UNIST-Ulsan University Sign Academic Exchange Agreement to Train Medical Scientists ... First Undergraduate Medical Science Program in Korea

At the 'UNIST-Ulsan University Academic Exchange Agreement Ceremony' held at Ulsan University, Lee Yong-hoon, President of UNIST (left), and Oh Yeon-cheon, President of Ulsan University (right), took a commemorative photo.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Dongguk Lee] UNIST and Ulsan College of Medicine are launching the HST (Health Sciences and Technology) program to train physician-scientists (MD-Ph.D).

On the 11th at 11 a.m., UNIST and Ulsan University signed an MOU for academic exchange between Ulsan University and Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) to train physician-scientists in the conference room on the 3rd floor of the main building of Ulsan University. Starting from September 2023, they will jointly operate the ‘UNIST-Ulsan College of Medicine HST Program,’ a physician-scientist training program.

HST (Health Sciences and Technology) is an interdisciplinary training program operated by MIT and Harvard Medical School in the United States. Its goal is to provide opportunities to learn both sides by exchanging lectures between engineering and medical schools so that science and technology can be used to improve human health (prevention, diagnosis, treatment).

The ‘UNIST-Ulsan College of Medicine HST Program’ is similarly designed to MIT-Harvard Medical School’s HST in terms of educational cooperation between engineering and medical schools. A unique feature is that lectures are offered from the undergraduate level. It enables a ‘full-cycle medical science education program’ covering pre-medical, medical, and graduate courses, which is expected to train physician-scientists more effectively than existing domestic programs. This is a ‘Korean-style HST program’ developed to suit our circumstances.

Seunghoo Kim, Dean of Ulsan College of Medicine, said, “The process of learning medical science from the pre-medical undergraduate course is a model being attempted for the first time in Korea,” adding, “We aim to provide a foundation for students to grow into physician-scientists according to their aptitude by exposing them to the physician-scientist training program from the first year of pre-medical studies.”

A ‘short-term master’s program’ will also be newly established for Ulsan College of Medicine students who complete this program and wish to become physician-scientists. This opens a fast track for medical students interested in science and engineering during their undergraduate studies to advance as physician-scientists.

Customized educational courses are prepared for each target group, from bachelor’s to master’s, doctoral, and licensed physicians, enabling effective training of physician-scientists.

UNIST students will gain experience as ‘practical physician-scientists’ through field training utilizing hospital infrastructure. Such experience becomes an important asset in the bio-medical field, where basic scientific research and commercialization occur simultaneously.

Jaeyoung Shim, Dean of the College of Information and Bio Convergence at UNIST, said, “The UNIST-Ulsan College of Medicine HST program is an ‘engineering-based medical science institute’ organically combining medical education with science and engineering education,” and added, “UNIST students aspiring to be scientists or engineers will gain medical field experience and conduct research and technology development truly needed in the advanced bio-medical sector.”

'UNIST-Ulsan National University Academic Exchange Agreement Ceremony' held at Ulsan National University.

At the event, Yeoncheon Oh, President of Ulsan University, said, “This is a good example of two local universities joining forces to develop and promote a new educational model,” and added, “I hope the cooperation between Ulsan College of Medicine and UNIST will be an opportunity to improve the medical infrastructure in the Ulsan region.”

Yonghoon Lee, President of UNIST, said, “Starting with cooperation with Ulsan College of Medicine, the ‘UNIST Medical Science Institute’ program has been enriched,” and added, “We will nurture ‘physician-scientists’ who will lead the biomedical field, considered a promising future industry, and contribute to fostering the medical industry centered in the southeastern region.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.