"This Year, Active Duty and Social Service Medical Students Enlistment Surges... System Improvement Needed"

"Underestimated Figures, Increase in Medical Students' Active Military Enlistment Expected"
"Punitive Military Service Period, Forced Deployment and Assignment Issues"
"Threat to the Public Health Doctor System's Survival... Need for Urgent Discussion on Comprehensive Improvement"

The number of medical students enlisting as active-duty soldiers and social service agents has surged, prompting calls for improvements such as shortening the service period to preserve the public health doctor system.

Darkened examination room at Iyang Health Center, Hwasun-gun, Jeollanam-do. Photo by Yonhap News

The Korean Association of Public Health Doctors (Public Health Doctors Association) announced on the 26th that, according to a response received on the 24th after requesting information disclosure from the Military Manpower Administration on the 11th, the total number of medical students enlisted as active-duty soldiers by October this year was 1,194, and social service agents numbered 139.

The number of medical students on military leave was 116 in 2021, 138 in 2022, and only 162 last year, but it has surged this year.

Lee Seong-hwan, president of the Public Health Doctors Association, said, "Although we did not receive a response citing lack of information, there are also those who enlisted as active-duty soldiers after graduating from medical school and becoming doctors," adding, "Even the figure of 1,333 is an underestimate, and the enlistment of medical students as active-duty soldiers will continue to increase."

The Public Health Doctors Association cited reasons for the acceleration of medical students' active-duty enlistment, including "punitive military service periods, forced dispatch and assignment, and unreasonable rotating medical duties," as well as "the inefficiency of the public health doctor system at large and the government's lukewarm attitude toward resolving the current medical crisis, which has triggered uncertainty."

They urged, "In a situation where the survival of the public health doctor system is threatened, there is a need for a forum to discuss drastic system improvements, including shortening the military service period."