Abstract
This study analyzed the current status of basic medicine faculty and graduate students in 40 Korean medical schools, highlighting critical challenges. Medical doctor (MD) professors in basic medicine are increasingly valued for their ability to bridge basic and clinical knowledge. However, while 132 MD professors are projected to retire, only 104 MD graduate students are currently in training, raising concerns about future faculty recruitment and educational quality. The balance between MDs and non-MDs is becoming increasingly uneven, particularly in non-metropolitan areas, heightening concerns about both educational quality and regional disparities. The persistent shortage of faculty, especially in traditional fields, is expected to worsen with planned increases in medical school admissions. Policy interventions, financial incentives, and targeted strategies are urgently required to attract more MDs to basic medicine and maintain high educational standards. Future research should focus on practical solutions, regional disparities, and students’ perceptions of basic medicine careers to guide effective policy development.
Keywords: Basic Medicine, Medical Faculty, MD Professor, Graduate Student
Graphical Abstract
Since the publication of the Flexner Report, modern medicine has emphasized clinical reasoning grounded in scientific principles and the biological characteristics of the human body.1,2 Basic medicine is the essential foundation for understanding human anatomy, physiology, disease mechanisms, pharmacology, and scientific inquiry and reasoning. Integrated curricula—both vertical and horizontal—are a hallmark of medical education, aiming to be patient-centered and problem-based while fostering a strong connection between basic and clinical medicine. Most faculty members recognize the crucial role of medical doctor (MD) professors in basic medicine, reinforcing the need for clinically integrated education and high academic standards.3
Nevertheless, the educational foundation of basic medicine in Korea faces challenges due to a persistent decline in the number of MD professors.3,4,5 This issue has been widely discussed in studies examining faculty composition,5,6 the educational and research environment in basic medicine,6,7 and strategies to revitalize the discipline,2,7 including departmental-level research.8 With ongoing debates over expanding medical school enrollment, it is essential to assess the current status of basic medicine professors and graduate students nationwide to inform policies that sustain and strengthen the field.
The purpose of this study was to conduct a comprehensive review of the status of professors and graduate students in basic medicine, based on a recent nationwide report,5 and to use these findings to help formulate policies that promote basic medicine and train additional MD professors.
A cross-sectional study was conducted using data from all 40 medical schools, as reported by the Korean Association of Medical Colleges (KAMC).5 This study examined quantitative changes in basic medicine faculty and graduate students, supplemented by administrative survey data. Specifically, between March and June 2023, a survey was conducted at each medical school to collect data on the number of faculty by academic rank, the number of newly appointed faculty over the past three years, the number of faculty expected to retire within five years, and the number of graduate students. Frequency analysis and descriptive statistics were performed using IBM SPSS 27 (IBM, New York, NY, USA).
To examine the current status of professors in basic medicine, comparisons were made regarding academic rank, MD and non-MD status, regional distribution, projected retirements within five years, and current graduate student enrollment.
The results of this study are as follows. There are 1,638 faculty members in medical schools: 1,316 (80.4%) in traditional basic medicine, 223 (13.6%) in emerging fields, and 99 (6.0%) in medical education and medical humanities and social sciences. MD professors comprised 880 (53.7%) of faculty, whereas non-MDs accounted for 758 (46.3%). In traditional fields, 770 are MDs (87.5%), including 562 professors (117 set to retire within five years, 22.0%), 91 associate professors, and 117 assistant professors. Pathology has 245 MDs, while preventive medicine has 157 MDs. In emerging fields, there are 53 MDs (6.0%): 35 professors (8 retiring, 22.9%), 8 associate professors, and 10 assistant professors (Table 1).
Table 1. The number of faculty in basic medicine by academic rank and MD/non-MD status.
| Variables | R. Professor | Professor | Associate professor | Assistant professor | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MD | |||||||
| Traditional | 117 (15.2) | 445 (57.8) | 91 (11.8) | 117 (15.2) | 770 (100.0) | ||
| Pathology | 27 (11.0) | 136 (55.5) | 42 (17.2) | 40 (16.3) | 245 (100.0) | ||
| Preventive | 20 (12.7) | 91 (58.0) | 15 (9.6) | 31 (19.7) | 157 (100.0) | ||
| Emerging | 8 (15.1) | 27 (50.9) | 8 (15.1) | 10 (18.9) | 53 (100.0) | ||
| E&H | 7 (12.3) | 28 (49.1) | 14 (24.6) | 8 (14.0) | 57 (100.0) | ||
| Sub-Total | 132 (15.0) | 500 (56.8) | 113 (12.8) | 135 (15.3) | 880 (100.0) | ||
| Non-MD | |||||||
| Traditional | 79 (14.5) | 286 (52.4) | 93 (17.0) | 88 (16.1) | 546 (100.0) | ||
| Pathology | 3 (30.0) | 4 (40.0) | 2 (20.0) | 1 (10.0) | 10 (100.0) | ||
| Preventive | 6 (28.6) | 9 (42.9) | 2 (9.5) | 4 (19.0) | 21 (100.0) | ||
| Emerging | 17 (10.0) | 68 (40.0) | 49 (28.8) | 36 (21.2) | 170 (100.0) | ||
| E&H | 1 (2.4) | 10 (23.8) | 10 (23.8) | 21 (50.0) | 42 (100.0) | ||
| Sub-Total | 97 (12.8) | 364 (48.0) | 152 (20.1) | 145 (19.1) | 758 (100.0) | ||
| Total | 1,638 (100.0) | ||||||
R. Professor = Professor expected to retire, Traditional = Traditional Basic Medicine (anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pharmacology, microbiology, parasitology, pathology, and preventive medicine), Emerging = Emerging Basic Medicine (all other departments), E&H = Medical Education & Medical Humanity and Social Sciences.
The average number of faculty members by academic rank was compared across metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas, as well as national and private medical schools. Averages were used to adjust for institutional and faculty differences. On average, basic medicine in both metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas, and in both national and private schools, had more MD professors than non-MD professors. For associate professors, however, there were fewer MDs than non-MDs, except in the national school in the metropolitan area. Among assistant professors, metropolitan schools had more MDs, whereas non-metropolitan schools had more non-MDs (Table 2).
Table 2. Differences in basic medicine faculty by medical school type and region.
| Academic rank | Type of medical school | Metropolitan area | Non-metropolitan areas | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MD (A) | Non-MD (B) | (A)-(B) | MD (C) | Non-MD (D) | (C)-(D) | ||
| Professor | Public | 46.0 | 12.0 | 34.0 | 13.8 | 12.6 | 1.2 |
| Private | 18.7 | 16.5 | 2.2 | 13.2 | 7.7 | 5.5 | |
| Associate professor | Public | 11.0 | 10.0 | 1.0 | 1.8 | 3.0 | −1.2 |
| Private | 3.3 | 5.0 | −1.7 | 2.6 | 3.1 | −0.5 | |
| Assistant professor | Public | 7.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 2.3 | 2.6 | −0.3 |
| Private | 4.5 | 4.3 | 0.2 | 2.9 | 3.7 | −0.8 | |
Number of schools: metropolitan area: public 1, private 12; non-metropolitan areas: public 9, private 18.
MD = medical doctor.
As of 2022, the number of professors expected to retire within five years was compared with the number of basic medicine graduate students. The number of MD graduate students (n = 104) was lower than the number of MD professors nearing retirement (n = 132), whereas the number of non-MD graduate students significantly exceeded the number of non-MD faculty members approaching retirement (Table 3).
Table 3. Differences in faculty expected to retire within 5 years and graduate students in basic medicine.
| Department | Total | Professors expected to retire in 5 yr | Graduate students in basic medicine departments | Difference after 5 yra | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | MD (A) | Non-MD (B) | Total | MD (C) | Non-MD (D) | Total | MD (E) | Non-MD (F) | Total | MD (E-C) | Non-MD (F-D) | |
| Anatomy | 162 | 89 | 73 | 23 | 12 | 11 | 82 | 5 | 77 | 59 | −7 | 66 |
| Physiology | 162 | 71 | 91 | 29 | 16 | 13 | 158 | 6 | 152 | 129 | −10 | 139 |
| Biochemistry/molecular biology | 212 | 71 | 141 | 37 | 16 | 21 | 216 | 10 | 206 | 179 | −6 | 185 |
| Pharmacology | 161 | 71 | 90 | 21 | 10 | 11 | 130 | 18 | 112 | 109 | 8 | 101 |
| Microbiology | 148 | 47 | 101 | 24 | 13 | 11 | 129 | 6 | 123 | 105 | −7 | 112 |
| Parasitology | 38 | 19 | 19 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 19 | 0 | 19 | 13 | −3 | 16 |
| Pathology | 255 | 245 | 10 | 30 | 27 | 3 | 64 | 12 | 52 | 34 | −15 | 49 |
| Preventive medicine | 178 | 157 | 21 | 26 | 20 | 6 | 74 | 19 | 55 | 48 | −1 | 49 |
| Emerging fields | 223 | 53 | 170 | 25 | 8 | 17 | 344 | 26 | 318 | 319 | 18 | 301 |
| Medical education/medical humanities and social sciences | 99 | 57 | 42 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 12 | 2 | 10 | 4 | −5 | 9 |
| Total | 1,638 | 880 | 758 | 229 | 132 | 97 | 1,228 | 104 | 1,124 | 999 | −28 | 1,027 |
MD = medical doctor.
aDifference after 5 years: simple calculation that all current professors expected to retire after 5 years will do so, and their positions will be filled by current graduate students in basic medicine departments.
This study examined the status of faculty and graduate students in basic medicine across 40 Korean medical schools, revealing four key findings.
First, the longstanding shortage of basic medicine faculty is becoming increasingly critical as medical student enrollment rises. The proportion of professors increased from 58.2% in 2013 to 68.0% in 2022, while the proportions of associate and assistant professors declined.5,7 Most medical schools struggle to fill anatomy faculty positions. With a student-to-professor ratio of 24.4, an increase of 1,000 students would require approximately 41 additional anatomy professors; an increase of 2,000 students would require about 82 more.8 The proportion of professors nearing retirement is notably high.
Second, only a small proportion of medical students choose to specialize in basic medicine, and the number of MD professors expected to retire within five years exceeds the number of current MD graduate students. This indicates a looming shortage in MD faculty recruitment. The retirement of MD faculty also threatens educational quality, particularly integrated teaching that links clinical and basic medicine, as well as hands-on training.3 Financial support and policy incentives are needed to encourage graduates to pursue careers as physician-scientists, such as MD professors in basic medicine, ensuring they do not feel disadvantaged compared to peers who enter clinical fields with greater research and educational opportunities.3,9 Although the Korean government has initiated projects to support physician-scientists,10,11 more targeted and effective measures are necessary.7 Recommended strategies include curriculum reforms, research opportunities for medical students, standardized training, and enhanced recognition in licensing and accreditation.5,9,10 Prioritizing physician-scientists in special military service cases may also serve as an incentive.10,11,12
Third, while MD faculty currently outnumber non-MDs, most MDs are full professors, and overall faculty numbers are declining. Fewer than 0.5% of medical graduates pursue careers in basic medicine, with most entering pathology and preventive medicine, which have established specialist systems.7 Between 2020 and 2022, 179 new faculty members were appointed in traditional basic medicine, including 96 MDs and 83 non-MDs, suggesting a relatively balanced distribution. However, excluding pathology and preventive medicine, only 39 MDs were appointed.5 Some institutions hire non-MD researchers, but these faculty members often lack involvement in practical training, limiting their instruction to theoretical content.8 Strategies such as research-focused appointments or pedagogical training for non-MDs are needed. It is also necessary to reorganize basic medicine departments from an international perspective. In the U.S., discipline-based structures are being replaced by interdisciplinary models, which shape curricula and departmental organization.13,14,15 Integration among traditional fields has also accelerated.13,14,15
Fourth, non-MD associate and assistant professors outnumber MDs in most regions, except metropolitan schools. This trend is especially evident in non-metropolitan areas, highlighting disparities in the capacity for basic medical education between regions. With planned increases in medical school admissions, particularly in non-metropolitan areas, there is concern about worsening faculty shortages and declining educational quality if quotas expand too quickly.
Based on the results, several recommendations for future research are proposed. First, as this study identified possible solutions to attract medical students to basic medicine careers, it is essential to establish comprehensive and practical strategies to address the issue, informed by recently published development strategies.16 Second, most medical schools slated for quota increases urgently require research into measures that can mitigate faculty shortages and prevent a decline in educational quality. On average, there are only 4.5 anatomy professors per school, raising concerns about the adequacy of core training elements such as cadaver dissection and personalized instruction.8 This challenge is expected to be even more acute in non-metropolitan schools, underscoring the need for targeted interventions. Third, there is a need to investigate medical students’ perceptions of basic medicine careers. Careful analysis of students’ views, combined with identification of motivating factors and effective interventions, will help generate strategies to promote interest in the field. Building on earlier surveys from 20147 and 2023,5 future studies should aim for a more detailed and up-to-date understanding.
This study has several limitations. First, all data were derived from a research report. Departmental structures and faculty titles vary across medical schools, and criteria for full-time faculty may differ, which were not standardized in this study. Additionally, differences in the typical duration of academic ranks may influence the distribution of faculty positions. A comparison between faculty rank distributions in basic medicine and those in clinical or related fields would provide further valuable insight. In categorizing basic medicine, pathology and preventive medicine were included as traditional fields, although their nature may differ from that of pure basic medicine, potentially affecting the findings. Future studies should incorporate analyses by both academic rank and age group to better forecast faculty trends. Second, the projection of MD professors in basic medicine assumed that 100% of current MD graduate students would be appointed to faculty positions at medical schools. This represents only one scenario and may compromise the accuracy of the projection.
Ethics statement
No sensitive personal information was involved. Data were reconstructed and analyzed from de-identified information provided by each medical school based on a prior research report.5
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors would like to appreciate the members of the Research Committee and staff members of the Korean Association of Medical Colleges (KAMC), who participated in the recent research on “Current status and prospects of basic science in medical education.”
Footnotes
Funding: This research was supported in 2023 by the Korean Association of Medical Colleges (KAMC).
Disclosure: The authors have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose.
- Conceptualization: Park J, Kim S, Kim WM.
- Data curation: Park J, Kim M.
- Formal analysis: Park J, Kim M, Kim S.
- Funding acquisition: Kim WM.
- Investigation: Park J, Kim S, Kim WM, Kim M, Yoo SM, Park KH.
- Methodology: Park J, Kim M, Kim S.
- Writing - original draft: Park J, Kim S.
- Writing - review & editing: Kim S, Park J, Kim WM, Kim M, Yoo SM, Park KH.
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