The Korean Society of Medical Education (KSME) was inaugurated on May 6, 1983, by 34 founding members with a vision to advance medical education in Korea. The society began its active operations in 1989. Alongside the Korean Council on Medical Education and the National Teacher Training Center for Health Professionals, the KSME was pivotal in advancing medical education in Korea during this period. The Council propagated enhanced medical education through policy creation and university administration. At the same time, the National Center was accountable for conducting various pieces of training to enhance the capabilities of professors overseeing medical education.

The establishment of the KSME aimed to serve as a liaison between these two institutions, providing a forum for presenting and discussing surveys, research, and other issues stemming from the experiences of professors and administrators. This liaison facilitated efficient task sharing in improving medical education through systematic and scientific research on its system, goals, methods, evaluation, and all related topics. It also propagated such knowledge. Since the first conference was held on March 31, 1989, the society has consistently hosted annual conferences. The inaugural issue of the Korean Journal of Medical Education was published in June 1989. Moreover, the society periodically organizes academic seminars in collaboration with various Korean medical schools and joint conferences with the Korean Association of Medical Colleges.

Chapter 1: General Provisions

Article 1 (Name)

This organization shall be known as the Korean Society of Medical Education (KSME) (henceforth referred to as the "Society").

Article 2 (Purpose)

The purpose of the KSME is to facilitate systematic and scholarly research on the medical education system, goals, methods, evaluation, and all pertinent topics to foster the advancement of medical education. It also aims to disseminate knowledge and encourage academic exchange and fellowship among members.

Article 3 (Operations)

The following operations shall be conducted to fulfill the purpose of this society:

1. Conducting academic presentations and lectures.
2. Publishing academic journals and books.
3. Devising and researching plans to cultivate an academic research environment.
4. Facilitating academic exchanges between domestic and international organizations related to medical education.
5. Generating revenue through advertising.
6. Other operations are in line with the purpose of this society.

Article 4 (Office)

The society's headquarters shall be in Seoul, Korea, and branches may be established in the provinces.

Article 5 (Journal)

For the academic exchange of members, the society shall periodically publish an official journal, and separate regulations shall determine the matters concerning the publication of the journal.

Chapter 2: Membership

Article 6 (Membership Classification and Qualifications)

Membership in the Society shall be divided into individual and institutional memberships. Individual memberships shall be further subdivided into regular, general, and honorary memberships, with their qualifications defined as follows:

1. Regular member: A person who agrees with the purpose of this society, has paid the initiation and annual fees, and is approved by the board of directors through the prescribed initiation procedure.
2. General members: Individuals registered for the current year's medical education conference.
3. Institutional Members: Institutions or organizations that align with the objectives of this society and have been endorsed by the Board of Directors through the stipulated admission procedure.
4. Honorary Members: Individuals who have made significant contributions to society and have been approved by the Steering Committee.

Article 7 (Admission)

Admission to the General Assembly shall proceed by the following stipulations:

1. An individual who fulfills the membership qualifications stipulated in Article 6 and has completed the membership registration using the prescribed form of the society.
2. If a member obligated to pay annual or institutional dues fails to do so for more than two years, the membership may be suspended. A member must repay the initiation fee if they seek to rejoin after suspension.
3. General members are enrolled by registering for the conference of the current year.
4. Nevertheless, the initiation fee shall be waived for a limited period for regular members who joined before December 31, 2015.

Article 8 (Rights and Obligations)

Members of the Society shall enjoy the following rights and obligations according to their membership
status:

1. All members shall adhere to the society's Bylaws, regulations, and resolutions, and regular and institutional members shall pay membership fees.
2. Regular members shall have voting rights at general meetings, the right to submit articles to the journal, the right to receive the journal online, and access to data. They shall also be granted a discount on registration fees for Society-organized programs, excluding conferences.
3. Honorary members retain all the rights of regular members and are not required to pay annual membership fees and conference participation fees.
4. General members shall have access to materials authorized by the General Assembly and are not obligated to pay the initiation fee for regular membership.

Chapter 3: Officers

Article 9 (Officers)

The following officers shall be appointed from among the regular members to streamline the operations of the General Assembly:

1. 1 President
2. 1  Vice President (President-elect)
3. Approximately 50 Directors (including the President and Vice President)
4. 2 Auditors

Article 10 (Duties of Officers)

1. The President shall represent the General Assembly and preside over the Steering Committee, Board of Directors, and General Assembly.
2. The Vice President shall assist the President and assume the President's duties in his/her absence.
3. Each director shall perform duties as the society assigns and attend the Board of Directors, General Assembly, and Steering Committee meetings.
4. The Auditor is responsible for auditing the affairs and accounts of the society and reports to the Board of Directors and the General Assembly.

Article 11 (Election of Officers)

1. The Vice President shall succeed the President upon approval of the General Assembly.
2. The General Assembly shall elect the Vice President upon recommendation of the Vice Presidential Nomination Committee from among the regular members.

The President shall organize the Vice Presidential Nomination Committee and serve as its chair. The Vice Presidential Nomination Committee shall comprise seven members, including the President, Vice President, Past President, and those who have made significant contributions to the activities of the Medical Education Society. Before convening the Vice Presidential Nomination Committee, the President shall seek recommendations for the next Vice President from all members and submit the results to the committee. The Vice Presidential Nomination Committee shall recommend one Vice President-elect by majority vote and report to the General Assembly. 3. The recommended Vice Presidential candidate must receive approval from the General Assembly.

1. Auditors shall be elected at the General Assembly among the regular members.
2. The Board of Directors shall be composed of General Directors and Operational Directors. The President shall appoint approximately 40 General Directors from among the regular members of each institutional member upon the recommendation of the head of the respective institution. The President shall appoint approximately 10 Operational Directors from among the regular members. A director may concurrently serve in both capacities: as a General Director and an Operational Director.

Article 12 (Term of Office)

The term of the officers shall be determined as follows:

1. The President, Vice President, Directors, and Auditor shall serve a term of two years and may be reappointed.
2. Should a vacancy arise in any officer position, the Vice President shall assume the role, as the Board of Directors decided, with the remaining tenure matching that of the predecessor.

Chapter 4: General Assembly and Board of Directors

Article 13 (General Assembly)

1. The annual General Assembly shall coincide with the annual conference and shall be convened by the President.
2. The majority of the attending members shall govern the General Assembly. However, amendments or revisions to the Bylaws necessitate approval from at least two-thirds of the attending members.
3. The President may convene an Extraordinary General Assembly upon request from either one-third of the regular members or one-third of the General Directors, should the President deem it necessary.

Article 14 (Resolutions of the General Assembly)

1. Decisions about the election and authorization of the President, Vice President, and Auditor.
2. Decisions about the approval of the preliminary budget and business plan.
3.  Decisions about amendments to the Bylaws.
4. Any other matters that the President presents to the General Assembly.

Article 15 (Board of Directors)

1. The regular Board of Directors shall convene twice a year, led and presided over by the President. An Extraordinary Board of Directors meeting may be convened when necessary by the President or upon request from over one-third of the directors.
2. A majority of the attending directors shall make decisions at the Board of Directors meetings and require the approval of a majority of those present.

Article 16 (Resolutions of the Board of Directors)

1. Decisions about the approval of the preliminary budget and business plan.
2. Decisions about the admission and approval of Institutional Members, Honorary Members, and Special Members.
3. Decisions concerning the enactment of bylaws and separate regulations as delegated by the Articles of Incorporation.
4. Matters related to membership fees, including annual membership fees, institutional membership fees, and initiation fees.
5. Matters related to the formation of committees, including advisory and special committees.
6. Other matters are delegated to the Board of Directors by the President.
7. Decisions concerning the approval of the supplementary budget.

Chapter 5: Steering Committee and Committees

Article 17 (Steering Committee)

The Steering Committee shall comprise the President, Vice-Presidents, and Directors of Operations (including, but not limited to, those in charge of General Affairs, Planning, Academics, Publication, External Cooperation, Education, Information, Policy, and Publishing). Additional notable directors and members may be included as necessary.

1. The President shall serve as the Chairman of the Steering Committee.
2. The Steering Committee is accountable for planning and executing the general affairs and accounting of the society. The directors of the Steering Committee shall be responsible for the following duties:
3. Director of General Affairs: Oversee organizational and membership management, manage the President and Secretary, supervise accounting, manage receipt and processing of documents, administer meetings, provide interdepartmental support, compile academic records, oversee office staff, conduct conferences, maintain the Constitution and Articles of Association, serve as a planning committee member of the Korean Council on Education, Korean Educational Evaluation Institute, and on the organizing committee of the Medical Education Conference (ex officio).
4. Planning Director: Develop strategic plans and set medium-to-long-term goals, organize and run the Medical Education Evaluation Conference, implement the Education Plaza, plan educational research meetings, manage curriculum discussion groups visiting universities, raise funds for the conference, recruit advertisements for the journal, and plan external public relations (ex officio).
5. Academic Director: Organize academic conferences and department meetings, announce various academic awards and serve on selection committees, edit conference proceedings, and organize medical education conferences (ex officio).
6. Journal Editor: Oversee editorial planning, collection, and review of manuscripts, publication and distribution, reviewer workshops, publication committee seminars, and other publications; chair the journal editorial committee (ex officio); and be part of the medical education conference organizing committee (ex officio).
7. Director of External Cooperation: Foster international cooperation, encourage participation in international conferences, support and promote presentations at international conferences, develop visit programs to foreign universities, and be part of the organizing committee for medical education conferences (ex officio).
8. Education Director: Serves as the head of MERCI. Design and operate new faculty workshops, plan and run AME basic and advanced courses and MERCI training workshops, be part of the organizing committee of medical education conferences (ex officio), and conduct educational activities related to medical education domestically and internationally.
9. Information Director: Develop materials related to medical education, provide information and manage a library to strengthen competency as a medical educator, manage the society's website, publish various newsletters, manage the YouTube channel, and post videos.
10. Policy Director: Handle policy-related tasks of the society.
11. Publication Director: Operate the Society's blog, "Humanistic Social Medicine."

Article 18 (Committees)

The General Assembly shall establish the following committees to ensure the smooth conduct of its affairs.

1. The Director of Operations may organize and oversee relevant subcommittees to facilitate the execution of tasks within their jurisdiction.
2. An Advisory Committee may be established to gather opinions regarding the medium- and long-term development of the conference and important affairs.
3. Special Committees may be established to carry out specific tasks for a limited period.

Chapter 6: Subsidiary Organizations

Article 19

In order to promote medical education, the following subsidiary organizations shall be established. Matters concerning their operation shall be determined by separate bylaws.

1. Branches
2. Research Societies
3. Medical Education Research, Counseling and Implementation (MERCI): Medical Education Research, Counseling and Implementation (MERCI) aims to foster a sharing platform of information and programs about medical education among medical education majors or those entrusted with the practical implementation of medical education at their respective universities.
4. Academy of Medical Educators (AME): The Academy of Medical Educators strives to enhance the quality of medical education and cultivate professionals through systematic continuing education programs.

Chapter 7: Finance

Article 20 (Finance)

The Association's financial resources shall consist of membership fees, initiation fees, membership dues (annual dues, institutional dues), fees for participation in conferences and workshops organized by the Association, referred to as "academic event participation fees," donations, grants, and other income.

Article 21 (Membership Fees)

The amount of initiation and membership fees (annual membership fee, institutional membership fee) shall be determined by resolution of the Board of Directors.

Article 22 (Fiscal Year)

The Association's fiscal year shall run from January 1 to December 31.

Chapter 8: Amendment of Bylaws

Article 23 (Amendment of Bylaws)

Amendments to the Association's Bylaws shall require approval by a two-thirds majority of the members at the General Assembly.

Addendum

Article 1: Matters not stipulated in these Bylaws shall be governed by general practice.

Article 2 (Enforcement): These Bylaws shall take effect from May 14, 1994.

Article 3 (Enforcement): These amended bylaws shall be effective as of May 23, 2002.

Article 4 (Enforcement): These revised Bylaws are effective as of May 27, 2004.

Article 5 (Enforcement): These amended Bylaws are effective as of January 1, 2007.

Article 6 (Enforcement): These revised Bylaws are effective as of June 11, 2011.

Article 7 (Enforcement): These revised Bylaws are effective as of January 1, 2015.

Article 8 (Enforcement): These revised Bylaws are effective as of June 1, 2015.

Article 9 (Enforcement): These revised Bylaws are effective as of June 3, 2017.

Article 10 (Enforcement): These amended Bylaws shall take effect on June 2, 2018.

Article 11 (Enforcement): These amended Bylaws shall take effect on March 1, 2022.

Korean Society of Medical Education

204 YenJi-Dreamvile, Daehak-ri 1-gil 10, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03129, Republic of Korea

• Tel : +82-741-6206
• Fax : +82-2-747-6206
• Email : master@ksmed.or.kr