The most difficult challenge is that returning medical students (hereinafter referred to as returning students) need to complete their studies in the shortest possible time to normalize the supply of medical personnel that has been delayed for a year and six months, and to do this, preventing academic failure is critical

  According to the school regulations of university, pre-medical students fail if they do not earn the required credits, and medical students fail if they have even one F grade. CBNU did not process medical students who participated in the collective leave of absence as being on leave. Therefore, returning students remained enrolled even in the first semester, without earning credits. According to the school regulations of university, all returning students who did not complete the first semester are at risk of failing this academic year. If they fail, they will have to retake the first semester courses next year, which would further delay the normalization of medical personnel supply.

  In response, the College of Medicine conducted a summer semester from Aug. 1 for first-grade and second-grade students, excluding pre-medical students who attended first semester classes. Second-grade pre-medical students took summer semester classes for 4 weeks from Aug. 1 and first-grade students for 3 weeks from Aug. 4. As of the reporting date (Aug. 11), a total of 169 students—137 first-grade and 32 second-grade pre-medical students—took summer semester courses to make up for missed classes.

  CBNU continues to consider solutions for resolving medical students’ class deficits, including the summer semester. On Aug. 13, CBNU announced an administrative notice that it would temporarily establish and operate separate standards for Academic Regulations Article 60 (Credit Hours per Semester). The main content is that from this second semester until the second semester of 2026, CBNU President Koh Chang-seop will establish and operate separate standards regarding credits applied per semester for the College of Medicine. Accordingly, pre-medical students can take up to 40 credits and medical students up to 43 credits in this second semester.

  Starting this second semester, both pre-medical students admitted in 2024 and 2025 will simultaneously take first-grade courses, forming a large class of 175 students. Accordingly, the College of Medicine expanded the advanced lecture hall in Medical College Building 1 (E7-1) from 160 seats to accommodate up to 180 seats, but classroom shortage will continue to be a persistent concern.

  The Yoon’s administration had promised government funding along with medical school enrollment increases, so CBNU planned to construct a total of 4 buildings, including Medical College Buildings 4, 5, and 6, and an anatomy practice building. However, with the withdrawal of the enrollment increase plan, the construction plans have also become uncertain. The students, admitted in 2025 (increased to 125) and in 2024 (increased to 50), will need to enter College of Medicine in two years and conduct anatomy practice. Anatomy practice is conducted with about 6 students per cadaver, and the current anatomy practice room can accommodate practice with 10 cadavers. When they enter, College of Medicine at least 20 cadavers must be secured for smooth anatomy practice, and expansion of the anatomy practice room and additional equipment placement are also necessary.

  The Korean Medical Licensing Examination (KMLE) for fourth-grade medical students is also a challenge to be resolved. KMLE typically involves practical tests from Sept. to Nov. followed by written tests in Jan. of the following year. To take the exam, students must complete the minimum 52 weeks clinical practice period set as an evaluation standard by the Korean Institute of Medical Education and Evaluation (KIMEE). CBNU has met the minimum 52 weeks requirement by completing 40 weeks in the third grade and 12 weeks in the fourth-grade. However, due to the medical-government conflict, fourth-grade students not only failed to meet clinical practice standards but also could not prepare for practical exams. In response, the College of Medicine plans to adjust clinical practice up to 2026 so that third-grade students can complete the practice period during the remaining year and a half until graduation, while fourth-grade students will conduct first semester clinical practice and first-second semester theoretical classes in this second semester. The following first semester, students will complete remaining subjects they missed individually, so the curriculum is designed so that fourth-grade returning students can graduate in August next year.

By Min Seong-won | sungwon0985@chungbuk.ac.kr

By Yun Sang-hyun | sanm9427@chungbuk.ac.kr

By Bae Young-jun | pear1399@chungbuk.ac.kr