Jeonui Gyo Hyup Urges Withdrawal of Legislative Notice on 'Hiring Professors Based Solely on Clinical Experience'

"High-Quality Medical Education Becomes Impossible"

The Korean Association of Medical School Professors (KAMSP) has called for the withdrawal of the legislative notice that allows hiring medical school professors without research or teaching experience.

On the 10th, KAMSP stated in a press release, "The revision of the enforcement decree that permits hiring professors based solely on clinical experience, disregarding research and teaching experience, must be immediately withdrawn. If this decree is implemented, the research capabilities of universities will sharply decline, quality medical education will become impossible, and the public will suffer the consequences."

Earlier, on the 2nd, the Ministry of Education issued a legislative notice for the 'Partial Amendment to the Regulations on Qualification Standards for University Faculty.' The Ministry explained the reason for the amendment as "the need to expand the scope of recognized research and teaching achievements to allow experts with diverse experiences beyond existing research and teaching records to be hired as faculty."

The amendment allows clinical experience as a medical professional at institutions designated by the Minister of Education to be recognized 100% as research and teaching achievements. This means that even without research or teaching experience, those who have only worked in clinical practice can become medical school professors.

KAMSP also stated, "The government's administrative sanctions against residents and the policy of training exceptions will not bring residents back and will only worsen the current situation," adding, "The withdrawal of the baseless policy to increase medical school quotas is the starting point for resolving the issue."

Furthermore, they urged, "The Ministry of Education must not infringe upon the independence and autonomy of the Korean Institute of Medical Education and Evaluation (KIMEE), the accreditation body for medical schools," and "Universities' autonomy must be respected to approve medical students' leave of absence requests."