Toward the Qualitative Advancement of Medical Ethics Education in Korea: Focusing on Integration and Practice

Despite significant quantitative growth in medical ethics education in Korea over the past 25 years, concerns remain regarding its qualitative impact. Prior research has identified structural limitations, fragmented curricula, and vague educational objectives in ethics programs across Korean health professions education. Building on these findings, this article calls for a shift toward vertically integrated, practice-oriented ethics education that embeds ethical reflection within clinical contexts. It reframes learning goals to prioritize practical ethical competence, emphasizing situational awareness, decision-making, and professional identity formation. It also presents instructional strategies—such as simulation, narrative writing, and clinically integrated ethics seminars—that enhance experiential learning and critical reflection. Finally, it underscores the need for institutional support, faculty collaboration, and aligned assessment systems to sustain meaningful reform. By bridging the gap between classroom ethics and clinical realities, this approach aims to cultivate reflective practitioners capable of ethical judgment in complex healthcare settings.