4th Year Undergraduate "Suspect Additional Relief Measures"... Director Yoon Sung Lee "No Discussion with Ministry of Health"
[Asia Economy Reporter Seo So-jung] While the government maintains its stance that 'medical students cannot retake the national medical licensing exam,' the Korea Health Personnel Licensing Examination Institute (KHPLEI), the managing body of the medical licensing exam, has been confirmed to be moving the exam dates forward for existing examinees. Some interpret this as a move in preparation for additional relief measures, but the KHPLEI cautions against overinterpretation, stating that it is merely an administrative convenience procedure.
According to reports from some medical licensing exam candidates on the 17th, the KHPLEI is in the process of advancing the exam dates for fourth-year medical students taking this year's exam. A medical student who requested anonymity said, "I received a call from the KHPLEI asking if I would take the exam earlier," adding, "They are making the same calls to students who are not refusing the exam and are taking it this time." The student continued, "Although the government maintains its position that there will be no additional exams, I am suspicious whether this adjustment of exam dates is a move to offer additional exams later."
In response, the KHPLEI explained that this is merely a procedure for administrative convenience. On the same day, Lee Yoon-sung, the director of the KHPLEI, said, "Out of 3,172 candidates eligible for the medical licensing exam, which closed applications on the 6th, only 446, or 14%, applied," adding, "With as few as 10 and as many as 17 candidates taking the exam per day, it is operationally difficult in terms of manpower and other resources, so we are inevitably proceeding with the procedure to move the exam dates forward."
Director Lee said, "In the case of the operating room, the exam can be conducted nine times a day, but due to the small number of candidates, this time the exam is held only once a day, which is a significant burden for the KHPLEI in terms of manpower," adding, "The practical exam dates run until November 20, but since the small number of candidates are spread out too much, internal discussions concluded that it would be better in terms of facilities, manpower, and costs to move the candidates' exam dates forward."
In particular, the KHPLEI is cautious about overinterpretation, emphasizing that the adjustment of exam dates for candidates is unrelated to relief measures for medical students. Director Lee stated, "The KHPLEI executes what the Ministry of Health and Welfare approves," adding, "Since the Ministry maintains its existing stance of 'no retake allowed,' the KHPLEI does not have the authority to adjust exam dates on its own."
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