Regional Medical School Talents: Most Selected from Honam Area

Analysis of Regional Talent Medical School Admission Ratios by Area and Zone for Exam Candidates

Among the six regions nationwide, the area with the highest ratio of selecting local students through the regional talent admission process is the Honam region medical schools.

According to the entrance exam information company Uway on the 27th, an analysis of the ratio of regional talent medical school admissions to examinees by region and area for the 2024 academic year showed that Honam region medical schools selected 527 students as regional talents out of 42,618 examinees in the area, making the ratio 1.2%, ranking first among the six regions nationwide. This was followed by Gangwon region (0.8%), Daegu-Gyeongbuk (0.8%), Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam (0.6%), Chungcheong region (0.4%), and Jeju (0.4%).

Among the 14 non-metropolitan cities and provinces, Jeonbuk (1.7%) and Gwangju (1.6%) ranked first and second respectively, reflecting this trend.

The regional talent admission system is a policy under the "Act on the Promotion of Local Universities and Regional Balanced Talent Development," whereby non-metropolitan universities select a certain percentage of their quota from examinees in the corresponding region. In particular, medical schools, dental schools, Korean medicine schools, and pharmacy schools have been required since last year to select at least 40% (20% for Gangwon and Jeju) of their total quota as regional talents.

Lee Manki, director of Uway Education Evaluation Research Institute, said, "If you are considering relocating to a local area to enter medical school through the regional talent admission, Jeonbuk region, which has the highest ratio of regional talent selection to examinees, would be the place to consider," adding, "Some parents living in metropolitan areas transfer their children to high schools located in local areas to gain benefits, but it is essential to fully understand the eligibility criteria to avoid any disadvantages."

Until the 2027 academic year, which current third-year middle school students will take, graduating from a high school in the corresponding local university area is sufficient, but from the 2028 academic year, which applies to current second-year middle school students, an additional condition requires graduation from a middle school located in a non-metropolitan area.

Regarding this change in eligibility, the director explained, "It is likely to temporarily affect the 2028 and 2029 college admissions," and "For current second- and first-year middle school students living in the region, the competition rate for the regional talent admission may somewhat decrease."