Medical School Professors: "Physical Limits Have Arrived... Working Hours Will Be Readjusted"

Medical school professors nationwide have stated that they have reached their physical limits due to the prolonged medical service gap and announced that they will readjust their working hours.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Emergency Countermeasure Committee of Medical School Professors Nationwide (Jeon-ui-bi) held a press conference on the 30th at the Seoul National University Medical Research Innovation Center in Jongno-gu, Seoul, stating, "We have seen all patients without being bound by time and have not reduced the number of patients, but it seems that physical and stamina limits have been reached," and added, "We will readjust working hours."

They continued, "Depending on the circumstances of each (medical) department, we plan to reduce non-essential medical services and focus more on essential medical care," explaining, "We will reduce mild patients so that higher-level hospitals can treat other patients." Jeon-ui-bi emphasized, "We will diligently perform our duties in treating urgent patients who must come to higher-level hospitals."

Jeon-ui-bi announced that after holding an online meeting the previous evening with participation from 20 medical schools, "To ensure the minimum rest time for professors for the safety of both treating professors and patients, we strongly recommend adhering to the principle of taking the day off after 24 hours of continuous work followed by daytime work the next day starting from the first week of April," and added, "For these working conditions, outpatient and surgical treatments, excluding severe and emergency patient care, will be adjusted by each university."

The professors also demanded that the government "exclude Park Min-su, the 2nd Vice Minister of Health and Welfare, from media responses."

At the press conference, Bang Jae-seung, chairman of Jeon-ui-bi, said, "The government side said that the increase of 2,000 personnel (reinforcements) can never be withdrawn, and especially Vice Minister Park Min-su spoke very strongly. Prime Minister Han Deok-su claimed to have had meaningful talks with medical organizations, but this is inconsistent," adding, "If Vice Minister Park, who unilaterally expresses the government's opinion, steps back from media responses, I think it might open the way for dialogue."

Kang Hong-je, professor at Wonkwang University College of Medicine and member of the emergency committee, stated, "I judge that (Vice Minister Park) is the person who worsened this situation. His harsh language that disregards doctors hurt their feelings. How can we have a dialogue with such a person?" and argued, "I am saying that Vice Minister Park should be excluded from the media for the sake of dialogue, not for worsening the situation."