Hallym University Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital

Hallym University Medical Center (HUMC) successfully hosted The 4th Hallym-Oulu International Symposium under the theme of “Newly Emerging Issues in Psychiatry in Korea & Finland” at Hallym University Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital on Oct. 15, 2013.

Medical experts from HUMC and University of Oulu in Finland shared their views on pressing psychiatry issues in Korea and Finland. The symposium’s four sessions dealt with four topics: alcoholism; child and adolescent mental health issues; suicide and delirium.

From Oulu, five speakers including Dr. Kari Laine, Dr. Markku Savolainen, Dr. Kaisa Riala, Dr. Hannu Koponen and Dr. Anniina Lahti participated in the symposium while five Hallym psychiatry professors including Dr. Ihn Geun Choi and Dr. Hyun Ju Hong also exchanged their insights on emerging psychiatry issues in Korea.

Prior to the start of the four sessions, Dr. Kari Laine, professor and director of Thule Institute under University of Oulu gave a special lecture on climate change in Arctic region on “Changing Arctic Environment – Challenges for Multidisciplinary Research and Education.”

University of Oulu is an internationally acclaimed institution in basic science and clinical research field.

The special event has drawn 200 medical professionals both in and out of Korea.

The specific programs including topics and speakers are as follows:

■ Special Lecture
Changing Arctic Environment–Challenges for Multidisciplinary Research and Education
(Kari Laine, PhD, University of Oulu)

■ Session 1. Alcoholism
1. Genes and Epigenetics Determining Drinking and Alcoholism
(Ihn Geun Choi, MD, PhD, Hallym University)
2. Biochemical Markers of Alcoholism
(Markku Savolainen, MD, PhD, University of Oulu)

■ Session 2. Child & Adolescent Mental Health Issues
1. Korean Psychiatric Perspective for Internet Addiction
(Sang Kyu Lee, MD, PhD, Hallym University)
2. Factors Associated with Adolescent Self-mutilative Behavior in Finland
(Kaisa Riala, MD, PhD, University of Oulu)
3. School Based Mental Health Project in Korea
(Hyun Ju Hong, MD, PhD, Hallym University)

■ Session 3 Suicide
1. Adolescent Suicides in Finland
(Anniina Lahti, MD, University of Oulu)
2. Suicide Prevention Strategies in Korea
(Myung-Hun Jung, MD, PhD, Hallym University)

■ Session 4 Delirium
1. Finding High Risk Patients for Delirium in General Hospital
(Narei Hong, MD, PhD, Hallym University)
2. Delirium in the Elderly – a Medical Emergency
(Hannu Koponen, MD, PhD, University of Oulu)

Since Hallym and Oulu sealed an affiliation agreement in 2008, they have organized a series of annual joint international symposiums in Korea and Finland to share best medical expertise as well as deepen the two institution’s ties.

Distinguished medical scholars at the two institutions have so far exchanged up-to-date information and knowledge about various agenda in diabetes, oncology, neurology, allergy, neurological disorder and molecular epidemiology.

By Jong Hun Im, Int’l Cooperation Team, HUMC (imjonghun@hallym.or.kr)