Contract Doctors at National University Hospitals Increased by 57% in 4 Years

Contract Doctor Fills Position Left by Departed Professor

It has been revealed that the number of contract doctors has increased due to the departure of full-time professors at national university hospitals.

According to data submitted by 10 national university hospitals nationwide to the office of Kim Won-i, a member of the National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, the number of full-time clinical professors at national university hospitals increased by 12.5% (239 people) from 1,906 in 2019 to 2,145 this year.

Assemblyman Kim Won-i

On the other hand, the number of contract doctors, including commissioned and attending physicians, surged by 57.3% (245 people) from 427 to 672 during the same period. This trend was commonly observed in nine national university hospitals, excluding Chungbuk National University Hospital.

Over the past four years, the hospital with the largest increase in contract doctors was Jeonbuk National University Hospital, which rose by 280% (14 people) from 5 in 2019 to 19 in 2023. This was followed by Chonnam National University Hospital at 229% (14 people: from 46), Chungnam National University Hospital at 218% (17 people: from 54), Kangwon National University Hospital at 200% (1 person: from 20), and Kyungpook National University Hospital at 182% (22 people: from 62).

Regarding this phenomenon, the Ministry of Health and Welfare stated in an opinion letter submitted to Kim Won-i’s office, "The wage system for university hospital professors is based on seniority, and there are criticisms that their income is lower than that of employed or private practice doctors despite having many duties such as treatment, student education, and research," adding, "It is more difficult to hire professors at university hospitals in provincial areas."

In fact, there are many cases of professors at provincial university hospitals moving to metropolitan university hospitals, indicating that the doctor recruitment difficulties at university hospitals in medically underserved areas such as the Honam region are becoming more severe. There are concerns that the treatment and research capabilities of university hospitals, which should serve as regional medical hubs through critical care, may be shaken.

As contract doctors such as commissioned physicians fill the vacancies left by full-time professors, the annual salaries of contract doctors at university hospitals nationwide have also increased. As of June this year, the annual salary paid by each national university hospital was higher for contract doctors than for full-time professors.

At six hospitals?Kyungpook National University Hospital, Pusan National University Hospital, Seoul National University Hospital, Chonnam National University Hospital, Jeonbuk National University Hospital, and Chungbuk National University Hospital?the annual salary of full-time professors was higher than that of contract doctors in 2019, but this trend reversed this year.

Experts point out that to address the recruitment difficulties of professors at national university hospitals, the expansion of the non-reimbursed market, which widens the income gap between private practitioners and national university hospital professors, must be curbed.

Kim Won-i said, “The recruitment difficulties for university hospital professors indicate a shortage of doctors relative to demand,” adding, “The government’s plan to increase the number of medical school freshmen should be implemented on a sufficient scale.” He also emphasized, “It is necessary to focus manpower support on university hospitals that serve as the top-tier medical institutions in their regions.”