세브란스를 중심으로 본 CMB의 한국의학 재건사업

Abstract

After the Korean War, every effort was made to reconstruct Korean society, which had been totally destroyed during the conflict. Severance Hospital, which was located in front of Seoul Railway Station, suffered almost complete destruction. The U.S. Army, United Board, and other missionary boards and individuals participated in the rebuilding of Severance Hospital. Perhaps the most important supporting group was the China Medical Board (CMB). The CMB was organized in 1914 to help with the modernization of medicine in China. In order to achieve their goal, the CMB had chosen Peking Union Medical College to be its “Johns Hopkins” in China. However, because the Communist Party took over the Chinese mainland, the CMB could not continue their work in China. As a result, other Asian countries, including Korea, received the organization’s support. In Korea, Severance Hospital and Yonsei Medical College were its main beneficiaries. Thanks to the CMB’s generous financial support, the new medical college was built in Sinchon. In addition, the CMB annually provided research funds for about 20 years to the faculties of Yonsei Medical College. The CMB purchased research and educational apparatuses. It also provided invisible support in various ways: Scholarships for students and fellowships for faculties contributed to the development of human resources. Further financial support provided consulting for medical education and hospital administration. In summation, the CMB played a crucial role in the reconstruction of Korean medicine through its contributions to Severance Hospital and Yonsei Medical College after the Korean War.