The University

Sungkyunkwan University is a continuation and expansion of Sungkyunkwan founded by King Taejo of Chosun Kingdom in 1398. Sungkyunkwan had been the center for studying and promotion of Confucianism as well as the cradle of distinguished scholars and statesmen during the period of the Chosun Kingdom for over 500 years. The name, Sungkyunkwan means “an institution for educating individuals to have a sense of balance and harmony.” The center had such constructions and facilities as seen in modern universities, namely, headquarters, lecture halls, libraries, dormitories and temples among many others. The history of higher education in Korea can be traced back to Taehak founded in 372 A.D. during the period of Kokuryo, an old Korea. However, there are no historical remains of Taehak. As the highest of national institutes, the old Sungkyunkwan was susceptible to political changes throughout its history. It was forced to degradation following the fall of the Chosun Kingdom by the invasion of Japan in 1910. Sungkyunkwan was exclusively an institute of Confucianism for men until 1894 when it was transformed into a modern instructional system offering a three-year program. Lectures included history, geography and mathematics in addition to Confucianism. However, Sungkyunkwan could not operate on its own will during the Japanese colonial occupation.
Shortly after the liberation of Korea in 1945, the National Convention of Confucianists decided to reestablish Sungkyunkwan as a modern school to regain its suspended glory by constructing a modern campus on its original site. Sungkyunkwan College was opened in 1946 and encompassed areas such as Liberal Arts, Politics, as well as Economy and Law.
The College grew steadily and expanded into Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) in 1953, consisting of three undergraduate Colleges of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Law and Politics, and Pharmacy and Graduate School. The hallmark of education at SKKU remains devoted to liberal arts and is highlighted by the establishment of the College of Confucianism in 1967.
The governance of SKKU has moved from the hands of the national Convention of Confucianists to the Samsung Business Group in 1965. Thereafter the University grew rapidly and in 1976, a second campus was constructed in Suwon, 30 kilometers away from the original campus in Seoul. The second campus was named the Natural Sciences Campus and houses such Colleges as Natural Sciences, Engineering, Agriculture, Pharmacy, and Sports Science. Until recently the University had no medical school, however, in 1997 the medical school was opened in the Natural Sciences Campus.
At present the University encompasses 18 divisions or faculties as well as 3 colleges including a medical school and student enrollment standing at more than 12,000.

The School of Medicine

Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine was opened in March of 1997, three years after the foundation of Samsung Medical Center, which comprises Samsung Seoul Hospital, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Masan Samsung Hospital and Samsung Cheil Hospital. The Medical Center was born through the establishment of Samsung Seoul Hospital, followed by the incorporation of the other three hospitals in 1994. Samsung Seoul Hospital is the main hospital of the Medical Center and is located in the southern part of Seoul. For its establishment, the Samsung Business Group assisted by making a hugh donatioin. The director of the founding body and the first superintendent of Samsung Seoul Hospital, the late Dr. Yong-Cheol Han recruited outstanding physicians and surgeons from the country as well as overseas and assembled an excellent faculty for the future medical school.

In 1996, plans for establishment of a new medical school was submitted to the government authorities and accredited in the fall of the same year. Professor Jung-Don Seo was called from Seoul National University to be the first Dean of the Medical School and immediately after his investiture, he took steps to lay the educational foundation of the school. In March of 1997, the first class of 41 students enrolled in the six-year curriculum and studied at the Natural Sciences Campus of Sungkyunkwan University located in Suwon, 30 kilometers away from Samsung Seoul Hospital. A part of the building of the College of Engineering was chartered for students as well as the faculty of basic medical sciences. Two years later in 1999, the Biomedical Science Building was completed on the same campus and became the headquarters of the Medical School. The building houses departments and labs of basic medical sciences as well as educational facilities for first and second year students.

The new medical school has pursued to reform its traditional medical curriculum to an innovative one by incorporating a problem-based learning(PBL) method into its curriculum. To fulfil this purpose, Dean Seo sent several groups of faculty abroad to observe the PBL process in some of the leading medical schools. Of these schools, the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine served as a model and shared generously its educational spirit, curricular materials and faculty expertise. In 1999, when the first class of students proceeded into their third academic year, a highly integrated curriculum based on the PBL process was introduced and continued through the fourth year. The PBL program of SKKUSOM is now only in its third year. However, due to its remarkable effect on medical education, other medical educators are left wondering and amazed at its outcome.

Although the Medical School has yet to graduate its first class of students, in conjunction with Samsung Medical Center, the school is now recognized as one of the top ranking academic medical centers in Korea. The Medical School has continuously endeavored to reform the current medical education and has become the first school in Korea to provide a full two-year PBL program for preclinical education. The School has a committed and enthusiastic faculty, which increased from 272 to 405 to date. The students are supported by generous financial aid and are highly self motivated to study. The School’s accomplishments to date, the excellence of the students as well as the elaborate educational programs all assure the future of the Medical School.