Yoon Accelerates Medical Reform... Medical School Quotas May Increase by Up to 2,000 Students

Sung Tae-yoon Policy Director "Implement Four Major Policies Within the Year"
"Voices of Medical Service Users More Important"
Medical Community Tense with Rising Concerns

President Yoon Suk-yeol is speaking at the "Eighth Public Discussion on Livelihoods with the People - Medical Reform to Save Lives and Communities" held at Bundang Seoul National University Hospital in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province on the 1st.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

President Yoon Suk-yeol is rolling up his sleeves for medical reform centered on expanding the quota for medical school admissions. Following his announcement on expanding 'non-face-to-face medical consultations' at the Livelihood Discussion Forum on the 30th of last month, he reaffirmed his commitment to increasing medical personnel on the 1st of this month, stating, "Now is the golden time for medical reform." As expectations rise that the specific number of medical school admissions for next year will be announced before the Lunar New Year holiday, ranging from at least 1,000 to as many as 2,000, a tense atmosphere is spreading throughout the medical community.

According to the Presidential Office, Sung Tae-yoon, the Chief of Policy Office, said on the 2nd regarding the scale of medical school admissions expansion, "I think it will be announced in the near future," adding, "I understand that the specific scale will be decided by the Ministry of Health and Welfare after comprehensive discussions including consultations with the medical community and deliberations on health and medical policies."

At the 8th Livelihood Discussion Forum held on the 1st at Bundang Seoul National University Hospital in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, President Yoon emphasized, "With the rapid increase in the elderly population and the significant rise in demand for the health industry, expanding medical personnel is essential to revitalize regional and essential medical services," adding, "No matter how good the infrastructure is, it is useless if there is no one to implement it. We will support the expansion of medical personnel by providing quality medical education and training environments."

Government: "Specific Numbers for Medical Personnel Expansion to Be Announced Soon"

The Presidential Office and the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced plans to expand medical school admission quotas starting from the 2025 academic year, considering that by 2035, about 15,000 doctors will be in shortage. However, President Yoon did not disclose specific numbers for the increase in medical personnel during the Livelihood Discussion Forum.

However, according to a nationwide survey of demand for medical school expansion conducted in November last year across 40 medical schools, universities hoped for an increase of at least 2,151 and up to 2,847 students in the 2025 academic year. Summarizing this, the scale of medical school expansion is discussed to be between 1,000 and 2,000. Yet, the Korean Association of Medical Colleges and Medical Schools announced that about 350 is appropriate, and the gap in positions remains unresolved. Medical organizations such as the Korean Medical Association (KMA) and the Korean Intern Resident Association (KIRA) have even warned of collective actions such as mass sickouts and strikes in protest.

Chief Sung reaffirmed that there is no change in the existing stance to expand the medical school quota. He explained, "The important thing is demand forecasting," adding, "The Ministry of Health and Welfare is working to estimate changes in our population structure and medical demand including regional essential medical services, and to determine the number of personnel that meet that demand." Regarding the absence of specific numbers at the Livelihood Discussion Forum on the 1st, he elaborated, "Determining the actual numbers requires a comprehensive review process of demand estimates and corresponding supply measures."

Sung Tae-yoon, Chief of Policy Office at the Presidential Office, is giving a briefing on the recent public livelihood discussion at the Presidential Office building in Yongsan, Seoul on the 2nd. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Chief Sung also expressed his intention to accelerate the implementation of the '4 major policy packages' within this year, which include expanding medical school quotas, strengthening regional medical services, establishing a safety net for medical accidents, and enhancing fairness in compensation systems such as medical fees.

He said, "We will conduct a pilot project to reduce continuous 36-hour shifts for residents within this year, form a medical reform special committee to improve the internship system focusing on clinical competency, and review issues related to clinical training linkage," adding, "We also plan to improve the investigation procedures for medical disputes within this year."

Additionally, he explained, "We aim to raise fees for essential medical services and introduce public policy fees preferably within the first half of this year," and "The special committee is scheduling to address issues such as banning integrated treatment, improving medical use of indemnity insurance, and managing non-reimbursable services."

KIRA and Medical Community "Preparing Response Measures"

Regarding the criticism at the ongoing Livelihood Discussion Forum that despite strong opposition from medical organizations, it is difficult to find voices against the reform, he responded, "Even within the essential medical package, there will be supporters and opponents of these issues, but generally, it is more important to listen to the voices of those who use medical services." This is interpreted as the government's strong determination not to loosen the reins on medical reform centered on expanding medical school quotas despite opposition from the medical community.

Meanwhile, as the government's announcement on the scale of medical school expansion approaches, the resident doctors' association held a meeting on the 2nd to prepare response measures. With the atmosphere forming that the government's announcement on medical school expansion is imminent, KIRA is also focusing on preparing countermeasures.