This study aimed to develop a new curriculum for a hypothetical six-year integrated Korean medicine (KM) college by applying the ADDIE instructional design model. The curriculum was developed through the stages of Analysis, Design, and Development, fo...
This study aimed to develop a new curriculum for a hypothetical six-year integrated Korean medicine (KM) college by applying the ADDIE instructional design model. The curriculum was developed through the stages of Analysis, Design, and Development, followed by an Implementation Feasibility Review and the construction of an Evaluation framework. The resulting curriculum reflects a balance between the traditional foundations and modern demands of KM education.
In the Analysis phase, the major curricula of 12 KM colleges across Korea were quantitatively analyzed, and research trends over the past decade were reviewed. Surveys targeting students, graduates, and faculty were conducted to assess perceptions regarding curriculum content, evaluation methods, and required competencies. The results revealed significant variation in curriculum composition between institutions, with low proportions of elective courses. Related research in KM education was found to be limited in both quantity and quality. Most stakeholders supported the adoption of a six-year integrated curriculum, with suggestions to reduce the proportion of classical KM content and expand the domains of biomedical sciences, clinical medicine, and medical humanities. There was also a call for broader elective options and enhanced career development education.
In the Design phase, a consensus workshop defined the program vision as "training competent and compassionate healthcare professionals through integrated knowledge acquisition." Based on this, 16 graduate competencies across four domains were established: Basic Korean Medicine, Biomedical Sciences, Medical Humanities & Social Medicine, and Clinical Medicine. The curriculum was structured into three phases with clearly defined learning objectives for each. This design received positive feedback in a preliminary validation survey among KM doctors within three years of graduation.
During the Development phase, a concrete curriculum was constructed, incorporating learner-centered teaching strategies, long-term clinical rotations, and community-based field training. This model was also positively evaluated by early-career practitioners in terms of feasibility and relevance.
The Implementation Feasibility Review involved a two-round Delphi survey with medical education experts from KM colleges. The results showed strong agreement on the philosophy and structural completeness of the curriculum. However, concerns were raised regarding the practical implementation due to disparities in faculty capacity, limited clinical training infrastructure, and misalignment with existing institutional systems. Despite these limitations, the curriculum was assessed to be well-aligned with the long-term development direction of KM education.
In the final Evaluation stage, an assessment tool based on the CIPP (Context, Input, Process, Product) model was developed. Through a two-round Delphi process, content validity, convergence, and consensus were verified. The resulting tool comprehensively addresses curriculum demand analysis, goal alignment, educational resources, operational systems, and learning outcomes, offering a basis for quality assurance and curriculum improvement.
Overall, the integrated six-year KM curriculum developed in this study emphasizes learner-centered, competency-based, and integrative education. It aims to strengthen clinical competence through cohesive connections across foundational, clinical, and humanistic disciplines. Furthermore, the evaluation framework grounded in the CIPP model provides a foundation for ongoing quality management and reform. This study offers a practical model for curriculum innovation and performance-based assessment in KM education and serves as a strategic foundation for the implementation of integrated KM programs.