Medical Volunteering Experiences of Korean Medicine Students: Developing an HSS-Based Pre-Education Program

Objectives: This paper examines the experiences of Korean medicine students in medical volunteer work, their pre-education experiences, and areas for improvement in volunteer activities. By analyzing these aspects based on the educational objectives of Health Systems Science (HSS), this study proposes a pre-education program designed to enhance the effectiveness of medical volunteer work.Methods: Focus Group Discussions (FGD) were conducted with 12 students from the Korean Medicine College. The students were divided into two groups by academic year, and each group participated in a 150-minute session. The discussions were analyzed using consensual qualitative research methods.Results: Students recognized the value of medical volunteer work in promoting the health of underprivileged community members, fostering teamwork among volunteers, enhancing medical expertise, gaining practical experience, and cultivating benevolent mindset. Achievements reported included mental growth, experiencing the efficacy of Korean medicine, motivation for academic learning, practical training experience, improved communication with patients, and enhanced teamwork skills.Conclusions: This study proposes a HSS-based pre-education program for medical volunteer work, demonstrating the potential to integrate basic sciences, clinical medicine, and health systems science within Korean medicine education. This approach aims to foster holistic, system-based medical professionals, with further research needed to validate its effectiveness.