UNIST has recently embarked on a new partnership with the University of Ulsan to jointly operate the HST(Health Sciences and Technology) program to cultivate physician-scientists.

A ceremony to mark the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two organizations took place in the 3F Main Conference Room at the University of Ulsan on July 11, 2022. Accordingly, the two institutions have pledged to jointly operate the so-called ‘UNIST―U of U College of Medicine HST Program’ for the cultivation of physician-scientists, starting from September 2023.

HST is an inter-institutional collaboration between Harvard University, Harvard Medical School and MIT, dedicated to fostering academic excellence, scientific accuracy and clinical expertise. The program presents a unique learning opportunity for interaction and exchange of ideas between engineering and medical schools. The ultimate purpose of this program is to enhance the human health through the prevention, diagnosis, care, and treatment of diseases.

The ‘UNIST―U of U College of Medicine HST Program‘ is similar to the Harvard-MIT Program in HST because it efficiently integrates the scientific and medical education of the physician-scientist. What is unique about the ‘UNIST―U of U College of Medicine HST Program,’ however, is that the program offers undergraduate-level courses.

Through this, it will become possible to facilitate an integrated physician-scientist cultivation program, which encompasses the entire process of pre-med and regular courses, as well as medical graduate school. This is expected to implement effective training of physician-scientists, compared to the existing domestic programs.

Under this partnership, the two organizations have also agreed to offer a short-term master program for the U of U College of Medicine students who take the HST program. This will pave the way for medical students, particularly those who are interested in science and engineering during undergraduate years to become physician-scientists.

UNIST students will also gain valuable hands-on experience through extensive field training supervised by experienced senior at local hospitals to become ‘Ready-to-Work Physician-Scientists’. Such experience will become an important asset in the the bio/medical fields where basic science research and commercialization are being conducted simultaneously.