South Korea officially known as the Republic of Korea is a South Asian country ranked as one of the most developed countries in that region. They have one of the best internet connection speeds in the world and the densest high speed railway network.
South Korea is home to K-pop and K-drama which a lot of our readers are fans of. Apart from entertainment, they are also known for their good educational system be it public or private.
The South Koreans view education as one of the fundamental cornerstones of life and this can be seen in their global rank among the most educated workforces in the world, in addition, their students are also good in Mathematics, literacy, and sciences.
Studying medicine in South Korea is good for nationals and foreigners who want to become competent Doctors. As a foreigner, there are requirements that you must possess in order to study Medicine in South Korea and we would also outline that in this article after listing the best medical schools in South Korea.
Best Medical Schools In South Korea
1. Seoul National University College Of Medicine
Seoul National University College was established in 1846 and is one of the oldest Universities in South Korea. The College of Medicine was established in 1899 and it is the first accredited medical school in South Korea with over 2000 students at its undergraduate and masters level.
Seoul National University College of Education is said to be ranked 46th among the best Universities to read clinical medicine in the world according to US news. The College of Medicine has two departments under it namely the department of preliminary medicine and the department of medicine.
The College of preliminary medicine has courses designed to provide introductory knowledge to students and some of the courses being taught there are physiology, pathology, anatomy, and new technologies for medicine. The college of medicine is where the bulk of the work is done and upon graduation, students can choose where they want to specialize.
International students are expected to possess the following in order to be eligible to study medicine at the Seoul National University college of medicine:
- Health Insurance Plan: As an international student, it is mandatory to possess a health insurance plan and there are three options available by which one can obtain a health insurance plan in South Korea namely: From a private insurance company in South Korea, Study abroad insurance from home country, or From Korean National Health Insurance Service.
- SNU ID Card: A Seoul National University ID card is needed to access facilities like the library, computer center, and other facilities in the school.
- Bank Account: A bank account would be needed in order to safeguard your money while in school.
2. Yonsei University College Of Medicine
Yonsei is a Christian University that was established in 1885 with its main campus being in Sinchon Campus. Yonsei is one of the best universities to study Medicine and business administration. The college was integrated into Yonsei University in 1957 and they allow only 100 successful applicants each year.
There are two ways by which one can be admitted into the Yonsei University College of Medicine namely:
- Advancement from the department of pre-medicine
- Admission of candidates who have received a bachelors degree from an approved university in Korea or any other country.
3. Sungkyunkwan University College Of Medicine
Sungkyunkwan University was established during the Joseon dynasty in 1398 by a royal decree. Despite the age of the University, the college of medicine was established in 1997. Despite its age, it has become one of the top ranking medical schools in South Korea.
Sungkyunkwan University became the first school to provide a two year PBL program for preclinical education. They have an appropriate learning environment for students and their partnership with the Samsung Medical Center has led to several improvements in its global ranking.
4. University Of Ulsan College Of Medicine
The University of Ulsan was established on February 19, 1969, by Chung Ju-yung, as an institute of technology but it became a full university on March 1, 1985.
The College of Medicine was established in 1988 and its campus is in Ulsan though they once moved to Seoul but had to relocate after it was deemed illegal by the Ministry Of Education. They provide a strong pre-medicine foundation for their students who in the future can work either as clinical specialists, clinical educators, physician scientists, general physicians, and medical lawyers/journalists.
The University of Ulsan college has a medical institution that was established alongside the college of medicine and they have one of the most renowned doctors in liver transplant surgery and cardiovascular intervention working for them.
5. Korea University College Of Medicine
This is a private institution established in 1905 as Bosung College but in 1946, there was a change in the name of the institution. This is one of the best Universities in South Korea also, they are members of SKY Universities, a name used to denote prestigious Universities in South Korea.
Korea University College of Medicine situated in Seoul was established in 1928 and its medical center was ranked as one of the top 100 universities in the world. The medical college is a merger of the Chosun Women’s Medical Training Institute with the Korean University and they have produced over 5,000 graduates.
6. Catholic University Of Korea School Of Medicine
Established in 1855, the Catholic University of Korea is one of the premier Universities in South Korea with recognition both globally and locally.
The establishment of the School of medicine dates back to 1954 though they were promoted from the Faculty of Medicine to the School of Medicine. The School of Medicine has two departments/faculties namely basic medical science and clinical science.
They operate their courses through the OMNIBUS Curriculum for both Life Science and Human Complete Education. It is implemented at the beginning and end of the semesters for a week and this would amount to 300 hours until graduation.
7. Pusan National University College Of Medicine
Pusan National University is known as one of the flagship Korean national universities in South Korea. Pusan National University was established in 1946 and they currently have four campuses.
Like other medical schools in South Korea, they have two departments or faculties the first being basic medical science where they teach students the basics of medicine before they begin to specialize in the area that interests them.
8. Kyungpook National University School Of Medicine
Kyungpook National University was established in September 1946 and it is situated in Daegu metropolitan city. It was formed from an upgrade of colleges of education, agriculture, and medicine in Daegu.
Kyungpook National University School of Medicine integrated Block Lecture and Problem Based Learning(PBL) into their curriculum. In addition, the integration of OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination) and CPX (Clinical Performance eXamination) has also helped improve their clinical education.
9. Chonnam National University Medical School
Chonnam National University is a member of the flagship national Universities in Korea and it was established in 1952. Chonnam is known to receive a huge amount of exchange students on a yearly basis and its campuses are situated in Gwangju and South Jeolla Province.
The history of Chonnam National University Medical School dates as far back as 1944 though plans were initially made in 1936 for the establishment of the medical school. Research is also listed as one of the departments in the Chonnam National University Medical School unlike other medical schools or colleges of medicine.
10. Hanyang University College Of Medicine
Hanyang University is a private research institute established in July 1939 with its main and satellite campuses being located in Seoul and Ansan. The College of Medicine was established in 1965 and the construction of Hanyang University Hospital finished in 1970.
How Long Does It Take To Study Medicine In South Korea?
It takes exactly six(6) years to study medicine in South Korea like in most countries. Those from high school would have to pass through the pre-medical school and here you would be taught courses like anatomy, physiology, and others that would help you to be well prepared when specializing.
Once you are done with the pre-medical school, you would now be able to choose the branch of medicine you are interested in and this would be studied for another two years before your clinical rotations which would take another additional two years.
Graduates can apply for admission into any medical school of their choice but they would have to enter in the third year which means they would not be admitted to the pre-medical school like fresh applicants.
What Is The Cost Of Studying Medicine In South Korea
There are a lot of things that must be considered for a foreigner who wants to study Medicine In South Korea like feeding, tuition, and transportation cost. The tuition fee can be as high as $15,000 a year but foreign students are advised to take advantage of scholarship programs available to them to reduce the cost.
Requirements To Study Medicine In South Korea
There are many requirements that foreign students must possess in order to successfully study Medicine in South Korea. Some of the requirements that are necessary to study medicine in South Korea are outlined below:
- Language: Most Universities in South Korea lecture in Korean so if you are planning to study at a University that does not lecture in English, then you are advised to learn the language. Learning the language would also help you to be able to communicate with the locals so it is advisable to learn it. Foreigners who are from non-English speaking countries would be required to write IELTS/TOFEL to test their English proficiency.
- Visa: Before you can be allowed to study in Korea, you must obtain a Korean Student visa. If you would be studying for more than 90 days, then apply for the Long stay visa.
- Health Insurance Plan: When applying for a visa, one of the core things that one must present is a health insurance plan. Some schools also request a health insurance plan as one of the documents when processing your admission.
CONCLUSION
Medical school is quite competitive and it takes a lot of determination for one to pass through it successfully so take note of this before applying to any of the Universities outlined in this article.