Resident Submitting Resignation: "Is This Still a Fight Over Food Bowls?"

Young Doctors "Helplessness in Reality Where Opinions Are Not Reflected"... Indefinite Strike Inevitable

On the 26th, when the second general strike led by the Korea Medical Association (KMA) was enforced, a fellow doctor held a picket protest at Seoul National University Hospital in Jongno-gu, Seoul. The KMA opposed the government's policies such as expanding the quota for medical schools and entered a three-day collective strike until the 28th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo So-jeong] "I submit my resignation with a heavy heart. We are not fighting over our own interests. The government must listen to why residents, who prioritize patients' lives above all else, have to take off their white coats."

Seo Jae-hyun, spokesperson for the Emergency Response Committee of the Korean Intern Resident Association, expressed his heavy feelings in a phone interview with Asia Economy on the 27th, the seventh day of the indefinite strike and the second day of the second general doctors' strike. On that morning, residents at major hospitals such as Seoul Asan Medical Center and Seoul Severance Hospital submitted their resignations one after another and took off their doctor’s coats. These residents, who used to rush at the call of emergency patients, have taken the extreme step of submitting resignations. Although residents voiced opposition to government policies such as expanding medical school quotas and establishing public medical schools, their opinions were not reflected at all, leading them to enter an 'indefinite strike.' They collectively ask for understanding of their desperate feelings. Seo, the spokesperson, dismissed concerns by saying, "The government issued work commencement orders to residents and fellows in the metropolitan area who went on a collective sickout the day before, but there are no residents who are scared or worried."

Another resident working at Hanyang University Hospital defined this indefinite strike as an "escape from chronic helplessness." He said, "There is widespread helplessness in the medical community that no matter how many opinions are presented, they will not be reflected," and emphasized, "Young doctors want to break free from this helplessness through the indefinite strike and solve the fundamental causes rather than pouring water into a bottomless pit."

◆ The problem is not the number but the medical fees = What stands out in this second general doctors' strike is that residents are maintaining the strongest stance. This means that residents’ awareness of the problems with the four major government policies is serious. Among them, residents are most strongly opposed to the expansion of medical school quotas. Seo warned against the frame of a "high-income professional’s fight over their own interests." The ruling party and government announced in July a plan to train an additional 400 students annually for 10 years starting from 2022, totaling 4,000 students. They plan to require 10 years of regional mandatory service so that quality medical services can be provided in local areas. Seo said, "The problem is not the number," and firmly stated, "Even if 400 or many more medical students are admitted, the reality will not change." He explained that the reason basic medical sciences, trauma surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, and thoracic surgery have become so-called unpopular departments is due to low medical fees. He said, "Simply put, when doctors perform medical procedures, the government’s support is less than the cost incurred, so hospitals have to cover the shortfall from other sources," adding, "The government undervalues the noble work of saving lives."

◆ "It’s tough and hard, but only responsibility is emphasized" = Another resident working at Asan Medical Center protested, saying, "There are not many doctors willing to apply to unpopular departments with low medical fees just out of a sense of mission and responsibility." He argued that the government should carefully examine the harms caused by low medical fees and improve the contradictory medical system where deficits snowball the more treatment is provided. Another resident, who requested anonymity, emphasized, "Because Korea has good medical accessibility, the number of patient visits to doctors ranks first in the world," and stressed, "It’s not simply a shortage of doctors; the medical delivery system must be corrected considering various factors such as medical accessibility."

Residents are also opposing the government’s plan to establish public medical schools. Another resident said, "Residents training at public medical schools will want to train in good environments just like those at large hospitals in Seoul," but predicted, "However, due to a severe shortage of faculty and hospital facilities, conditions for skill development will not be adequate." In this regard, Shin Chan-soo, dean of Seoul National University College of Medicine, also expressed a critical view, saying, "As seen in the closure of Seonam Medical School, establishing a public medical school without a concrete operational blueprint will lead to failure." Dean Shin also opposed the inclusion of herbal medicine decoctions in insurance coverage, saying, "When a new drug is developed, its efficacy, safety, and side effects are evaluated with high standards, so it is unreasonable to use health insurance funds to cover decoctions listed in Donguibogam."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.