Chosun University College of Medicine Faculty Council Issues Statement Supporting Residents' Strike

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Yoon Jamin] A group of professors from Chosun University College of Medicine has expressed their support for the residents' strike and the strike of young doctors related to the expansion of medical school quotas and stated their intention to join them.

According to Chosun University Hospital on the 31st, the College of Medicine Faculty Council issued a statement saying, “We support the medical students' solidarity leave of absence, refusal to take the national medical licensing exam, residents' solidarity strike, and the strike of young doctors,” and added, “We will stand together with all students and doctors opposing the government's unilateral policy without communication.”

They urged for communication with young healthcare professionals and prospective medical personnel.

The Chosun University Faculty Council emphasized, “The young doctors and medical students we have taught and graduated are by no means a group that neglects their social responsibilities as healthcare professionals or pursues only materialistic interests,” and stated, “The government's policy to expand medical school quotas and establish public medical schools is an unrealistic policy that cannot solve the fundamental problems of regional medical disparities and manpower shortages in essential but unpopular specialties that our country's medical system is facing, which is why they are raising their voices.”

They continued, “The government and the medical community should start in-depth discussions from scratch in a stable state where the COVID-19 situation has been completely resolved,” and argued, “In particular, the issue should be discussed from a long-term perspective of education, and from a macro perspective of health care development plans, training and expansion of professional personnel aimed at public health and a sustainable welfare state.”

They also demanded, “Please listen to the opinions of students who view this as a serious issue to the extent that fourth-year students about to graduate are withdrawing from the practical exam of the national medical licensing exam starting September 1, and students from the pre-medical course to the medical course are refusing classes and clinical practice, taking leaves of absence, and are willing to face disadvantages such as not graduating or repeating a year.”

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