Since 2006, medical school admissions have been frozen without an increase for an extended period, leading to various issues. The OECD Health Statistics for 2023 revealed that the number of domestic clinical physicians in the Republic of Korea stands at 2.6 per 1000 people, falling short of the OECD average of 3.7. This news has reignited public opinion in favor of expanding medical school quotas. On February 1, during a ‘livelihood forum’ chaired by President Yoon Suk-yeol, the Ministry of Health and Welfare pledged to expand medical school admissions starting from the 2025 academic year, considering the projected shortage of 15,000 doctors by 2035. This decision has sparked a serious backlash from the Korean Medical Association (KMA) and medical students. However, approximately 76 percent of the population favors the expansion.

▲ The KMA is strongly opposed to the government's plan. (Photo from Newsis)

   The reasons for increasing medical school quotas can be broadly categorized into two main factors. First and foremost, there is a pressing concern about the widening gap in healthcare access across different regions. For instance, while there are approximately 3 physicians per 1000 people in Seoul, the number drops to around 1 physician per 1000 people in Gyeongsangbuk-do. This discrepancy between Seoul and other areas continues to widen, leading to situations where individuals from regional areas frequently travel to the capital city for medical treatment.  Furthermore, there is a trend where doctors are favoring higher-paying specialties, such as dermatology, ophthalmology, and plastic surgery, over essential medical fields like internal medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, and pediatrics. As a result, this trend creates a shortage of doctors, leading to issues such as patients visiting multiple emergency rooms (ER hopping) due to lack of access, and long waiting times for pediatric consultations, sometimes culminating in 'pediatric open runs' to find available pediatricians.

▲ The Ministry of Health and Welfare pledged to expand medical school admissions. (Photo from Yonhap News)

   The KMA strongly opposes the government's plan to increase medical school quotas, arguing it will not solve underlying healthcare problems. In an emergency press conference, the KMA threatened to release survey results and initiate a general strike if the government proceeds without dialogue. The government, however, maintains that any illegal collective action jeopardizing public health will be met with severe consequences. The Ministry of Health and Welfare has emphasized that they will uphold laws and principles, specifically ordering hospitals to reject collective resignations.

   Increasing the number of medical professionals may seem like the most straightforward solution to the shortage. However, simply increasing medical school quotas is not a simple solution. It is crucial to consider the long-term impact on the medical system, including factors like low birth rates and regional disparities in healthcare access. Therefore, addressing the lack of medical personnel requires a comprehensive approach that tackles both increasing the number of medical professionals and addressing the underlying structural issues within the healthcare system.