General Practitioners Employed by Lawmakers Increase by 50% Compared to Last Year

Focus on Popular Departments, Over Half in the Capital Area

The number of general practitioners employed at clinic-level medical institutions has significantly increased compared to last year.

A dedicated space for residents at a university hospital in Seoul city. [Image source=Yonhap News]

According to data submitted by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service to Jeon Jin-sook, a member of the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, the number of general practitioners receiving salaries and working at clinics opened by specialists increased from 378 in 2022 and 392 in 2023 to 591 in July this year.

This represents a 50.8% (199 persons) increase compared to last year. The growth rates compared to 2023 were highest in plastic surgery (19.5%), orthopedics (18.6%), and dermatology (15.7%), in that order.

Among the total 591, 231 (39.2%) worked at clinics opened by specialists in popular departments such as dermatology, ophthalmology, and plastic surgery. Specifically, 115 worked in plastic surgery, 93 in dermatology, and 23 in ophthalmology.

A concentration in the metropolitan area was also observed. A total of 367 (62.1%) worked in the metropolitan area, including Seoul (194), Gyeonggi (143), and Incheon (30). Within Seoul, 54.1% were concentrated in Gangnam-gu (76) and Seocho-gu (29).

The number of general practitioners employed at clinic-level medical institutions is expected to have increased sharply even after August. The government changed its policy in July to accept resignation letters from resident doctors who resigned. It is known that a significant number of them have been employed at clinic-level institutions.