A Conversation with Professor Ji-hyeon Seo, Recipient of the 14th Han-Gok Medical Education Academic Award

This article presents an interview with Professor Ji-hyeon Seo of Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, recipient of the 14th Han-Gok Medical Education Academic Award. A board-certified pediatrician, Professor Seo has developed a multifaceted career encompassing clinical practice, research, student teaching, faculty development, and community health education. The interview focused on three main themes. First, Professor Seo ref lected on her path into medical education, explaining that her interest in teaching began during residency, when she guided students in clinical skills, and later deepened through formal training in educational methods. She emphasized that meaningful student growth depends on learners recognizing their own deficiencies and taking autonomous responsibility for addressing them. Second, regarding regional and essential healthcare education, she described a program established three years ago in which students rotate through public regional hospitals as well as tertiary hospitals. Through this program, students observe how physicians care for older patients with multiple chronic conditions and for medically underserved populations. This experiential learning helps students understand primary and community care beyond abstract textbook descriptions. Third, regarding the future of medical education, Professor Seo stressed that sustainable educational quality requires institutional support for faculty development and burnout prevention, as well as educators’ openness to learning across disciplines. She encouraged aspiring physician-educators to broaden their perspectives through diverse experiences and to prioritize personal well-being rather than measuring themselves against peers.