There Is a Shortage of Doctors in Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam... Establish 'Pukyong National University College of Medicine' to Train Research-Oriented 7-Year Physician Scientists

Expert Service Results: Economic Ripple Effect of 3.1 Trillion KRW, Employment of 14,500

Considering Foreign Cases and Domestic Demand, Quota of 30, Gijang Radiation Medical Science Complex as Optimal Location

Busan Ranks First Nationwide in

Aerial view of the College of Medicine and Science campus at Pukyong National University, Gijang.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] What path should Pukyong National University College of Medicine take? The national Pukyong National University has launched a full-scale investigation and analysis project, including the establishment of an 'operation plan,' to promote the establishment of a medical school.

The medical school promoted by Pukyong National University (President Jang Young-su) was pointed out to need to be a research-centered 7-year physician-scientist (MD-PhD) educational institution rather than a clinical doctor training school.

It was also found that upon establishment, it would be linked with the future advanced field of radiation medical science, resulting in significant economic ripple effects and employment inducement effects.

These results came from the 'Study on the Establishment and Operation Plan of Pukyong National University College of Medicine,' held on the 24th, which saw the participation of numerous medical policy experts from domestic universities and national research institutes.

According to this study, after comprehensively considering the domestic and international medical education environment and future medical demand, it was found most reasonable to establish Pukyong National University College of Medicine as an advanced professional training institution based on a physician-scientist model combining a 4-year medical professional graduate school (MD) and a 3-year doctoral medical graduate school (PhD).

Also, considering foreign cases of physician-scientist training and domestic demand, an admission quota of about 30 students was deemed appropriate, and the total investment cost over 30 years related to construction and operation was estimated at 1.0379 trillion KRW.

On the other hand, the economic ripple effect was estimated at 3.1183 trillion KRW, including production inducement (1.7619 trillion KRW) and value-added inducement (1.3563 trillion KRW), and employment creation was estimated at 14,532 jobs.

This study was led by Hanyang University Health and Medical Research Institute, with participation from professors and experts in health and medical policy from the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, Seoul National University, Yonsei University, Korea University, and others. It comprehensively reviewed the current status of domestic and international medical education and future demand for physician-scientists using the latest research and statistical data, thus gaining credibility.

The study results showed that as of 2019, the Dongnam region including Busan had the highest elderly population growth rate (5.5% annually) and mortality rate per 100,000 population (993.8) nationwide.

In particular, Busan had the highest nationwide mortality rates due to cancer (98.4) and heart disease (36.1). As a result, the life expectancy of residents in the Dongnam region was 81.9 years, the lowest nationwide, showing a 1.3-year difference compared to the highest life expectancy in the metropolitan area (83.2 years).

In contrast, the number of doctors per 1,000 population in the Busan area was 1.93 (national average 2.04), and the average annual increase rate of doctors was 2.13% (national average 2.58%), both significantly lower than the national average.

Especially, the medical school quota in the Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam (Bu-Ul-Gyeong) region was 5.79 per 100,000 population, much lower than Jeonbuk (12.92) and Gwangju-Jeonnam (7.52), which currently demand new medical schools. Excluding Seoul and Gyeonggi areas, it ranked 7th out of 8 regions nationwide, just above Chungbuk (5.56).

Furthermore, while the proportion of cancer patients receiving radiation therapy in Korea was 29.1% as of 2016, the radiation therapy rates in the US and Europe exceed 50%. The number of cancer patients, which was 240,000 in 2015, is estimated to surge to 375,000 by 2035, indicating a need to expand specialized personnel in both radiation clinical treatment and equipment sectors.

In response to this demand, the research team proposed that Pukyong National University, a regional national comprehensive university, train physician-scientists specialized in radiation medicine and precision medicine at the 'Dongnam Radiation Medical Science Complex' in Jangan-eup, Gijang-gun, Busan, where advanced cancer treatment facilities are concentrated.

The training of physician-scientists began in the US in 1964 and has been introduced in the UK, Canada, Australia, and Japan. Singapore has operated a 7-year physician-scientist training program jointly with Duke University in the US since 2000.

Pukyong National University College of Medicine can utilize the Dongnam Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences (300 beds) in the same administrative district and the main hospital of the Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences in Seoul (514 beds) as educational cooperative hospitals, resulting in significant economic ripple effects with minimal project costs.

Especially, major facilities such as the medical heavy ion accelerator (260.6 billion KRW) and the new research reactor (438.9 billion KRW) under construction in the Dongnam Radiation Medical Science Complex are scheduled to operate from 2023, and if the Gijang-gun area is designated as an 'Urban Convergence Special Zone' promoted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the ripple effects are expected to expand further.

A Pukyong National University official said, "This study presents a new medical school education model through expert collaboration, reflecting the global medical paradigm shift from treatment and diagnosis-centered medicine to precision and predictive medicine."

He added, "Pukyong National University will establish a new medical school and campus integrating medicine, science, and engineering in Busan, where world-class radiation medical science facilities are concentrated, laying the foundation not only for a cancer treatment hub in Northeast Asia but also for a global precision medical industry center."

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