"Return to School"... Ministry of Education Launches 'Emergency Academic Operations' for Medical Schools

Government-Level Flexible Academic Operation Guidelines Established
Measures to Prevent Disadvantages Amid July 'Paid Deadline' Concerns
Operation of 'Medical Student Return Counseling Center' Within Universities
Medical Community's Strong Response with 'Full Strike Declaration' on 18th

The government has decided to implement an 'emergency academic operation' to support medical students facing the risk of collective failure due to their refusal to attend medical school classes. The main point is to operate flexibly so that there will be no academic issues when students return to classes, such as offering additional courses for failed subjects or making up for missed classes. However, the medical community continues to maintain a hardline stance by continuing collective leave, making it unlikely for medical students to return soon.

On the morning of the 14th, Lee Ju-ho, Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education, held an emergency briefing at the Government Seoul Office and announced the 'Medical Student Return Plan,' which includes such support measures. Minister Lee appealed to the medical students, saying, "Please come back to school now," and promised, "We will listen to the students' voices and reflect them in policy."

Lee Ju-ho, Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education, is announcing measures to normalize medical school education on the 14th at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno, Seoul. Photo by Jo Yong-jun jun21@

In the education sector, there is an analysis that the deadline for collective failure is approaching around 'mid to late July' as medical students show no signs of returning. In particular, concerns continue that more than 7,000 first-year medical students will have to attend classes simultaneously next year due to an increase in new students. In response, Minister Lee stated that he would accept the requests of university presidents and consult with universities and related ministries. On the 12th, the Council of University Presidents for Medical School Advancement (UCPMSA), composed of presidents of universities operating medical schools, submitted a 'Government Proposal for Normalizing Medical School Academic Operations and Advancing Medical Education' to the Ministry of Education. The UCPMSA demanded ▲ stable financial support for medical schools ▲ preparation of a plan for the return of residents ▲ measures to prevent disadvantages in taking the national medical licensing examination ▲ institutional support measures for flexible class operation.

To this end, it was explained that academic operations at universities would be supported so that students returning to classes would not suffer disadvantages such as failure or academic burden. This goes a step beyond the 'flexible academic operation policy' autonomously set by each university, aiming to establish specific academic operation measures at the government level. The Ministry of Education plans to prepare and distribute an 'Emergency Academic Operation Guideline' to universities soon in consultation with them.

Minister Lee said, "For example, we will prepare and present measures to flexibly operate the curriculum, such as offering additional courses in the second semester for subjects students have not completed, or allowing students to make up for missed classes until the end of the academic year without finalizing failure status at the end of the semester." He added, "We will also consider more proactive measures, such as securing class periods through additional semesters and partially reorganizing the curriculum between grades."

Minister Lee also said that a 'Medical Student Return Counseling Center' would be established and operated within universities to help medical students who have not participated in classes so far to overcome mental difficulties when returning to school. He emphasized the government's firm stance on strictly dealing with collective actions or threats that block individual students from returning to classes.

Furthermore, he mentioned that the government’s plan to advance medical education, scheduled to be announced in September, would be promoted. He said, "We will ensure the quality of medical education through groundbreaking investments in universities and hospitals," and "We will thoroughly review improvement measures for curricula, academic systems, and educational conditions, which have been raised in the field of medical education, with various academic and field experts." However, he maintained the position of not recognizing the medical students' 'alliance leave of absence.' Minister Lee said, "It is an important responsibility of universities to guide and protect students so that they can return to classes."

On the afternoon of the 7th, a placard condemning the government's increase in medical school quotas was set up at the Korean Medical Association building in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Heo Young-han

The problem is that the stance of medical organizations such as the Korea Medical Association (KMA) remains hardline. Following Seoul National University College of Medicine's decision for a full strike, the KMA declared a full strike on the 18th, and as medical professors from the 'Big 5' hospitals and anesthesiology and pain medicine doctors, who play essential roles in surgeries, also joined, the strike situation is spreading nationwide. After holding a joint meeting with the Korean Academy of Medical Sciences, the National Association of Medical School Professors (NAMSP), the Emergency Committee of Medical School Professors (ECMSP), and representatives of the Seoul National University College of Medicine Emergency Committee, the KMA stated, "If there is no progressive change in the government's position, we plan to proceed with the strike scheduled for the 18th."

In response, the government, in cooperation with local governments, issued medical treatment orders and strike reporting orders to about 36,000 primary medical institutions nationwide. Medical institutions planning to strike on the 18th are required to report to the government, and the scope of the Damage Report Support Center, which receives reports of damages caused by collective strikes, will be expanded to include clinics. On the day of the collective strike, the government plans to check the medical status of all clinic-level medical institutions both in the morning and afternoon to prevent avoidance of work commencement orders through the use of half-day leave.