Suncheon National University Confirms Seriousness of Regional Medical Neglect in Medical School Establishment Research Report

Establishment of Medical Schools and Affiliated Hospitals Essential to Bridge Healthcare Disparities

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Hyung-kwon] Suncheon National University recently confirmed in a feasibility study on the establishment of a medical school that the Jeonnam region is the most medically underserved area nationwide. The university announced on the 15th that there is a growing consensus on the urgent need to urge the government to establish a national medical school and university hospital in Jeonnam to bridge the medical gap through the expansion of public healthcare.

Suncheon National University (President Ko Young-jin) held a meeting on the 11th to discuss attracting a medical school and affiliated hospital at the request of lawmakers from the eastern Jeonnam region, including Assemblyman So Byung-chul.

The meeting was attended by National Assembly members Kim Seung-nam, So Byung-chul, Kim Hoe-jae, Seo Dong-yong, as well as metropolitan and local council members and figures from the regional medical community. They shared the results of the feasibility study on establishing the Suncheon National University College of Medicine and discussed cooperation plans to attract the medical school.

The feasibility study, commissioned by Suncheon National University and conducted by a consortium led by Seoul National University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation, closely analyzed statistical data on Jeonnam’s medical realities and healthcare utilization patterns.

Jeonnam Province ranked first nationwide in the proportion of general practitioners but had the lowest proportion of specialists in general hospitals and the highest rate of unmet medical needs, indicating a very poor medical situation.

In particular, essential critical care fields such as emergency medical services, stroke, myocardial infarction, lung cancer, and liver cancer were extremely vulnerable.

The proportion of intensive care units was the lowest in the country, and there was significant patient outflow to other regions in essential and emergency medical fields with high surgical demand.

The study confirmed with data the harsh reality faced by residents who had nowhere to be admitted when critical patients or emergencies occurred, causing great distress.

Since essential critical care requires highly skilled medical faculty and expensive medical equipment despite low profitability, there was consensus on the urgent need to attract a national university hospital to secure the medical welfare rights of residents.

Park Ki-young, head of the Suncheon National University Medical School Establishment Promotion Team, who presented the findings, said, “We have presented data that objectively shows the poor medical realities felt by local residents. I hope the regional political community will once again work hard based on clear data to attract the medical school.”

In response, local politicians including Assemblyman So Byung-chul confirmed the objective data supporting the need to establish a medical school and university hospital in Jeonnam to fulfill the Moon Jae-in administration’s pledges. The meeting served as a platform to build consensus for cooperation among the National Assembly and metropolitan and local governments, emphasizing continuous efforts through the legislative council to establish a medical school in Jeonnam.

A regional medical community representative attending the meeting expressed regret over Jeonnam’s reality of lacking a university hospital designated as a regional responsibility medical institution, which is included in the government’s basic public healthcare plan. They hoped that attracting the Suncheon National University College of Medicine and affiliated hospital would enable it to serve as a regional responsibility medical institution and cultivate medical personnel who can reside in the area.

Meanwhile, Suncheon National University announced future plans to establish a medical school and affiliated hospital based on the study results, focusing on specialization strategies centered on public healthcare, essential critical and emergency medical care, and industrial accident medical services, and to actively promote related attraction activities.

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