Government Announces Policy to Recognize Excess Trainees
Medical Community Welcomes Move but Urges for Support
After the government decided to allow the return of resident doctors who collectively resigned last year and to recognize any excess in the number of trainees, the medical community expressed its welcome but also voiced concerns about the burden on training hospitals, urging the government to provide substantial support.
On August 7, the Ministry of Health and Welfare held a training council meeting with the Korean Intern Resident Association, the Korean Association of Training Hospitals, and the Korean Academy of Medical Sciences, and finalized the plan for recruiting resident doctors for the second half of the year. According to this plan, if resident doctors who resigned last year return to their original hospitals, the hospitals will be allowed to determine the number of trainees autonomously, and any excess in the number of trainees will be recognized.
Additionally, for those eligible to return who are about to enlist for military service, measures will be taken to allow them to complete as much of their training as possible before starting their service. If they are called to serve during their training, they will be guaranteed the right to return to their original hospital after discharge.
Kim Sungkeun, spokesperson for the Korean Medical Association, said on this day, "We are pleased that a path has opened for resident doctors who have endured difficult times to return," and added, "We respect the decision reached by the council composed of the parties involved in training." However, he also stated, "It is regrettable that support measures for each training hospital have not been specified," and added, "We hope this will be properly reflected in future discussions."
Frontline training hospitals are concerned about possible operational confusion and increased labor costs if the recognition of excess trainees does not match actual staffing needs. The Seoul Medical Association stated in a press release, "The Ministry of Health and Welfare is only permitting the number of trainees, while leaving recruitment to hospitals, academic societies, and the individual residents, effectively shifting the burden onto them." The medical community maintains that the government should devise specific support measures to address the financial and administrative burdens on hospitals resulting from the return of resident doctors.
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