Professor Choi Sehun Announces 'Resignation' via SNS
The day after President Yoon Suk-yeol made an encouragement visit, a professor from an essential medical department at Seoul Asan Medical Center announced his intention to resign.
Choi Se-hoon, Associate Professor of Thoracic Surgery at Seoul Asan Medical Center, one of the Big 5 hospitals in Seoul, publicly declared his resignation on the 19th via social media (SNS), stating, "If the residents do not return, there is no future for thoracic surgery." The thoracic surgery department to which Professor Choi belongs is one of the so-called 'Naeoe Sanso-eung' (Internal Medicine, Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics and Adolescents, Emergency Medicine) five essential medical departments.
He expressed, "It feels like I am having nightmares every day," and lamented, "I simply cannot believe that within just one month, the medical system in this country has been irreparably damaged."
Professor Choi said, "Just a month ago, when our entire team was present, we were not afraid of any patient, but now, seeing patients is frightening and distressing," and added, "I cannot believe that within just one month, the medical system in this country has been irreparably damaged."
He continued, "After the residents and fellows resigned, the number of patients I can operate on alone is less than half of before," and lamented, "Just last year, we measured the rate of surgeries performed within one month after lung cancer diagnosis, but now lung cancer patients are waiting indefinitely for surgery." He expressed despair, saying that if this is the reality at Seoul Asan Medical Center, one of the Big 5 hospitals, other hospitals must be in even worse conditions.
Associate Professor Choi Sehun of the Department of Thoracic Surgery at Seoul Asan Medical Center announced his intention to resign publicly on social media (SNS) on the 19th. [Photo by Professor Choi Sehun Facebook capture]
Professor Choi shared the pain he endured over the past month, saying, "Even on days when I am not on duty, I suffer from insomnia and wait for dawn, and I find this unfamiliar and frightening," and criticized the government, stating, "Changing the entire national medical system requires more caution. It should not be carried out hastily and coercively like this."
He further argued, "Due to the government's ruthless policies, all the residents have lost hope for the future and decided to resign voluntarily," and emphasized, "If the residents do not return, there is no future for thoracic surgery."
Finally, he stressed, "Who is driving this country's medical system toward ruin? Who is threatening our citizens? Who made the young doctors, who until just a month ago were doing their best in their respective positions to save patients, leave in despair?" and requested, "I ask the public to remember for a long time that when countless citizens who could have been saved by these young doctors who left are dying in pain, the responsibility lies with those who planned and executed this matter."
Earlier, on the 18th, President Yoon visited Seoul Asan Children's Hospital and held a meeting with medical staff, urging them to "trust the government and come to the dialogue," and asked them to "persuade the juniors."
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