[The Editors' Verdict] Only One Day Left for Residents

It is understandable that doctors distrust the government no matter what it says.

On September 4, 2020, when the strike opposing the public medical school was withdrawn, Minister of Health and Welfare Park Neung-hoo and Chairman Choi Dae-jib of the Korean Medical Association signed the first clause of the medical agreement in front of photojournalists, which stated, "The Ministry of Health and Welfare will not unilaterally push forward policies such as notifying the medical school quota." The announcement of "2,000" that never came up in the 28 meetings of the medical issue consultative body formed by this agreement can be seen by the medical community as a unilateral notification.

The collective selfishness exerted through resignation letters is not considered selfishness by them. The medical community argues that when the government did not respond to criticisms by not wearing headbands during the introduction of the medical graduate school system, the comprehensive payment system, the coverage of Korean herbal medicine, and Moon Jae-in Care, it was ignoring the problems.

A dermatologist from Gangnam, Seoul, who graduated from a prestigious high school in Busan, said, "I met businessman, professor, and lawyer classmates for the first time in decades, but I couldn't understand a single word they exchanged," adding, "Having lived my life talking only about dermatology with other doctors, my social intelligence is at the kindergarten level." Most doctors are similar. They have strong confidence in their own treatment but are socially unaware. Whether individual or collective, the thought process of "resolving any problem (2,000) quickly with a definite prescription (resignation letter) (withdrawal)" operates and proceeds straight ahead. This is how they are trained from medical school.

Doctors accept side effects when treating patients but try to prevent aftereffects as much as possible. The medical community seems to mistakenly regard the current medical vacuum as a side effect that the public must endure during the withdrawal process of the 2,000 quota. They do not seem to consider preventing the aftereffects that the resignation of residents and medical professors will inflict on our community. If patient inconvenience due to the medical vacuum is a side effect, the collapse of the medical service industry is a fatal aftereffect. Our medical service industry is ranked 11th in the world with a scale of $126.8 billion (about 170 trillion won) (Korea Health Industry Development Institute, 2021). Adding the pharmaceutical and bio industries, all others follow behind doctors at the pinnacle of medical practice.

There are 72,000 medical service workplaces including hospitals and clinics employing 843,000 people. Among them, 112,000 are doctors. To put it somewhat dramatically, 6.5 people work for one doctor, running a 170 trillion won industry. If doctors take off their coats, the medical industry disappears. The "Big 5" hospitals are in a situation where they need emergency loans. A company that supplied surgical instruments to five university hospitals laid off delivery staff and closed temporarily. The income of the head of the household who was re-employed at this company after retirement has stopped. The resignation of residents is snowballing.

Whether increasing the medical school quota by 2,000 is right or not cannot be affirmed before properly verifying the policy. What can be affirmed now is that the resignation of residents harms our social community. The medical community seems to regard this as "an unavoidable act for realizing a greater cause." The lack of even a word of regret for nurses who have become unpaid leave is evidence of this.

No cause can gain sympathy if it involves social harm. Doctors must raise their voices while helping the community through treatment to gain support. To do so, they must return. The 20th day is the 30th day since residents submitted their resignation letters, when the resignation takes effect. There is one day left to withdraw the resignation letters.