KMA: "If Increase is Forced, Professors Will Also Leave Hospitals... Not Even One Possible"

Bi-dae-wi "Seoul, Yonsei, Korea, and Kangwon University Medical Schools Cannot Increase Even One Student"

The Korean Medical Association claimed that if the government forcibly increases the number of medical school admissions, more medical school professors might leave hospitals.

Joo Suho, Chairman of the Emergency Response Committee Public Relations Committee of the Korean Medical Association. / Photo by Choi Taewon peaceful1@

The Emergency Response Committee of the Korean Medical Association held a regular briefing at 2 p.m. on the 5th at the KMA headquarters in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, and announced this. Joo Su-ho, the KMA Emergency Committee's media publicity chairman, said, "Recently, two medical school professors announced their intention to resign through social networking services (SNS)," adding, "Personally, after speaking with several professors, there is a growing atmosphere of 'If this situation continues, won't we have to make some kind of choice?'"

He also mentioned the head-shaving protest held by about 10 professors from Kangwon National University Medical School in opposition to the university headquarters' plan to increase admissions by 140 students. Chairman Joo said, "I spoke with the dean of Kangwon National University Medical School, and the medical school professors were of the opinion that not a single additional professor could be added," adding, "Deans of Seoul National University, Yonsei University, and Korea University medical schools also claim that they cannot increase even one professor."

There was also condemnation of the 40 universities with medical schools that applied for an increase of 3,401 medical school admissions and the government that forcibly pushed the application. He said, "The government pressured each university headquarters, which medical schools belong to, to apply for an increase in medical school admissions," adding, "Despite the anger and desperate opposition of medical school professors who are directly responsible for medical education, each university headquarters committed the atrocity of submitting an absurdly large medical school admission increase plan of 3,401 students to the government."

He continued, "Due to the atrocity committed by the government and university headquarters, even professors are now moving voluntarily. In the current situation where there are no students or residents to teach, professors are experiencing an identity crisis," adding, "Even the current professors are leaving universities and hospitals, so how do they expect to recruit 1,000 medical school professors?"