Next Year's Simultaneous First-Year Medical Student Enrollment Estimated at 5,500?6,100, Not 10,000

"If Medical Schools Do Not Enforce Probation for Students on Academic Probation, Universities Will Face Academic Audits"

The Ministry of Education has predicted that the so-called "tripling"?in which the incoming classes of 2024, 2025, and 2026 would all simultaneously attend the first-year pre-medical course next year?will not be as large in scale as previously feared.

On May 12, Kim Hongsoon, Director of Medical Education Support at the Ministry of Education, stated at a briefing at the Government Complex Sejong, "It appears that the number of first-year pre-medical students next year will be between 5,500 and 6,100," adding, "There will not be a situation where 10,000 students are being educated at the same time."

Kim explained, "If you add up the three cohorts, the total is about 10,700, but when you consider 2,700 students who, due to academic warnings or course registration issues, must take classes in the second semester, 2,000 students currently taking classes, 475 students on a one-year leave of absence since last year, and 560 students on military leave, the maximum number of first-year pre-medical students next year will be 6,100." He added, "Even if 6,000 students are educated at once during the pre-medical phase, there will not be significant difficulties."

Kim further noted, "This is an overall figure for all medical schools, and the situation may differ at individual universities. Also, students who have received academic warnings or registered for only one course can be promoted as usual if they complete the required credits before advancing to the main medical course."

Additionally, the Ministry of Education announced that if universities do not enforce the probation measures as previously indicated, it will impose sanctions through academic audits and inspections.

On May 9, the government announced that, out of 19,475 students enrolled at 40 medical schools nationwide, 8,305 would be placed on academic probation and 46 would be expelled, based on data compiled from each medical school. Kim stated, "Each university has already finalized the lists of students on probation and expulsion and has sent the official documents to the Ministry of Education. While we trust the universities, if there are any discrepancies between the official documents and actual actions, the Ministry will provide guidance and conduct inspections of academic affairs."

Meanwhile, the Korean Medical Students Association (KMSA), which represents student bodies at all 40 medical schools nationwide, issued a joint statement on May 8, attaching withdrawal applications prepared by 40 student representatives. However, it has been reported that these applications were not actually submitted. In the statement, the KMSA said, "The Ministry of Education is distorting the essence of education by threatening expulsion, even claiming that taking a personal leave of absence is impossible without government approval," and declared that if expulsions of medical students become a reality, they would submit their withdrawal applications. When asked whether the KMSA leadership had submitted withdrawal applications, Kim responded, "As far as the Ministry of Education has confirmed, no withdrawal applications have been submitted."