Medical licensing examination (uigwa) and the world of the physician officers (uigwan) in Korea's Joseon Dynasty.

ABSTRACT: Physicians for ordinary people in Korea's Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) did not need to pass the national medical licensing examination. They were able to work after a sufficient apprenticeship period. Only physician officers were licensed as technical civil servants. These physician officers were middle class, located socially between the nobility and the commoner. They had to pass a national licensing examination to be considered for high-ranking physician officer positions, that is, those at the rank equal to or above the 6th level out of a total of 9 ranks, where the first rank was highest. Royal physicians also had to pass this examination before accepting responsibility for the King's healthcare. This article aims to describe the world of physician officers during the Joseon Dynasty. Ph

SUBMITTER: Lee NH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4536346 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature