On July 3-5, World Korean Medical Organization (WKMO) hosted its 3rd Annual Convention at Le Parker Meridien hotel in New York City. This convention provided an opportunity for all healthcare professionals to interact and create global leadership. The convention focused on the theme of “Cultural Competence in Healthcare” and featured various programs focusing on issues of ethnic disparity and medical and surgical symposia. All of the programs during the convention allowed for greater discussion and exchange of ideas. Ultimately, this convention aimed to enforce the solidarity among Korean health care professionals in order to globalize and advance connections in healthcare.

 

There were over 250 participants including students, physicians, non-physicians, industry experts and community leaders. Participants came from over 12 different countries including Brazil, China, Paraguay, Korea, New Zealand, and the UK.

 

The registration session on July 3rd marked the start of the 3rd WKMO Annual Convention. During registration, all participants came to check in and receive their name-tags, programs, and other items in preparation for the convention.

 

Later that night, the opening reception took place at the Penthouse of Le Parker Meridien. The opening reception was a great time of networking and socializing for all participants. Opening statements were made by Chul S. Hyun, President of WKMO, and Hyung Kwon Kim, WKMO Convention Chair, after the Korean Drum Performance. Next, congratulatory remarks were made by Woo-Kyung Kim, President of Korea University Medical Center, Richard Rhee, Professor at Rutgers University, and Augustine Choi, Sanford I. Weill Chairman and Professor of Medicine. Overall, the opening reception was a fruitful event and generated a positive synergy that lasted throughout the convention.

 

There was a total of 10 forum sessions including all lunch sessions and other student forums, with a total of 41 speakers. The forum sessions began on the morning of Friday, July 4 with Session A focusing on Stomach Cancer: Epidemiology and Treatments. Speakers were Han-Kwang Yang, MD, Ph.D., FACS, Professor and Chief of Gastrointestinal Surgery in the Department of Surgery & Cancer Research Institute at Seoul National University College of Medicine, Andre Lee, MD, Ph.D., Assistant Professor and attending physician in the Department of Liver Transplantation and Surgery at Hospital Das Clinicas University of Dao Paulo Medical School, Yoonmi Lee, MD, Ph.D., Instructor at Columbia University Medical Center, Woo Jin Hyung, MD, Ph.D., Professor in Department of Surgery at Yonsei University and Yanghee Woo, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery at Columbia University Medical Center.

 

The following lunch session was titled ‘W Medical Strategy Dialogs.’ In this session, a number of industry and academic leaders were present. Introduction of current status of bio-medical R&D in Korea and Health Science Programs of University of Tennessee were the major topics of presentations. Further discussions of various potential collaboration opportunities with both Korea and US were followed. Speakers were Kyung Sun, Director of Korea Artificial Organ Center, President of Korean Society of Medical and Biological Engineering, and a chair of Board for the Korean Society for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, and Kennard D. Brown, Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Operations Officer at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.

 

The day continued with Session B, focusing on Mental Health Issues of Korean Americans. Speakers were Su Yeon Lee, Ph.D., Associate at Department of Mental Health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Hochang Benjamin Lee, MD, Associate Professor and Director of Psychological Medicine Service at Yale University, Wunjung Kim, MD, MPH, Professor and Director of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in the Department of Psychiatry at Rutgers University, David Ko, MD, President of Korean American Medical Association (KAMA) and Associate Professor of Neurology at USC, and Tai P. Yoo, MD, MBA, DLFAPA, Professor, Chairman, and Director of Psychiatry at the UCLA Kern Medical Center. Many of the speakers spoke about how mental illness is looked down upon in Korea and how Korean American patients are therefore unwilling to see a doctor about their problems.

 

The last session of the day, Session C, focused on Telemedicine: Opportunities, Challenges, and Practical Application in Europe and US. Telemedicine is the use of telecommunication and technology to provide clinical healthcare at a distance. Speakers were Jay H. Sanders, MD, FACP, FACAAI, CEO of The Global Telemedicine Group and Professor of Medicine (Adjunct) at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Joe McMenamin, MD, JD, Chief Legal Officer of W Medical Strategy Group, Laura Ryan, MD, Associate Medical Director with NHS24, Scotland’s National Telehealth and Telecare Organization, and Mark Paxton, JD, an Executive Vice President of W Medical Strategy Group.

 

The day ended with the WKMSO (World Korean Medical Student Organization) Gala, held at the Penthouse of Le Parker Meridien. Keynote speeches were given by Augustine Choi, Sanford I. Weill Chairman and Professor of Medicine, and Kyung Sun, Professor at Korea University Medical School. The morning of July 5th started with productive activity, Run for One Korea. 40 participants took part in this 2- mile run through Central Park designed to invite medial representatives from South Korea to promote unification in medicine.

 

The forums sessions for the day began with Session D which focused on Models to Improve Cultural Competence in Healthcare. Speakers were Samuel Noh, Ph.D., Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto, Kyung Hee Choi, Vice President of the Korean Medical Program of Holy Name Medical Center, Paul Mustacchia, MD, FACP, MBA, Chief Physician and Gastroenterology Fellowship Program Director at Nassau University Medical Center, Helaine B. Ledany, MPA, CNHA, FACHCA, Administrator of Buckingham at Norwood, and Dongsoo Kim, Ph.D., Clinical Director of the Clinical Psychology Externship Program at Korean Medical Program of Holy Name Medical Center.

 

Following Session D was the WKMSO Research Poster Presentation. This was the 1st Annual WKMSO Medical Student Research Symposium. Through this opportunity, students could showcase their research to other students and physicians. The research posters covered a variety of topics, many including patient-related clinical data and experiences. There were 12 students who presented, and their research posters were displayed throughout the forum rooms.

 

After the Research Poster Presentation was Lunch Session 2. The speaker for this session was Robert S. Brown, Jr., MD, MPH, who is affiliated with New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell and New York-Presbyterian/Columbia. The topic of his talk was Hepatitis C: Transforming the Treatment Paradigm.

 

The next session, Session E, focused on the Future of Medical Imaging. This session was sponsored by Samsung. Speakers were Jinha Park, MD, Ph.D., Director of MRI and Radiology Research at the City of Hope Medical Center and Beckman Research Institute, John Park, MD, Ph.D., Chief of the Division of Interventional Radiology at the City of Hope Medical Center, Dong Jun Lim, MD, Ph.D., Assistant and Associate Professor in Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology & Metabolism at Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, Tae Kyoung Kim, MD, Ph.D., FRCPC, Radiologist and Professor at University of Toronto, Sang Choon Cha, MD, Ph.D., President of Brazilian Society of Fetal Medicine, and Kyongtae Ty Bae, MD, Ph.D., Chairman and Professor of the Department of Radiology at the University of Pittsburgh.

 

The last session, Session F, focused on Hepatitis B: Epidemiology and Treatments in Asian Population. Speakers were Chul S. Hyun, MD, Ph.D., attending gastroenterologist at New York Presbyterian Hospital and current President of World Korean Medical Organization, W. Ray Kim, MD, current treasurer of American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, Chair of the Development Committee, and Chief of the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Stanford University and Joseph Ahn, MD, MS, FACG, AGAF, attending physician, director of Clinical Hepatology, and Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Oregon Health & Science University. The entire convention concluded with the WKMO Gala, held at the Penthouse of Le Parker Meridien. The gala opened with a wonderful performance by Soprano Haeran Hong. After opening statements by Hyung Kwon Kim, 2014 WKMO Convention Chair, congratulatory remarks were made by David Ko, current KAMA President, Hon. Se-joo Son, Korean Consulate, Young ho Lee, Embassy of the Republic of Korea, Hon. Grace Meng, Member of US Congress, and Woo Kyung Kim, President of Korea University Hospital. Congratulatory remarks were followed by dinner. A welcoming address by Chul S. Hyun, MD, Ph.D., President of WKMO was also made.

 

Next, Kwang Tae Kim, MD, Ph.D., President of International Hospital Federation, gave his keynote speech. Then, WKMO recognized five individuals during the Award Ceremony. The first award, Achievement Award, went to Han-Kwang Yang, MD, Ph.D., FACS, for his outstanding contribution to the development of academic and clinical medicine. The second award, Global Health & Medical Diplomacy Award, went to Kee Park, MD, to recognize his achievement, performance, and contribution to the advancement of human and diplomatic value of healthcare throughout the world.

 

The second award, Young Leader Award, went to Yoon-Kyo An for her constant encouragement and fostering of the young generation of medical students and physicians around the world. The fourth and fifth awards, Awards of Appreciation, went to Kyoung-Ryul Lee, MD, Ph.D., and Hyung-Kwon Kim, MD, for their generous and unique contributions to the promotion and advancement of World Korean Medical Organization and its vision.

 

Overall, the 3rd Annual WKMO Convention was a huge accomplishment. The convention truly succeeded in bringing together an international congregation of healthcare professionals, ensuring a promising future for WKMO.

 

All forums and galas were highly attended and provided opportunities for participants from different arenas of healthcare to interact, as the forums covered a wide range of topics from Hepatitis C to Telemedicine. The speakers gave intellectually stimulating talks, and the participants were fully engaged. The other programs included in the convention were successful as well. Specifically, the Mentor-Mentee Program gave the students a chance to meet physicians in their respective fields, explore career opportunities, and gain mentors as they look ahead to their futures.

 

In conclusion, the convention served as an excellent platform for all healthcare professionals. Participants from all sectors of global health were convened to innovate and develop strategies for the rapidly changing healthcare delivery system. The convention gave ample opportunity for all participants to network and build long lasting relationships, all of which are essential to the future of WKMO and global healthcare.

 

Sangji Lee

Associate Director

World Korean Medical Organization 

 

Sarah Hyun

Assistant Editor

World Korean Medical Organization