Return Rate of Residents Reaches 77.2% in Seoul Metropolitan Hospitals,
74.3% in Non-Metropolitan Areas
In the second half of this year, approximately 8,000 medical residents have returned to their training sites, bringing the number of residents back to 76% of the level before the conflict between the medical community and the government.
According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Residency Training Environment Evaluation Committee on September 2, a total of 7,984 medical residents, including interns and residents, were recruited for the second half of 2025. This accounts for 59.1% of the 13,498 positions announced by training hospitals.
By training year, the recruitment rate was 52.0% for interns and 61.2% for residents. By region, training hospitals in the Seoul metropolitan area filled 63.0% of their positions, while those in non-metropolitan areas filled 53.5%.
Including both newly recruited and currently training residents, the total number of residents in the second half of this year stands at 10,305, which is 76.2% of the usual level (13,531 as of March last year). Previously, as of June, the number of residents was only 2,532, or 18.7% of the usual level.
Compared to previous years, the proportion of residents by training year is 61.8% for interns and 80.4% for residents. By region, training hospitals in the Seoul metropolitan area have recovered to 77.2% of previous levels, while those in non-metropolitan areas have reached 74.3%.
By specialty, the eight departments targeted by the government's Residency Training Environment Innovation Support Project-internal medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, emergency medicine, cardiovascular and thoracic surgery, neurology, and neurosurgery-have recovered to 70.1% of previous levels. Other specialties have reached 88.4% of previous levels.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare has been operating a residency consultative body with organizations such as the Korean Academy of Medical Sciences, the Council of Training Hospitals, and the Association of Residents to discuss the return of residents and improvements to the training environment. At the third meeting held on August 7, it was decided to proceed with this round of recruitment under the same conditions as those applied to previously returning residents. Accordingly, the recruitment process was conducted autonomously by each hospital from August 11 to 31.
Minister of Health and Welfare Jeong Eun-kyeong stated that the return of a significant number of previously resigned residents is expected to contribute to the stabilization of the healthcare system. She added, "As the need to strengthen regional, essential, and public healthcare has once again been confirmed, we will ensure that related policies are implemented without delay."
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