Welcome Address from the Dean for Freshmen Students

Welcome freshmen and all of your honored parents! I cordially congratulate you on becoming a medical student at SKKU. And, I would like to share my gratitude to the parents, who are now a part of the SKKU family.

What I would, first, like to share with our incoming students is “Carpe Diem .” It is a Latin aphorism which can be translated as “Seize the day.” Pre-medical school is where you will spend your time elevating the self-esteem that you already possess - rather than just preparing for medical school. It is the place for you to develop a high quality humanities education and natural sciences studies. The results of your pre-medical period and academic grades may decide your future career path. The first step is always the most important. Don’t let these crucial times needlessly pass by. Rather, you ought to read a lot, experience more, travel uncharted places, and learn the skills which you’ve always wanted to have.

Studying to be a doctor is not an easy journey to go down. Becoming a doctor demands precious energy. It challenges the physical and emotional health of students because we all have to overcome the following obstacles on our path: courses you have to learn, such as anatomy; pathophysiology and clinical medicine; the national examination, which you will have to pass; real world experience, such as internships; residents, who will look up and respect you; and the ability to nurture patients and their families with a gentle heart.

The rigorousness of medical school is in many ways similar to practicing asceticism, the self-discipline and avoidance of indulgence. Christianity considers a humble mind, gentle demeanor, patience, and devoted service as the crucial values which one must burden.

The scholarship of SKKU inherits the teachings of Confucius and emphasizes the founding principle of “SugichiiI”. It roughly translates into “Educating myself, before educating others.” It reinforces the betterment of oneself. And, the philosophy of “ In-Eui-Ye-Ji” encapsulates the pillars of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, and wisdom. In order to follow these teachings of Confucius, I would like to ask all of you to temper and harden yourselves with the following values:

A Humble Mind: A humble mind is the value that is necessary for our everyday lives. And it is not more difficult to achieve than in our daily school lives. There may be people who are jealous of you for your superb achievement of entering medical school. But I caution you. Remain humble, and it will elevate your self-esteem more.

A Human Network: Your colleagues are your assets. During your medical career, your friends and colleagues will be a big aid to you. Don’t become lazy and neglect building human networks in your courses. Additionally, if you have the opportunity to open up overseas networks, maintain them as dear as the friends who you meet on a day-to-day basis. You should not underestimate the strength of a supportive human network.

Be Multilingual: Conversant with a global language will give you more flexibility and lower the barrier for achievement. You have to actively communicate with the global society and acknowledge the global trends which are shaping our medical field from year-to-year and day-to-day. Communicating effectively will open up new possibilities.

And finally, Endurance: Medical school is an endless practice of demonstrating an effective use of time and patience. Until you reach your goal, be patient and persistent. Although it can be exhausting, move forward embracing your vision and dream.

Some people may say that there are three types of people who exist: the one who changes by himself, the one who doesn’t change, and the one who doesn’t sense changes around him. I strongly believe that all of you, who are standing before me, came here to change yourselves. You are the first type of person. You will be lifelong learners and educators. You are doers. By the time we shake hands and I hand over your graduation certificate, I wish for all of you to become medical practitioners, who have changed dramatically with highly standardized knowledge and unique personalities.

As one of the newest members of SKKU-SOM, your mission is clear: to become one of the most competitive medical students in the world. Now, your mission has been laid out, and you need to overcome it with an undying duty and an orchestrated strategy under the medical school curriculum. I believe that there is no mission which cannot be achieved if you don’t try. Believe in your colleagues and help each other. We all have self-esteem and an identity as a medical school representative, who will move towards a truly global SKKU-SOM. Study hard and be humble. You will be given limitless abilities. Because, what you learn here, you will perform and become in the future.