The medical community has claimed that there is statistical distortion in the analysis method used by the estimation committee, which determines the medical school enrollment quota for 2027 and related matters.
The Korean Medical Association (KMA) made this statement during a regular briefing held at the KMA headquarters in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on the 26th, and strongly urged the government not to rush through policy decisions. Taekwoo Kim, President of the Korean Medical Association, stated, "Insisting on a particular model or applying incomplete variables leads to statistical distortion," and added, "The current analysis method (ARIMA) being discussed by the estimation committee cannot guarantee statistical validity."
He further explained, "The model used by the estimation committee is designed to predict future values by analyzing past patterns in the data, but there is a significant limitation in that the results can vary greatly depending on the reference point selected for the analysis."
He also emphasized, "Instead of simply counting the number of doctors, we need a conversion index that reflects the actual time doctors spend treating patients," and urged, "Do not be fixated on the current model; adopt various analytical techniques and reasonable variables proposed by medical experts to conduct a comprehensive verification."
He also hinted at the possibility of protest. President Kim stated, "Do not repeat the failures of the previous administration or rush through decisions under time pressure," and warned, "If the model requested by the KMA and convincing results are not produced, we will consider all possible measures, including hunger strikes, to respond."
The KMA plans to release the estimation results from its own research center next month after the estimation committee's results are announced, and to challenge the government's data by exposing its fictitious nature and statistical errors through a verification process.
Meanwhile, the Medical Workforce Supply and Demand Estimation Committee, which consists of the government, healthcare providers, consumers, and academia and is responsible for determining the size of the medical school enrollment quota, failed to reach a conclusion at its 11th and final scheduled meeting on the 22nd, and has postponed the announcement of the results to the 30th.
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