History of Yonsei Health System

(Widespread Relief House), which was the first western-style hospital in Korea founded by an American missionary doctor named Allen in 1885. Gwanghyewon was also the first to introduce education in western medicine to Korea, with 16 students enrolled in the following year.

Yonhee College later merged with Severance to become Yonsei University, and moved to Sinchon in 1962 with new university campus and hospital buildings.

Meanwhile, an additional school branch located in Wonju became known as Wonju University, and Yongdong Severance Hospital opened in 1983. Then, in the 1990s, Severance Mental Health Hospital (in Gwangju) and Severance Check-up Center (health promotion center) were also established.

In 1996, YUMC was selected as the Most Outstanding Medical School in a nationwide evaluation of medical schools by Korean Council for University Education (KCUE) in 1996, and has acquired BME accreditation for six years, which was also its third consecutive accreditation, to maintain its prominence as a leading higher education institution.

History

2010 ~

• 2019. 12. 11 Signed MOU of exchange with Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
• 2018. 5. 12 Signed Agreement on Double Degree program with Osaka University, Japan
• 2017. 3. 30 Signed MOU of exchange with Peking University, China
• 2017. 2. 15 Signed MOU of exchange with Osaka University, Japan
• 2016. 1. 6 Maintained authentication for 6 years: KIMEE (Korean Institute of Medical Education and Evaluation) and earned accreditation of medical education
• 2015. 11. 5 Signed MOU with Wakayama Medical University School of Medicine, Japan
• 2014. 12. 27 Signed MOU with Lung Center, Philippines
• 2014. 2. 20 Acquired 6 years of BME accreditation by KIMEE
• 2013 Signed MOU with Kenya Nairobi University Hospital
• 2013 Signed exchange agreement with Kyoto University, Japan
• 2013. 2. 15 Established ABMRC Yonsei Biomedical Research Center
• 2012. 6. 27 Signed MOU with OUWB (Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine), USA
• 2011. 3. 9 Signed exchange agreement with Fudan University Shanghai Medical College, China
• 2010. 3. 3 Signed exchange agreement with Tashkent Pediatric Medical Institute, Uzbekistan

1990 ~ 2009

• 2009. 1. 9 Signed exchange agreement with Osaka Medical Center and Research Institute for Maternal and Child Health, Japan
• 2008. 10. 10 Underwent evaluation and earned accreditation of medical education by KIMEE; 5 years of full accreditation
• 2006. 11. 17 AAALAC re-accreditation (AAALAC International)
• 2006. 3. 7 Signed exchange agreement with Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Graduate School, USA
• 2006. 1. 6 Signed exchange agreement with National Institute for Physiological Sciences
• 2005. 11. 9 Signed exchange agreement with Mississippi Medical Center, USA
• 2005. 9. 30 Signed exchange agreement with Saitama Children’s Medical Center, Japan
• 2003. 6. 2 Signed exchange agreement with Kurume University School of Medicine, Japan
• 2003. 2. Signed exchange agreement with Keio University School of Medicine, Japan
• 2002. 12. 1 Signed exchange agreement with Washington State Medical School, USA
• 2001. 2. 28 Earned full accreditation for 「2000 Korea Medical School Stability Evaluation」
• 1999. 9 Selected as Brain Korea 21 Plus Institute
• 1996. 10. 10 Selected as the Most Excellent University in 「 96 nationwide evaluation of medical schools 」

1885 ~ 1989

• 1978. 1. 13 Authorized establishment of Wonju branch campus for Yonsei University College of Medicine
• 1957. 1. 5 Yonhee University and Severance Medical University merged
• 1947 Establishment of Severance Medical University
• 1908. 6 Produced first seven graduates (Korea’s first medical licenses also issued)
• 1885. 4. 10 Doctor Allen founded Gwanghyewon as Royal Hospital in Jaedong, northern part of Hansung (Seoul)