Additional Resident Recruitment This Month... Medical Community Responds with 'Not Sure'

Only 104 Apply in September Autumn Turn Including 45 from 'Big 5'
Government Persuades "Additional Return Opportunity in August"

As expected, only a very small number of residents applied for the second half of the year residency recruitment, which will resume training in September, prompting the government to decide on additional recruitment in August. Although the policy is to give residents as many opportunities as possible to return to training, the medical community predicts that residents will not come back unless the plan to increase medical school admissions is completely withdrawn.

According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the medical community on the 2nd, as of the end of last month, 126 medical institutions nationwide received applications for second half residency training, with only 104 applicants (1.4%) out of a total recruitment target of 7,645. Among these applicants, 13 were interns and 91 were residents.

In particular, nearly half of the applicants, 45 (43.4%), were concentrated in the 'Big 5' major tertiary hospitals in Seoul: Seoul Asan Medical Center, Samsung Medical Center, Severance Hospital, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, and Seoul National University Hospital.

As the number of applicants was small, the government announced plans to conduct additional recruitment this month, stating that it will provide residents with as many opportunities as possible to return to training.

A Ministry of Health and Welfare official said, "(Through additional recruitment) the government is still trying its best to bring residents back," adding, "Due to the training schedule starting in September, this will physically be the last additional recruitment."

However, doctors viewed this as an expected outcome and predicted that residents would not return even with additional recruitment.

A professor at a training hospital said, "Haven't we repeatedly said there would be no applicants for the fall term recruitment?" and added, "No matter what the government does, unless the plan to increase medical school admissions is withdrawn, residents will not pursue specialist qualifications." A former resident who resigned said, "Many residents are already looking for jobs in private clinics," and bluntly stated, "There is no reason to undergo training while being exploited with low wages."

According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, as of the 31st of last month, the attendance rate of residents at 211 training hospitals nationwide was only 8.7%. Out of a total of 13,756 residents, only 1,194 are currently working.

While the government is opening the door wider for second half residency training through additional recruitment, it plans to accelerate medical reform, including structural transformation of tertiary hospitals that heavily relied on residents.

First, by the end of this month, the government will announce the first phase of medical reform measures, including structural transformation of tertiary hospitals, innovation of medical use and supply systems, rationalization of manpower supply and demand forecasting and adjustment systems, innovation of residency training, and increase of fees for severe and essential medical care. Subsequently, in December this year, the second phase of reform measures, including structural reform of indemnity insurance, will be announced, followed by the third phase next year, which will include the advancement of the licensing system.