As a doctor’s strike spreads in South Korea, medical professors in South Korea say they will reduce their clinical hours, while others say they plan to resign.
The move begins on Monday in support of trainee doctors who have been on strike for more than a month over government plans to increase medical school admissions.
Kim Chang-soo, president of the Korean Association of Medical Professors, said the professors will begin reducing their outpatient services to focus on emergency and critically ill patients, while other professors will submit their resignations.
“It is clear that the increase in medical school admissions will not only undermine medical school education, but also destroy our nation’s health care system,” he said.
Medical residents on February 20 over a plan to increase the number of students admitted to medical schools each year starting in 2025 to address labor shortages in rural areas and increased demand for services due to South Korea’s rapidly aging population. They have been on strike since day one.
But the striking doctors, who represent 93% of the trainee workforce, argue that recruiting 2,000 additional students each year from 2025 will compromise the quality of their services. Critics say authorities should first focus on improving pay and working conditions for trainee doctors.
The industrial action has forced some hospitals to refuse to accept patients and delay procedures.
President Yoon Seok-yeol has made health care reform one of his signature policy initiatives and vowed not to back down on implementing the enrollment plan.
The South Korean government also threatened to suspend the licenses of doctors who left the profession, but on Sunday Mr. Yoon appeared to be seeking a more conciliatory approach, urging the Han to seek “flexible measures” to deal with the suspensions. urged Prime Minister Dok-soo. .
Yun’s office also announced that he had instructed the prime minister to establish a “constructive consultative body” to consult with all medical experts.
According to a Gallup poll released on March 15, 38% of respondents said the government was doing a good job in responding to the backlash from doctors against the plan and the medical gap during the doctors’ strike, while 49% said the government was doing a good job. replied, “It’s not a good job.” .
