1Department of Medical Education, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. 2Department of Liberal Arts and Science, Yonsei University, Wonju, Korea. 3Department of Teaching Profession, Korea Nazarene University, Cheonan, Korea.
PURPOSE: This study was to examine the pedagogical validity for a the six-years curriculum in pharmacy education in Korea. METHODS: The focus group, composed of 5 specialists, analyzed the pedagogical validity for a six-years curriculum from the perspective of administrative policies of higher education, educational sociology, curriculum composition, and educational economy. In addition, 3 consultants advised on the main issues related to the reformation of the school system in pharmacy education. RESULTS: It is not clear that the reformation of the school system in pharmacy education is aimed at undergraduate or graduate education in view of specialization of a higher education institute. The reformation of the school system is likely to cause educational inequality since a student who lacks financial support and cultural resources might give up entering pharmacy school. It also may ignite a struggle for power between pharmacists and physicians. The six- years curriculum is supposed to offer integrated experiences with a balance of theory and practice, representing characteristics such as consistency, clarity, reliability, and legitimacy. From the educational economy view, the validity of reformation of the school system can only be secured on the premise the expected income exceeds the total costs if the age-earning profile is constant in the current situation. CONCLUSION: Prior to discussions on the reformation of the school system in pharmacy education, the quality of pharmacy education should be improved first through multifarious efforts such as curriculum development, improvement to teaching and learning, introduction to an accreditation system, revision of the license examination, and graduate and continued pharmacy education and so on.
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