Medical-Political Conflict Peaks... Medical School Professor Begins Submitting Resignation Letters Demanding Enrollment Increase Withdrawal

On the 25th, Medical School Professors Submit Resignation Letters and Reduce Outpatient Services
Despite Soothing Efforts Like 'Flexible Administrative Measures,' Firm Stance Maintained
"Withdrawal of Medical School Expansion" vs "Must Be Completed"

As predicted by medical school professors nationwide, they will submit their resignation letters and reduce outpatient care starting from the 25th. Although the government has attempted to appease the situation by citing President Yoon Seok-yeol's directive the previous day to take a flexible approach to administrative measures against striking residents, the Korean Association of Medical School Professors (KAMSP) held a press conference that morning demanding "a 100% withdrawal of medical school expansion and quota allocation," showing no change in their hardline stance.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the same day, Health and Welfare Minister Cho Kyu-hong chaired the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters (CDSCH) meeting responding to the doctors' collective action, stating, "The government welcomes the fact that KAMSP held a meeting with the ruling party yesterday and expressed readiness for constructive dialogue with the government." Minister Cho added, "Relevant ministries have immediately begun practical work for dialogue with the medical community," and "We will arrange a meeting where the government and the medical community can sit down and discuss as soon as possible."

Regarding administrative measures against striking residents, he said, "We will discuss flexible handling plans with the party," and "We will do our best to end the conflict with the medical community quickly through dialogue and persuasion." This statement follows President Yoon Seok-yeol's instruction to Prime Minister Han Duck-soo to "handle it flexibly," after receiving a proposal from Han Dong-hoon, the Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, the previous day.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

However, KAMSP held a press conference at 10 a.m. at Severance Hospital, stating, "An increase of 2,000 students is currently unacceptable at domestic medical schools," and "To ensure stable care for critically ill and emergency patients, we will proceed with the 52-hour workweek and reduction of outpatient care as planned."

When asked whether they would completely stop medical services one month later if medical schools do not accept the resignation letters, Kim Chang-soo, KAMSP Chairman (professor at Yonsei University College of Medicine), replied, "I hope the situation will be resolved before then."

In a phone interview with this paper, Chairman Kim said, "We are not saying no to expansion, but that it should be discussed from the beginning," and argued, "Under the current plan, medical student education will not proceed at all." He added, "It seems that about 80% of medical school professors nationwide intend to submit their resignation letters on the 25th." In this regard, among the 20 or so medical schools that decided to submit resignation letters, professors from Korea University College of Medicine gathered at Korea University Anam Hospital that morning and submitted their resignation letters first.

The government appears to be stepping back on suspending residents' licenses but insists on the 2,000-student expansion, so a head-to-head confrontation is expected to continue. Minister Cho said on the day, "We will definitely complete the medical reform tasks based on the expansion of medical school quotas achieved for the first time in 27 years." Education Minister Lee Ju-ho and Minister Cho will visit Gyeongsang National University in the afternoon to hold a meeting with the university president, medical school dean, and others, and tour the university hospital's cancer center. The two ministers are expected to check the educational conditions following the medical school quota allocation and urge efforts to encourage medical students on leave to return and proceed with normal studies.