title: [What is the current orientation of undergraduate medical education in Korea?].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The educational purpose of a medical school is important, because it guides educational decisions in an individual organization and projects the image of the doctors that we are generating. By analyzing the educational goals of entire medical schools, this study aimed to examine the current orientation and future direction of undergraduate medical education in Korea.
  
  
  METHODS
  Educational goals were collected from the website of each medical school and subjected to inductive content analysis. After identifying categories and themes, we examined the differences between medical school subgroups and compared the categories with competencies that have been suggested by the "Korean Doctor's Role."
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirteen themes were identified: medical expertise, professionalism, contribution to various levels of society, self-management and development, basic educational ideology, research ability, cooperation, leadership, dealing with future change, respect for life, creativity, problem-solving ability, and ability to educate. There was a significant difference in educational goals between medical schools when grouped by geographic location and affiliation of research-driven hospitals. Of the 16 competencies that are suggested by the Korean Doctor's Role, 12 had one or more corresponding categories.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Per their current educational purposes, Korean medical schools pursue a broad variety of competencies that need cultivating during the course of undergraduate medical education. Further research is needed to determine how best to apply these educational purposes in actual institutions and ultimately lead them to become part of the competency of a graduate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Education, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Do-Hwan
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Education, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Jeong
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Education, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jinyoung
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Education, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jwa-Seop
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Education, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Seunghee
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate; D006040:Goals; D006801:Humans; D011361:Professional Competence; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012577:Schools, Medical
keywords: Educational goals; Educational purposes; Inductive content analysis; Korean doctor’s role