President’s Message

Yunjung Cho, MD, PhD

15th President, Medical Professors Association of Korea (MPAK)

“We Will Train Outstanding Physicians Who Safeguard the Health and Lives of the People”

Greetings,

I am Professor Yunjung Cho, the 15th President of the Medical Professors Association of Korea (MPAK).

The Medical Professors Association of Korea is a professional association that brings together faculty members from 40 medical schools across the country. We are dedicated to advancing medical education and residency training and to protecting the rights and professional interests of medical school faculty.

Medical school faculty educate future physicians, support the professional development and training of residents, and work to protect the lives and health of patients through education, research, and clinical care. An environment in which faculty members can fully devote themselves to these responsibilities and exercise their professional expertise is an essential foundation for safeguarding public health.

Grounded in communication and trust, the MPAK will listen carefully to the views of the academic medical community and the public. We will build solidarity across institutions, regions, specialties, and generations, and fulfill our social responsibilities as medical professionals. We will also uphold academic freedom and professional autonomy in education, research, and clinical care, guided by the principles of ethics and fairness. In addition, we will actively contribute to policy proposals and institutional reform based on scientific evidence and professional judgment.

Patient safety is one of the most important areas of action in healthcare. It cannot be secured through punishment and control alone; rather, it is strengthened through a culture that enables the open reporting of risks, thorough analysis of their causes, and continuous improvement of systems. The MPAK will strive to foster clinical environments that are safe for both patients and healthcare professionals.

The challenges facing essential and regional healthcare extend beyond the number of physicians. They result from multiple structural factors, including a distorted healthcare delivery system, inadequate compensation, excessive legal burdens, insufficient education and training infrastructure, and regional disparities in healthcare access. Drawing on the experience of clinical practice and academia, the MPAK will propose effective health policies and contribute to building a sustainable healthcare system that serves both present and future generations.

Protecting the rights and professional interests of faculty members is closely linked to improving the quality and safety of healthcare for the public. When faculty members can devote themselves to education, research, and clinical care in stable and supportive environments, the quality of medical education and residency training improves—ultimately leading to better patient care.

The MPAK will responsibly take the lead in advancing medical education and healthcare policy in Korea and in training outstanding physicians who safeguard the health and lives of the people.

Thank you!

April 2025

Professor Yunjung Cho, MD, PhD
15th President, Medical Professors Association of Korea

Professor, Korea University College of Medicine