[2022 National Audit] Unpopular Specialty Leads to Shortage of Young Doctors... Over Half of Essential Medical Doctors Are Aged 50+

Shin Hyun-young, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, is holding a 'Joint Press Conference on Non-face-to-face Medical Treatment by the Medical Association and the Pharmaceutical Association' at the National Assembly on the 18th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Chunhee Lee] It has been revealed that the aging of specialists in unpopular yet essential medical fields such as surgery and obstetrics and gynecology is progressing due to insufficient workforce expansion. There are even concerns that essential medical services could collapse.

According to data on the age status of specialists as of the end of last year, submitted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare to Shin Hyun-young, a member of the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, the average age of specialists in essential medical fields such as surgery and obstetrics and gynecology reached 53 years. Other fields included thoracic surgery and urology at 52 years, neurosurgery and pediatrics at 50 years, and internal medicine at 48 years. Essential medical fields are those directly responding to life-threatening situations, and currently, six such departments participate in the Ministry of Health and Welfare's essential medical consultative body. The overall average age of specialists in essential medical fields was 50 years.

In contrast, the average age of specialists in popular fields was lower than that of unpopular fields. Rehabilitation medicine, which ranked first in resident (trainee before specialist certification) application rates last year, had an average specialist age of 45 years, significantly lower. Radiology was 48 years, dermatology, ophthalmology, and psychiatry were 49 years, and plastic surgery was 50 years.

Looking at the age distribution, essential medical fields had 40s (32.1%), 50s (29.5%), 60 and above (19.3%), and under 30s (18.6%) in that order, with those under 30 being fewer than those 60 and above. In contrast, popular fields had 40s (29.7%), 50s (29.2%), under 30s (25.0%), and 60 and above (16.1%), with those under 30 being significantly more than those 60 and above.

Assembly member Shin Hyun-young stated, "The aging of specialists is occurring due to the deepening avoidance of certain essential fields directly related to the lives of the people," adding, "If this trend continues, essential medical services could collapse in 20 to 30 years, so fundamental solutions must be prepared."