Deadline Approaching for Second Half Resident Recruitment... Even 'Big5' Hospitals See Few Applicants

No Applicants or Only Single-Digit Numbers

It appears unlikely that residents will return even on the 31st, the deadline for recruiting residents for the second half of the year. Although the government encouraged their return by applying a 'training special case' to applicants for the second half resident recruitment, the response from residents has been minimal. It is also reported that the number of applicants to the Big 5 hospitals (Seoul National University, Severance, Asan Medical Center, Samsung Seoul, and Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital), which were expected to be highly preferred by resigning residents, was very small.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to the medical community, 126 training hospitals nationwide are recruiting interns and residents who will start training in the second half by 5 p.m. on this day. The total number of residents being recruited is 7,645. By type, there are 2,525 interns, 1,446 first-year residents, and 3,674 senior residents (2nd to 4th year).

Earlier, the government announced that it would apply a 'training special case' to applicants for the second half recruitment to encourage residents to return. The training special case allows resigning residents to return to the same year and specialty quickly, ensuring that there is no disruption in obtaining specialist qualifications.

However, residents are maintaining their stance of not returning. It is also reported that the number of applicants to the Big 5 hospitals, which were expected to have high preference among resigning residents, was very small.

Seoul National University Hospital is recruiting 191 people, including 159 interns and 32 residents, leaving positions for 'resigning residents' vacant in the second half recruitment. Severance Hospital is recruiting 714 people (146 interns and 568 residents), Asan Medical Center 440 people (131 interns and 309 residents), Samsung Seoul Hospital 521 people (123 interns and 398 residents). The Catholic Central Medical Center, which has eight affiliated training hospitals including Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, is recruiting 1,017 people (218 interns and 799 residents) in this second half recruitment.

However, it was reported that these hospitals have either no applicants or only single-digit numbers. Seoul National University Hospital and Samsung Seoul Hospital said that while there are not zero applicants, the number is very small. The Catholic Central Medical Center confirmed that as of 5 p.m. the previous day, only two applicants had applied for the orthopedic surgery department.

As the return of residents becomes unlikely, the government is accelerating the restructuring of tertiary hospitals into 'specialist-centered hospitals.' First, starting in September, a 'pilot project for restructuring tertiary hospitals' will be implemented. The pilot project aims to reduce general beds by up to 15% and increase the proportion of intensive care patients to over 50%, allowing tertiary hospitals to focus on treating severe emergency patients and research. The strategy is to fill the resident gap by utilizing specialists and PA nurses and fundamentally transform the hospitals into specialist-centered institutions.