Ministry of Health and Welfare: "Return of Residents is the Start of Solving the Problem"

"Concerns Over Disadvantages in Career Path the Longer the Return Is Delayed"

The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on the 24th that "prompt return is the beginning of solving the problem" to the resident doctors who have not yet returned.

Park Min-su, the 2nd Vice Minister of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, said at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters briefing on the doctors' collective action held that day, "As the prolonged absence from workplaces continues, medical staff on site are becoming exhausted, and the anxiety of patients and their families is increasing."

Vice Minister Park stated, "The longer the return to the workplace is delayed, the more concerns arise about disadvantages in future career paths," adding, "We hope you return to your workplace promptly. That is the starting point for solving the problem."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

He also explained, "The government is providing high-quality education to resident doctors while creating conditions where they can work with pride in essential medical care."

The government plans to fully implement the 'Pilot Project to Reduce Continuous Working Hours for Resident Doctors' starting next week and accelerate the 'transition to specialist-centered hospitals.'

The plan is to reduce the continuous working hours of resident doctors from the current 36 hours to 24-30 hours and support each hospital to autonomously adjust work patterns, schedules, and additional staffing according to their own circumstances. Regarding the transition to specialist-centered hospitals, the plan is for tertiary general hospitals to focus on treating severe patients, operate centered on specialists, and concentrate more on resident education.

Vice Minister Park said, "The government will not allow the medical field to revert to its previous state and will spare no necessary support so that resident doctors can receive proper treatment as trainees," urging, "Please do not hesitate, trust the government, and return to your workplace promptly."

He reiterated a call for 'unconditional' dialogue to the medical community.

Vice Minister Park pointed out, "Last Wednesday, the Korean Medical Association said dialogue with the government was possible, but they have not attended dialogue sessions such as the Medical Reform Special Committee and the Expert Committee, and some medical school professors are discussing a one-week collective strike and have expressed a stance of not responding to government consultations at all," criticizing, "This position differs from that of most doctors who are by the patients' side."

He added, "The goals and directions of protecting patients' lives and health, revitalizing regional and essential medical care, and fundamentally reforming the medical system are not different between the government and the medical community," and urged, "We once again call on you to come to the dialogue table unconditionally and without formalities."

Meanwhile, the 'Medical Workforce Expert Committee' under the Medical Reform Special Committee held a meeting that day to discuss specific innovative measures for the resident training system, including reducing resident working hours. With this meeting, the first round of meetings of the four expert committees under the Medical Reform Special Committee concludes. Discussions will continue from next week through the second round of meetings.

Vice Minister Park said, "To speedily materialize reform tasks by field, each expert committee will be held biweekly as a principle, and if necessary, discussions will be held as needed for more intensive review." He added, "There are many medical personnel and experts in the special committee and its expert committees who can convey vivid experiences from the medical field, but the seats for the Korean Medical Association and resident-recommended committee members remain vacant," urging, "We ask the Korean Medical Association and resident doctors to attend the special committee as soon as possible and present constructive opinions for medical reform."