• Korean Medical Education Review
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.119-125
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• 2023

Pusan National University School of Medicine (PNUSOM) began analyzing the cohort of pre-medical students admitted in 2015 and has been conducting purposeful analyses for the past 3 years. The aim of this paper is to introduce the process of cohort establishment, cohort composition, and the utilization of cohort analysis results. PNUSOM did not initially form a cohort with a purpose or through a systematic process, but was able to collect longitudinal data on students through the establishment of a Medical Education Information System and an organization that supports medical education. Cohort construction at our university is different in terms of a clear orientation toward research questions, flexibility in cohort composition, and subsequent guideline supplementation. We investigated the relevance of admission factors, performance improvements, satisfaction with the educational environment, and promotion and failure rate in undergraduate students, as well as performance levels and career paths in graduates. The results were presented to the Admissions Committee, Curriculum Committee, Learning Outcomes Committee, and Student Guidance Committee to be used as a basis for innovations and improvements in education. Since cohort studies require long-term efforts, it is necessary to ensure the efficiency of data collection for graduate cohorts, as well as the validity and ethics of the study.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.65-73
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• 2016

Objectives : In this study, we investigated the trends of cohort project in domestic and overseas, and suggested the necessity of cohort on korean medicine and the direction of research. Methods : The papers which include cohort in the title and published by 2015 were searched using PubMed. In order to study the history of cohort in domestic and overseas, research trend was investigated based on the websites of each cohort projects and traditional medicine searching engine named OASIS. Results : Using PubMed, 42,802 papers were searched. Most of the studies over 50 % of total articles, however, were conducted in these 6 years. Nevertheless, cohort studies are being actively proceed, the korean medicine based on cohort studies are nonexistent. Therefore, further discussion about cohort study on korean medicine is necessary to gather physiological index and clinical index of korean medicine consistently. Conclusions : Systematically constructed cohort on korean medicine would be the foundation which collects information, such as gene information, bio information, dietary habit, life style, and Pattern identification (辨證), and integrates them. The analysis of massive clinical materials could suggest the basis of Prevention and treatment of korean medicine considering the difference between personal.

• Korean Medical Education Review
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.250-260
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• 2022

Evaluating the effectiveness of educational programs involves measuring learning processes as well as outcomes. It is essential to study cohorts of students and graduates to evaluate the long-term effects of educational programs with data generated both during education and after graduation. The purpose of this study was to establish cohorts of students and graduates to evaluate their performance, thereby providing a basis for evaluating the social accountability of medical education. In this study, student and graduate cohorts were built for both students currently enrolled and graduates at Inje University College of Medicine (IUCM). A model involving the process of cohort establishment and an evaluation indicator framework was developed. In the process of cohort establishment, the following steps were conducted: defining the goals and objectives of the student and graduate cohorts, organizing a cohort committee, developing regulations, registering cohorts, acquiring consent, and building a database. A framework of evaluation indicators according to the graduate roles of IUCM was developed by adapting Kirkpatrick's evaluation model. Next, items to be collected in student and graduate cohorts were selected, and the current status of existing data was analyzed. Moreover, a preliminary analysis was conducted, including analyses of the evaluation indicators and graduates' performance. This study suggests that it is necessary to include additional evaluation indicators considering students' learning environment and well-being in student cohorts and to develop strategies or methods for graduates to continue participating in data collection for a long-term study.

• Korean Medical Education Review
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.109-113
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• 2023

An educational outcome cohort has been established at Keimyung University School of Medicine to help make educational policy decisions and improve educational programs based on data. The purpose of the educational outcome cohort is to support educational policy decisions for achieving graduation outcomes smoothly and to accomplish the intended human resources development of the university through objective analyses and regular monitoring, providing continuous feedback. The data collected for the educational outcome cohort include the student identifications of freshmen, entrance exam scores, premedical and medical school grades, titles and forms of student academic research, the results of psychological testing, scholarship recipient lists, volunteer clubs, and so forth. The data are collected using an information utilization agreement approved by the Institutional Review Board, and the collected data are encrypted and stored on a dedicated computer for enhanced personal information security. Proposals to access and utilize the educational outcome cohort data must be discussed and approved by the Educational Outcome Cohort Committee, which decides on the scope and method of utilization. The collected and managed educational outcome cohort data have been used to develop comparative programs to improve students' competency and to support admission policy decisions through an analysis of the characteristics and performance of medical school students. The establishment and utilization of the educational outcome cohort will play an important role in determining the School of Medicine's educational policies and suggesting new directions for educational policies in the future.

• Korean Medical Education Review
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.132-138
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• 2023

Cohorts are established and operated at medical schools as part of efforts to improve the quality of education. Chosun University College of Medicine clarified the purpose of establishing three cohorts in light of its core values and developed criteria and indicators for each purpose. An organization focusing on cohort construction and operation was established as the Cohort Committee under the Quality Improvement Committee, and guidelines were proposed. In addition, a database and system were developed to handle primary data efficiently, and tools for measuring psychological variables were created. The data collected by establishing a cohort, regions, and admission types of graduates were first analyzed for the following projects: (1) an analysis of the educational process and quality improvement to educate medical professionals who contribute to the community after graduation, and (2) an analysis of the educational process and quality improvement to secure excellence in the medical field (e.g., knowledge and clinical reasoning), using information on the academic achievements of students and graduates as primary data. Chosun University College of Medicine is conducting cohorts and longitudinal studies gradually, starting with a simple, practically feasible system to solve the difficulties faced in cohort establishment and operation. Medical educators hope that future data collection and analysis will improve the quality of medical school education and have practical implications.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.98-104
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to analyze a cohort, age, and time effects on sodium and sodium-calorie intake using the 2007~2017 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). For analysis, we have constructed cohort panel data that combine KNHANES data in a time series. The age effect gradually increased from age 45~49 and then decreased afterwards. The time effect showed an increase in average sodium intake until 2010 followed by a subsequent decrease. The cohort effect showed that the sodium intake was the highest for the War of Liberation 1946~1953, and that the younger the latter, the lower the sodium intake. According to a cohort analysis, the younger the generation, the lower the sodium intake compared to the calorie intake, according to the baby boomers. Based on the results of this study, efforts should be made to educate and promote the dieting and providing low-salt meals to reduce sodium intake by generation. An analysis of the health hazards including sodium by generation and age is thought to enable the establishment relevant policies.

• Korean Medical Education Review
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.102-108
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• 2023

This study shares details on the operating process and results of the cohort of students and graduates that was designed and implemented at Konyang University College of Medicine in Daejeon and discusses future directions for cohort establishment and improvement. First, Konyang University College of Medicine established the necessity and defined the purpose of cohort design and implementation. A task force was formed to establish guidelines for analysis targets, procedures, reports, and data management, and cohort operation was classified as a quality control activity. Data were collected through surveys of current students and graduates, and data generated during the curriculum were collected, analyzed, and reported every 2 years. The cohort data collection and analysis methods are designed by the Department of Medical Education, and data collection is carried out by the administrative team and each committee. Data management and analysis are handled by the Center for Medical Education Support, and analysis and reporting are conducted by the Department of Medical Education. Various members of the medical school are working to collect and analyze data, report findings, provide feedback, and improve. In the future, we plan to advance database computerization and work toward more effective data analysis. Cohort operation should not be another burden for medical schools; instead, it is hoped that operating cohorts will be a meaningful activity to increase the effectiveness of medical education and help in the operation and policy decisions of medical schools.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.62 no.2
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• pp.232-242
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• 2019

Objective : To investigate the effects of trauma center establishment on the clinical characteristics and outcomes of trauma patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Methods : We enrolled 322 patients with severe trauma and TBI from January 2015 to December 2016. Clinical factors, indexes, and outcomes were compared before and after trauma center establishment (September 2015). The outcome was the Glasgow outcome scale classification at 3 months post-trauma. Results : Of the 322 patients, 120 (37.3%) and 202 (62.7%) were admitted before and after trauma center establishment, respectively. The two groups were significantly different in age (p=0.038), the trauma location within the city (p=0.010), the proportion of intensive care unit (ICU) admissions (p=0.001), and the emergency room stay time (p<0.001). Mortality occurred in 37 patients (11.5%). Although the preventable death rate decreased from before to after center establishment (23.1% vs. 12.5%), the difference was not significant. None of the clinical factors, indexes, or outcomes were different from before to after center establishment for patients with severe TBI (Glasgow coma scale score ${\leq}8$). However, the proportion of inter-hospital transfers increased and the time to emergency room arrival was longer in both the entire cohort and patients with severe TBI after versus before trauma center establishment. Conclusion : We confirmed that for patients with severe trauma and TBI, establishing a trauma center increased the proportion of ICU admissions and decreased the emergency room stay time and preventable death rate. However, management strategies for handling the high proportion of inter-hospital transfers and long times to emergency room arrival will be necessary.

• Korean Medical Education Review
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.5-18
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• 2024

The author recommends the creation of a nationwide career guidance program at the national level through the establishment of a long-term cohort, involving collaboration among medical schools nationwide. This cohort would be constructed for the purpose of analyzing correlations from admission to medical school to post-graduate education, facilitating the development of a career guidance program. This will aid in career development through students' self-analysis and competency building. Each medical school should operate a systematic career guidance program. Career guidance for post-graduate major selection should be included in the regular curriculum. Schools are advised to operate student counseling rooms for various career guidance services. For example, medical schools can operate 1:1 career counseling, academic counseling, career guidance surveys, psychological tests, and counseling. It is advisable to establish a mentor-professor system, connect mentor professors, and build a network of experts related to majors to provide immediate support according to students' needs. Professional mentor training should be provided to mentor professors. To provide opportunities for students to experience their career paths in advance, early clinical exposure, long-term integrated clinical practice, community-based clinical practice, participation in student research programs, career fairs, and student internship programs are recommended. In South Korea, it is necessary to systematically operate the internship system and make improvements to facilitate optical career choices. Additionally, considering the significant influence of social factors on students' career choices in South Korea, efforts should be made to identify and address the issues related to these social factors.

• Korean Medical Education Review
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.84-101
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• 2023

Longitudinal data can provide important evidence with the potential to stimulate innovation and affect policies in medical education and can serve as a driving force for further developments in medical education through evidence-based decisions. Tracking and observing cohorts of students and graduates using longitudinal data can be a way to link the past, present, and future of medical education. This study reviewed practical methods and technical, administrative, and ethical considerations for the establishment and operation of a longitudinal database and presented examples of longitudinal databases. Cohort study design methods and previous examples of research using longitudinal databases to explore major topics in medical education were also reviewed. The implications of this study are as follows: (1) a systematic design process is required to establish longitudinal data, and each university should engage in ongoing deliberation about this issue; (2) efforts are needed to alleviate "survey fatigue" among respondents and reduce the administrative burden of those conducting data collection and analysis; (3) it is necessary to regularly review issues of personal information protection, data security, and ethics regarding the survey respondents; and (4) a system should be established that integrates and manages a longitudinal database of medical education at the national level. The hope is that establishing longitudinal data and cohorts at individual medical schools will not be a temporary phenomenon, but rather that they will be well utilized at the national level to innovate and implement ongoing changes in medical education.