'May Additional Recruitment' for Resigned Residents Begins Tomorrow

The government will begin an additional round of recruitment in May for resident doctors who have resigned.

On May 19, the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced that, in response to requests from training institutions such as the Korean Academy of Medical Sciences, the Council of Training Hospitals, the Korean Hospital Association, the Korean Association of Medical Colleges and Graduate Schools, the National University Hospital Association, and the Association of Private University Hospitals, it will conduct additional recruitment of residents from May 20 until the end of the month.

An official from the Ministry of Health and Welfare explained, "These organizations requested an additional recruitment process to enable resigned residents to return to training, in order to prevent shortages of specialists and resolve gaps in medical care. After careful consideration, the government has decided to provide an opportunity for residents who wish to resume their training this month to return, based on their individual choice."

The additional recruitment will be conducted autonomously by each training hospital, and specific eligibility criteria and procedures will be announced on the Korean Hospital Association website.

Successful candidates will begin their training on June 1 and will continue until May 31 of the following year. Senior residents (third- and fourth-year) will be eligible to take the specialist examination in February of the following year. However, as with those who returned in March, there will be no reduction in the training period.

For resigned residents who are accepted and return through this recruitment, even if the training quota (TO) for their original hospital, department, or year has already been filled by promoted trainees, the quota will be additionally recognized. For residents who have already enlisted in the military, the issue of returning to their training hospital after discharge will be reviewed in consideration of future medical workforce and military resource supply, as well as fairness with previous returnees.

In a previous survey conducted by the Council of Training Hospitals and others, many residents responded that they would return to training if certain conditions were met. The Ministry of Health and Welfare stated, "We have already accepted or reflected most of the conditions mentioned in the survey in this recruitment process. For the 'adjustment of the essential medical package through negotiation' requested by residents, tasks that have already been budgeted or confirmed through the Health Insurance Policy Deliberation Committee will be implemented without delay. For previously announced healthcare reform tasks that require further development, we plan to gather sufficient feedback from the field and make improvements."