Medical Association and Residents Meet Reform New Party: "Suspension of Medical School Admissions Next Year Is Best"

The Korean Medical Association (KMA) Emergency Response Committee and the Korean Interns and Residents Association (KIRA), a group representing medical residents, met with the leadership of the Reform New Party to argue that medical school admissions should be suspended next year.

Reform New Party leader Heo Eun-ah and Policy Committee Chair Lee Joo-young are having a photo time on the afternoon of the 24th at the Korean Medical Association in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, before a meeting with Park Hyung-wook, Emergency Committee Chair of the Korean Medical Association, and Park Dan, Emergency Committee Chair of the Korean Intern Resident Association. Photo by Yonhap News

On the 24th, Park Dan, Chair of KIRA's Emergency Response Committee, Park Hyung-wook, Chair of the KMA Emergency Response Committee, Heo Eun-ah, leader of the Reform New Party, and Lee Ju-young, Policy Chair of the Reform New Party, held a closed-door meeting at the KMA headquarters in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. This meeting was held at the request of Chair Park.

Through a press release, KIRA stated that they conveyed to the Reform New Party that "suspending medical school admissions next year is the best course of action." They also emphasized, "(In the current situation) medical education next year is impossible, and neither students nor residents will return," adding, "Most medical residents and students are young people in their 20s and 30s. Unlike the Reform New Party, the People Power Party seems uninterested in the voices of the younger generation," they stressed.

The Reform New Party criticized the government for maintaining its existing stance regarding the increase in medical school quotas. After the meeting, Leader Heo told reporters, "The government is not presenting any measures beyond just numbers that it can be held accountable for," and asked, "I want to ask Yongsan directly: how do you plan to educate these (medical students)?" It is expected that the number of first-year students, including those who could not attend classes this year and those scheduled to be admitted next year, will reach 7,500.

Leader Heo expressed agreement with suspending medical school admissions. He said, "Resolving the issue before the (early) admission results are announced is the most reasonable approach," adding, "It may not represent the opinion of all residents, but isn't it the most rational solution?" The Policy Chair also pointed out, "If medical school admissions increase next year, realistically, education itself will be impossible," and added, "If normal education is difficult, it is hard to accept the increase without alternatives."