"April as Medical School Quota Deadline? College Entrance Exam Postponed During Pohang Earthquake and COVID-19"

"Understanding Examinees' Confusion... Government Must Quickly Enter Negotiations"

As the end of this month, when admission guidelines for 40 universities nationwide are announced, is pointed out as the deadline for the conflict over increasing medical school quotas, Jeong Geun-young, former representative of residents at Bundang CHA Hospital, argued, "The college entrance exam was postponed during the 2017 Pohang earthquake and the COVID-19 pandemic," adding, "This is a means to pressure the medical community."

On the 17th, on MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus,' former representative Jeong said, "Since I am not in charge of practical work, I do not know exactly whether the policy can be reversed or not," but added, "Even if the admission guidelines are finalized, can't they be changed?" He continued, "I fully understand the confusion among high school seniors preparing for the entrance exam as the government has mentioned various options such as a one-year postponement," and urged, "The government should start negotiations as soon as possible."

On the morning of the 9th, a medical official was waiting for the pedestrian signal at a large hospital in downtown Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

He then mentioned the seven demands as conditions for residents' return to medical practice. In February, the Korean Intern Resident Association proposed ▲ increasing the quota by 2,000 and completely abolishing the essential medical package ▲ withdrawal of orders and an apology ▲ complete abolition of work commencement orders ▲ establishment of an organization for scientific doctor supply and demand estimation ▲ expansion of specialist recruitment in training hospitals ▲ legal relief for unavoidable medical accidents ▲ improvement of resident training environment. Former representative Jeong emphasized, "The top priority is to reconsider from scratch the government's announced expansion of medical school quotas and the abolition of the essential medical package."

Jeong said, "The government always tells the medical community, 'We have proposed 2,000 first, so you come up with alternatives,'" adding, "If they adopt a stance of 'We have abandoned the numbers for now, so we will discuss openly with you,' without being fixated on the numbers, we can also approach actively."

Regarding the claim by resident Ryu Ok-ha-da from Daejeon St. Mary's Hospital the previous day that "If the military service period is made realistic and immunity for good-faith medical acts is granted, about half of the resigned residents would consider returning," Jeong dismissed it as "Only about 20 doctors, a very small number of residents, were surveyed," and said, "It is just a personal opinion." He added, "I understand the message Ryu wants to convey, but the method and process of delivery were not smooth," and lamented, "The day after I demanded the dismissal of Vice Minister of Health and Welfare Park Min-su, Ryu held such a press conference, which diluted my message and prevented the formation of social discourse."