image: Bird View of Korea University College of Medicine
Credit: KU Medicine
Korea University’s College of Medicine Has Been Simultaneously Selected for the Undergraduate and Graduate Programs of the 2026 Convergence Physician-Scientist Training Project
From Undergraduate to Graduate School, Establishing the “Full-Cycle Physician-Scientist Training System”
Korea University's College of Medicine (Dean Pyun Sung-bom) has been simultaneously selected for the undergraduate and graduate programs of the '2026 Convergence Physician-Scientist Training Project' organized by the Korea Health Industry Development Institute.
Korea University's College of Medicine has been operating the graduate program for the Convergence Physician-Scientist Training Project since 2019. The school was selected for the undergraduate pilot project last year and for the main project this year. It is now complete with a full-cycle training system for physician-scientists from undergraduate studies to graduate school, fellowships, and professorships.
The Convergence Physician-Scientist Training Project is one of the key national projects to nurture future-oriented physician-scientists with creative problem-solving capabilities by converging various disciplines such as basic and clinical medicine, engineering, and data science. Korea University's College of Medicine has established and operated an education and research system from undergraduate to graduate and postdoctoral research stages through the physician-scientist training program. With support from the Korea Health Industry Development Institute, the path of physician-scientists, from early research participation at the undergraduate level to intensive research at the graduate level, and the enhancement of global research capabilities will be further improved.
The Convergence Physician-Scientist Training Program is managed by Professor Choi Won-seok (Department of Infectious Diseases, Korea University Ansan Hospital), Associate Dean of Student Affairs at Korea University College of Medicine. He systematically supports participation in medical science research in stages, which are linked to the reform of the six -year medical education curriculum. He manages the entire convergence training process, including the overseas boot camp visit program.
At the undergraduate level, the program is designed to operate in stages that are linked to the reform of the six-year medical education curriculum to support students in gaining early experience in global medical science research. Students will be able to expand their global research experience not just through credit exchanges between the Colleges of Engineering and the Colleges of Life Sciences, but also through ongoing clinical training programs with Yale University and Johns Hopkins University Hospital. The program also prepares to expand the operation of the largest 'International Medical Festival' in Korea, where medical students from overseas can gather to present and discuss student-led research results.
The graduate program is led by Professor Noh Ji-hoon of the Class of Physiology (Department of Neurology, Korea University Anam Hospital). The program is designed to further strengthen its foundation as a research-oriented graduate school while maintaining continuity with the existing Convergence Physician-Scientist Training Consortium. In particular, as Korea University's College of Medicine has continuously enhanced its educational capabilities in each specialty through the annual appointment of new full-time physician-scientists, it is now expanding the scale of training specialized research personnel through flexible operations in programs for both part-time and full-time students.
Residents who started and experienced medical science research through part-time programs will conduct world-class research through a full-time program that allows participants to devote themselves to research without clinical duties. In continuation of this program, Korea University's College of Medicine also operates overseas research fellowships and career development support programs, such as VISION 2028. In addition, the school is allowing students to participate in global joint research and is raising globally competent physician-scientists through the Yale-KU Joint Ph.D. Program.
Dean Pyun Sung-bom said, "Korea University College of Medicine's full-cycle physician-scientist training system has now been further enhanced, covering early research participation at the undergraduate level to intensive research at the graduate level and global joint degree programs." "We will continue our investments and support to raise convergent talents who will lead future medicine," he added.
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