Medical Students' National Exam Cancellation Rate Nears 90%... "Proceeding as Scheduled"

On the 12th, medical students from Chung-Ang University held a picket protest in front of Heukseok Station in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, urging opposition to the expansion of medical school quotas. Photo by Jin-Hyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] It has been confirmed that nearly 90% of candidates canceled the practical exam of the medical licensing examination in opposition to the government's medical policies, including the expansion of medical school quotas and the establishment of public medical schools.

According to the Korea Health Personnel Licensing Examination Institute (KHPLEI) on the 26th, due to the decision by the Korean Medical School and Graduate School Student Association to boycott the practical exam, 2,823 out of 3,172 registered candidates (89%) had submitted cancellation and refund requests to the KHPLEI as of 6 p.m. the previous day.

The KHPLEI announced that regardless of the number of cancellations, the 85th Medical Licensing Examination practical test for 2021 will proceed as scheduled from September 1. They added, "Since we cannot individually verify the authenticity of cancellation requests, we will confirm the identity and cancellation intention of each candidate before finalizing the cancellation and refunding the exam fees."

The Ministry of Health and Welfare also stated in a briefing on the morning of the same day regarding the medical community's collective strike that "cancellation of the medical student licensing exam will be processed after confirming the identity and cancellation intention of the candidates." The medical practical exam will be held over 35 days from September 1 to October 27 at the KHPLEI Practical Exam Center in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul.

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