Between a B.A. Generalist and an Expert: Challenges and Improvements in the Training Curriculum and Implementation of Peace Corps Health Auxiliary Program in Korea (1967-1970)
This paper examines the challenges and improvements associated with the training curriculum and implementation of the Peace Corps Health Auxiliary Program in South Korea from 1967 to 1970. Established as part of U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War, the Peace Corps sought to promote modernization...
Saved in:
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Korean Society for the History of Medicine
2025-04-01
|
| Series: | Uisahak |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.medhist.or.kr/upload/pdf/kjmh-34-1-121.pdf |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850209377569472512 |
|---|---|
| author | Narae SEO |
| author_facet | Narae SEO |
| author_sort | Narae SEO |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper examines the challenges and improvements associated with the training curriculum and implementation of the Peace Corps Health Auxiliary Program in South Korea from 1967 to 1970. Established as part of U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War, the Peace Corps sought to promote modernization emphasizing economic productivity in developing countries through volunteer efforts. From 1967 to 1981, the Peace Corps dispatched approximately 500 health volunteers to South Korea across 18cohorts. These volunteers worked in local health centers on tuberculosis control, mother and child health, and other public health initiatives. Despite the program’s significance, the operational aspects of the health initiative and the activities undertaken by the volunteers remain under-explored in academic literature.The early phases of the program, particularly the K-4 and K-6 cohorts, faced the challenge of transforming non-specialist B.A. generalists into competent health workers in the Korean medical field. These efforts encountered significant obstacles, including limited understanding of local health conditions, a lack of volunteers’ expertise, and inadequate operational guidelines. These shortcomings contributed to high early termination rates among volunteers. The enactment of the Tuberculosis Control Act in 1968 marked a turning point for the program, leading to improved coordination between donor and recipient parties and broadening the focus of the health program to include additional public health initiatives after the K-13 group.This study highlights the importance of a well-structured pre-service training curriculum and collaborative engagement with relevant authorities for successful program outcomes. It illustrates that, while initial public health efforts faced setbacks, they laid the foundation for subsequent improvements in health services in Korea. This study underscores the need for continued exploration of the Peace Corps’ comprehensive health initiatives and their long-term impacts. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-cd3f2177289d40e39a9a77eef99ed51a |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1225-505X 2093-5609 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Korean Society for the History of Medicine |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Uisahak |
| spelling | doaj-art-cd3f2177289d40e39a9a77eef99ed51a2025-08-20T02:10:01ZengKorean Society for the History of MedicineUisahak1225-505X2093-56092025-04-0134112117010.13081/kjmh.2025.34.1212479Between a B.A. Generalist and an Expert: Challenges and Improvements in the Training Curriculum and Implementation of Peace Corps Health Auxiliary Program in Korea (1967-1970)Narae SEO0research professor in Korea National University of Education, KoreaThis paper examines the challenges and improvements associated with the training curriculum and implementation of the Peace Corps Health Auxiliary Program in South Korea from 1967 to 1970. Established as part of U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War, the Peace Corps sought to promote modernization emphasizing economic productivity in developing countries through volunteer efforts. From 1967 to 1981, the Peace Corps dispatched approximately 500 health volunteers to South Korea across 18cohorts. These volunteers worked in local health centers on tuberculosis control, mother and child health, and other public health initiatives. Despite the program’s significance, the operational aspects of the health initiative and the activities undertaken by the volunteers remain under-explored in academic literature.The early phases of the program, particularly the K-4 and K-6 cohorts, faced the challenge of transforming non-specialist B.A. generalists into competent health workers in the Korean medical field. These efforts encountered significant obstacles, including limited understanding of local health conditions, a lack of volunteers’ expertise, and inadequate operational guidelines. These shortcomings contributed to high early termination rates among volunteers. The enactment of the Tuberculosis Control Act in 1968 marked a turning point for the program, leading to improved coordination between donor and recipient parties and broadening the focus of the health program to include additional public health initiatives after the K-13 group.This study highlights the importance of a well-structured pre-service training curriculum and collaborative engagement with relevant authorities for successful program outcomes. It illustrates that, while initial public health efforts faced setbacks, they laid the foundation for subsequent improvements in health services in Korea. This study underscores the need for continued exploration of the Peace Corps’ comprehensive health initiatives and their long-term impacts.http://www.medhist.or.kr/upload/pdf/kjmh-34-1-121.pdfpeace corpspeace corps koreapublic healthtuberculosishealth auxiliary program |
| spellingShingle | Narae SEO Between a B.A. Generalist and an Expert: Challenges and Improvements in the Training Curriculum and Implementation of Peace Corps Health Auxiliary Program in Korea (1967-1970) Uisahak peace corps peace corps korea public health tuberculosis health auxiliary program |
| title | Between a B.A. Generalist and an Expert: Challenges and Improvements in the Training Curriculum and Implementation of Peace Corps Health Auxiliary Program in Korea (1967-1970) |
| title_full | Between a B.A. Generalist and an Expert: Challenges and Improvements in the Training Curriculum and Implementation of Peace Corps Health Auxiliary Program in Korea (1967-1970) |
| title_fullStr | Between a B.A. Generalist and an Expert: Challenges and Improvements in the Training Curriculum and Implementation of Peace Corps Health Auxiliary Program in Korea (1967-1970) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Between a B.A. Generalist and an Expert: Challenges and Improvements in the Training Curriculum and Implementation of Peace Corps Health Auxiliary Program in Korea (1967-1970) |
| title_short | Between a B.A. Generalist and an Expert: Challenges and Improvements in the Training Curriculum and Implementation of Peace Corps Health Auxiliary Program in Korea (1967-1970) |
| title_sort | between a b a generalist and an expert challenges and improvements in the training curriculum and implementation of peace corps health auxiliary program in korea 1967 1970 |
| topic | peace corps peace corps korea public health tuberculosis health auxiliary program |
| url | http://www.medhist.or.kr/upload/pdf/kjmh-34-1-121.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT naraeseo betweenabageneralistandanexpertchallengesandimprovementsinthetrainingcurriculumandimplementationofpeacecorpshealthauxiliaryprograminkorea19671970 |