860 Resigned Residents Resume Training... 5.9% of Additional Positions Filled

18.7% Return Rate Compared to Pre-Conflict Levels

A total of 860 resident doctors who had previously resigned returned to hospitals and resumed their training as of June 1.

The Training Environment Evaluation Committee (Suhyeongwi) of the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on June 2 that, as a result of additional recruitment targeting resigned residents at training hospitals nationwide last month, a total of 860 candidates were accepted. This figure represents 5.9% of the total 14,456 positions available in the additional recruitment (3,157 interns and 11,299 residents).

As a result, the total number of residents currently in training nationwide has increased to 2,532. This number includes 850 residents who were promoted in March, 822 residents who returned in the first half of the year, and those who have just returned. It is 18.7% of the pre-conflict figure of 13,531 residents.

Previously, the government accepted requests from the medical community to allow resigned residents wishing to return to resume training as soon as possible, even before the regular recruitment in the second half of the year, and permitted training hospitals to conduct additional recruitment in May.

Additionally, ahead of recruitment, the government allowed residents in their final year of training (third- and fourth-year residents) to take the specialist exam early next year and complete their training by May. During the recruitment process, the government also decided to shorten the training period for returning interns from 12 months to 9 months so that they can be promoted to resident status as usual in March next year.