Severance Hospital Also Has Zero Applicants... Worsening Avoidance of Pediatric and Adolescent Residency Programs

Competition Rates for Residency Recruitment at the 'Big 5' Hospitals
Except Seoul Asan Hospital, 4 Hospitals Face Under-enrollment
Cardiovascular Thoracic Surgery Still Avoided

Psychiatry, Dermatology, Plastic Surgery
Popular Departments See Fierce 2-3 to 1 Competition
"Concerns Over Collapse of Pediatric Medical System"

Medical school stock photo. The photo is not related to the article. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] As the government and the medical community engage in discussions to revive essential medical care, even the so-called ‘Big 5’ hospitals, the top-tier hospitals in Korea, have continued to face shortages in recruiting residents for major less-preferred specialties. Notably, Severance Hospital did not receive a single applicant for its pediatric and adolescent medicine residency program.

According to the medical community on the 8th, from the 5th to the 7th, 67 training hospitals nationwide conducted recruitment for the first half of next year’s residency programs. The total residency quota assigned to the ‘Big 5’ hospitals?Catholic Central Medical Center, Samsung Seoul Hospital, Seoul National University Hospital, Asan Medical Center, and Severance Hospital (in alphabetical order)?was 845, accounting for about 25% of the national total residency quota. The Big 5 hospitals are considered preferred institutions for residents seeking specialist training due to their size and reputation. Over 1,000 applicants applied to the Big 5 hospitals in this recruitment cycle.

However, shortages of applicants in major less-preferred specialties such as pediatrics and adolescent medicine, and cardiothoracic surgery were unavoidable even for the Big 5 hospitals. In particular, except for Asan Medical Center, which had 10 applicants for 8 pediatric and adolescent medicine positions, under-enrollment was widespread. Severance Hospital had zero applicants for 11 positions, and Catholic Central Medical Center had only one applicant for 13 positions. Samsung Seoul Hospital had 3 applicants for 6 positions, and Seoul National University Hospital had 10 applicants for 14 positions.

Cardiothoracic surgery fared slightly better than pediatrics and adolescent medicine but still experienced under-enrollment except at Asan Medical Center (5 positions, 9 applicants). Catholic Central Medical Center had 3 applicants for 6 positions, Samsung Seoul Hospital had 3 applicants for 4 positions, and Seoul National University Hospital and Severance Hospital each had 1 applicant for 4 positions. Obstetrics and gynecology showed significant improvement this time. Samsung Seoul Hospital, Seoul National University Hospital, and Asan Medical Center filled all their quotas, while Catholic Central Medical Center filled about 80% with 13 applicants for 16 positions. Severance Hospital had only 4 applicants for 10 positions, falling short of half.

Conversely, the trend of preferred specialties continued unabated. Psychiatry, which has gained popularity compared to the past, had more applicants than available positions across the board. Except for Samsung Seoul Hospital (4 positions, 6 applicants), competition ratios exceeded 2:1. By hospital, Catholic Central Medical Center saw fierce competition in dermatology (2.8:1) and ophthalmology (2.6:1). Samsung Seoul Hospital’s popular specialties included plastic surgery (3:1), dermatology (3:1), and orthopedics (2.75:1). Seoul National University Hospital had high competition in plastic surgery (2.33:1), Asan Medical Center in ophthalmology (3:1) and plastic surgery (2.66:1), and Severance Hospital in urology (1.75:1).

As the gap between popular and less-preferred specialties widens, concerns about the collapse of essential medical care are emerging. Especially in pediatrics and adolescent medicine, this avoidance phenomenon has intensified nationwide, with less than 20% of the national quota filled. In rural areas, there are even concerns that the pediatric and adolescent medical system could collapse. A representative from a training hospital said, “Looking at the actual number of residency applicants, the avoidance of pediatrics and adolescent medicine is much more severe than expected,” adding, “Without extraordinary measures, it seems unlikely to improve easily.”