Introduction of America's Health Systems Science Education and Its Criticism.

Abstract

Recently, Korean medical education circles have proposed a fullscale introduction of America’s health systems science to replace the existing medical humanities education in Korea. The so-called Flexner education system, formed in the early 20th century, was centered on basic and clinical sciences. America’s health systems science education was introduced to supplement the system. The full-scale introduction of health systems science has been promoted, mainly by the Korean Association of Medical Colleges. However, it does not fit into the current circumstance of Korean medical education circles. It is deemed that there are political reasons behind the push – the alignment of interests between the medical education circles and the government. This study first examined the social and cultural circumstances behind the emergence of health systems science in America, focusing on pragmatism, a native American ideology, to critique the background of the introduction of the American system. It also discussed the negative aspects of pragmatism in American medical education in the cases of American educators Ralph Tyler and Abraham Flexner. Then, it specifically examined the background and reasons for introducing America’s health systems science to Korea and discussed the problems of directly introducing the health systems science to Korea without any adaptation process through a comparative analysis with existing medical humanities. Finally, it suggested a more desirable adaptation form of health systems science that can be considered for its implementation in Korea.