Legal Basis Established for 'Medical Licensing Exam Retake'... To Be Enforced by the End of This Month

Announcement Period for Medical Licensing Exam '90 Days → Shortened if Necessary'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] Legal grounds have been established to provide a retake opportunity for medical students who collectively refused to take last year's practical medical licensing examination.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced that the "Partial Amendment to the Enforcement Decree of the Medical Service Act," which establishes a provision to shorten the announcement period for medical licensing examinations, was approved at the Cabinet meeting on the 12th.

The amendment primarily stipulates that the announcement period for medical licensing examinations can be shortened when necessary to protect public health and respond to crisis situations such as the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

According to the existing Enforcement Decree of the Medical Service Act, the announcement for the national examination must be made at least 90 days before the exam date. However, the revised decree newly includes a provision stating that "if the Minister of Health and Welfare recognizes an urgent need to supplement medical personnel to protect public health, the announcement period may be shortened."

This is a follow-up measure to assist medical students who effectively refused to take last year's medical licensing exam amid a shortage of public medical personnel due to COVID-19. The Ministry of Health and Welfare decided to split the practical medical licensing examination, which has been held once a year, into two sessions this year: the first half (January) and the second half (September).

The first half exam is scheduled to be held starting on the 23rd. Following the approval of the amendment, the national exam announcement can be made as early as that day. Along with the exam announcement, candidate registration is also expected to proceed.

Kim Hyun-sook, Director of the Medical Workforce Policy Division at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, said, "By enabling the rapid supplementation of medical personnel in crisis situations, we will be able to further enhance the protection of public health and the government's ability to respond to crises."

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