[Modernization process of the medical education in Korea]

In Korea, there had been the public educational system of the traditional medicine since Shilla Kingdom of 7th century, and Koryo government had the Selection System of the medical doctors for the public services from the reign of King Kwangjong (AD 958). These traditional system had been maintained until King Kojong of Chosun Kingdom (AD 1885), when the traditional hospital with medical school Hye-Min-Seo was replaced by Che-Jung-Won, the first modern hospital in Korea, where the Western medical service for people and practical medical education were performed by western missionary doctors. But the medical education in Che-Jung-Won did not last long because people and government at that time did not recognize the value of the Western medicine, in addition to the personal difficulties some medical missionaries had. After the reformation of 1894 when the health administration and service based upon Western medicine were planned, the government of Chosun Kingdom needed the personnel who could practice the Western medicine. So government began by establishing the short-term (one month) Vaccinator's Training Center in 1897, and founded the first public medical school named Eui-Hak-Kyo Medical school of three-year course for educating the medical students in 1899. ...