"Over 90% of Medical Students Hope to Become Public Health Doctors or Military Physicians if Service Period Is Shortened"

Over 90% of Medical Students Prefer Public Health or Military Doctor Service if Service Period Is Shortened to 24 Months

More than 90% of medical students said they would prefer to serve as public health doctors (Gongbo-ui) or military doctors if the service period is reduced to 24 months, according to a survey.

On the 17th, the Korean Association of Public Health Doctors disclosed the results of a survey conducted by the Korean Medical Association's Medical Policy Research Institute targeting 2,469 medical students.

According to the survey, if the service period is shortened to 24 months, the willingness to serve as a Gongbo-ui was 95%, and as a military doctor was 92%.

The willingness to serve as a Gongbo-ui increased from the current 37-38 months to 63% when shortened to 26 months, and to 95% when shortened to 24 months. For military doctors, under the same conditions, the willingness rates rose to 55% and 92%, respectively.

In particular, among respondents who wished to serve as 'general medical soldiers,' about 94% expressed a preference to serve as Gongbo-ui or military doctors if the service period was reduced to 24 months.

On the morning of June 17 last year, a military medical officer arrived and was moving at Seoul National University Hospital. Photo by Yonhap News

Respondents felt burdened by the service periods for Gongbo-ui and military doctors. 75% of respondents rated the burden as '10' (very burdensome) out of 10 points. Including those who rated it '9,' the percentage of respondents feeling burdened reached 84%.

Lee Seong-hwan, president of the Public Health Doctors Association, said, "Reducing the service period is not just about increasing the application rate; it is a warning that if we do not shorten it now, soon no one will apply to be a Gongbo-ui or military doctor." He added, "The collapse of the Gongbo-ui system has already begun, and now is the last chance for reduction."

He also pointed out, "If the government truly intends to protect public healthcare, it must immediately hold a meeting with the association to discuss countermeasures. If left unattended without improvement, we will no longer be able to recommend Gongbo-ui service to future generations."