains full of facts, but never teach students
how to apply these important facts,” said William Hueston, M.D., Department
of Family Medicine chair.
Under the old format, a different case was presented each week to the students in a large group. Students broke into small groups for further discussion of the case. “Problem-based learning allows for more in-depth discussion,” Mallin said. The role of the preceptor in the behavioral science course is to keep the students on track and ensure that the group covers certain objectives they’ll be evaluated on. “The challenge for the preceptor is to be on the one hand attentive to the group and the process of what’s going on, but at the same time, be much less active in terms of the time spent speaking,” said preceptor Patricia Fiero, Ph.D. “You have to know when to speak up with the answer, and when to let the students figure it out on their own.” Problem-based learning also hones students’ research ability.
Student interaction is another advantage. “Working in the problem-based learning groups helps students learn how to work as a team, which will be integral part of their career as a practicing professional,” Fiero said. “The students have responded very well and really taken responsibility
for moving the group along,” Mallin said.
Charleston to host obesity conferenceThe North American Association for the Study of Obesity (NAASO) will hold its annual conference in Charleston Nov. 14 - 18. “Emerging Perspectives in Obesity,” will be the source of the latest findings regarding basic, clinical and epidemiological research on obesity and its management. For registration or additional conference information visit <http://www.naaso.org>.“Fundamentals of Obesity and Its Management,” a pre-conference continuing
medical education meeting will be held Nov. 13 - 14. This course is designed
specifically for
Leading experts in the field will provide the newest information on metabolic and genetic contributions to obesity, environmental contributions to obesity, medical complications, surgical options, medication and psychological aspects of obesity. For information on the pre-conference, call the Office of Continuing Medical Education at 876-1925. Patrick O’Neil, Ph.D., director of the MUSC Weight Management Center,
is chair of the 1999 NAASO Program Committee.
Don't miss thisNov. 43 - 6 p.m. Conducting Clinical Evaluations: How to Handle the “Difficult” Learner Franklin J. Medio, Ph.D., and Carol Savage, Ph.D. Charleston Place Hotel This course targets individuals interested in furthering their understanding
and/or practice of teaching skills. Topics to be discussed include: 10
essential operating principles for an effective clinical evaluation system;
guidelines for providing “instructive feedback;” and implications of the
Americans with Disabilities Act on the evaluation of individuals in clinical
settings. Participants will learn to identify and avoid six common “traps”
that create inconsistencies in the clinical evaluation process, and methods
for dealing with individuals who exhibit poor work habits, behavioral problems,
or signs of impairment. Co-sponsored by the Department of Emergency Medicine
and the MUSC Appletree Society. There is no fee for this workshop.
Nov. 5
All physicians, including resident physicians and fellows, need an in-depth
knowledge of managed care and practice management issues to compete effectively
in today’s health care environment. At the conclusion of this workshop,
participants should be able to understand the basic elements of practice
management, evaluate the issues involved in managed care and examine the
cycle of control in private practice management. The program is presented
by the Southern Medical Association.
March 9 - 11, 2000
For more information, visit <http://www.cbil.vcu.edu/sgea/>.
Continuing Medical EducationThe following conferences are sponsored by MUSC. All conferences are to be held in Charleston, S.C., unless noted otherwise.November
14 - 18
December
3 - 5
2000
March
27 - 29
Teaching tipsWhen teaching a skill to students (or others) remember the following:
In next month's issue...Read the November edition of the Medical
Educator to learn about how MedCAREERS, a joint initiative of the AAMC
and AMA, helps students more effectively plan their future careers as physicians.
|
Dr.
Soung Chang discusses a patient case with Parallel Curriculum students.