UIPH to Start Expanded Medical School Evaluations This Month... Ministry of Education Hopes for 'Certification Grace'

The Korea Institute of Medical Education and Evaluation (KIMEE) has announced that it will evaluate the increased medical school quotas annually for six years starting in the 2025 academic year. Amid this, prospective medical students and their parents are growing anxious, wondering, "If we attend a medical school that fails accreditation, will we be unable to take the Medical Licensing Examination (MLE)?" The Ministry of Education stated, "There is no problem because there is a grace period even if KIMEE accreditation is not obtained," but KIMEE clarified, "The grace period may or may not be granted."

KIMEE is accepting applications for the 'Major Change Evaluation' by the end of this month for medical schools with a quota increase of 10% or more next year, and will receive major change plans by the end of November. After starting the review in December and conducting on-site inspections by January next year, a result report will be prepared, and the judgment committee will notify each university of the results in February. Out of 40 medical schools, 30 are subject to evaluation, excluding 8 schools without quota increases and 2 schools with less than 10% increase (Inje University and Yonsei University Mirae Campus).

The KIMEE evaluation, introduced in 2012, applies the 'ASK 2019' standards based on the basic international standards for medical education proposed by the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME). Among 92 basic criteria, 51 items expected to be affected by major changes are selected for evaluation, including changes in the number of medical school faculty due to quota increases, the status and changes in educational facilities, plans for securing teaching hospitals, and financial resources.

The evaluation results are divided into accreditation and non-accreditation, with non-accreditation allowed a one-year grace period. KIMEE regulations specify that "universities granted a grace period for non-accreditation must undergo re-evaluation within one year, during which the accreditation status is maintained." Therefore, even if a medical school admitting freshmen in the 2025 academic year is non-accredited early next year, applying the grace period allows students to take the MLE six years later.

On the 5th, Ministry of Education spokesperson Koo Yeon-hee explained, "The Ministry is preparing to ensure that medical schools with increased quotas do not fail KIMEE evaluations," adding, "KIMEE allows a grace period even if medical schools do not meet accreditation conditions, so there is no issue with the eligibility of next year's freshmen to take the MLE."

However, KIMEE President Ahn Deok-seon stated, "If the support plans submitted by universities are judged insufficient to guarantee the quality of education, the remaining accreditation period may be revoked," emphasizing, "For medical schools where quotas increase three to four times immediately, we will thoroughly inspect the availability of classroom space, practical training environments, and affiliated hospital conditions." Another KIMEE official said, "Unless it is absolutely impossible to provide student education, it is unlikely that a previously accredited medical school will be non-accredited through the Major Change Evaluation," but added, "Whether to grant a grace period for non-accreditation will be decided by the judgment committee."