A Qualitative Study of Students’ Perception on Premedical Curriculum

Objectives: A Womans University College of Medicine faces curriculum reform in 2020. To determine what reforms are needed in the premedical curriculum, a needs as sessment was conducted. Methods: This study utilizes qualitative study method. A focus group interview was conducted with four students who completed premedical courses from November to December 2018. Interviews were conducted in two groups by grade level, and each interview was recorded. After transcribing the recorded contents, four researchers ana lyzed the data using conventional content analysis. Results: Students chose A Womans University College of Medicine considering their future careers as female medical professionals and other considerations such as scholarships. The students expected diverse experiences, exchanges with students in different departments, and fusion of medicine with other fields during their premedical years. Overall, these expectations were met during the course, but individual needs for customized education, such as liberal arts, were unmet. In general, students’ attitudes toward premedical courses were very motivated and they actively used resources pro vided by the university. Conclusion: Qualitative research can provide a better understanding of quantitative data, such as a student survey performed to prepare for curriculum reform. Based on this understanding, the curriculum will be reformed to reflect the educational needs of stu dents, to motivate students and to provide satisfactory education. (Ewha Med J 2020;43(1):12-18) Received October 10, 2019 Revised December 3, 2019 Accepted December 10, 2019