"Principle of Supply and Demand" vs "No Trickledown Effect"... Medical Community Also Divided

Expansion of Medical School Quotas Sparks Heated Debate Within Medical Schools
Opponents: "Increasing Essential Medical Fees Is Urgent"
Supporters: "Absolute Doctor Number Imbalance Cannot Be Ignored"

As the government moves to expand medical school admissions to prevent the collapse of essential medical services, opinions within the medical community are sharply divided over its impact.

In particular, there is heated debate surrounding the so-called "trickle-down effect," which suggests that increasing the total number of doctors will naturally lead to more doctors working in essential medical fields and in rural areas.

Medical Associations: "No Trickle-Down Effect... Raising Fees for Essential Medical Services Is Urgent"

As the government moves to expand medical school admissions to prevent the collapse of essential healthcare, opinions within the medical community are divided over its effectiveness.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Previously, medical associations centered around the Korea Medical Association (KMA) strongly opposed a significant expansion of medical school quotas, arguing that the trickle-down effect toward essential medical fields cannot be expected. The KMA claims that this will only worsen the concentration of doctors in fields like plastic surgery and dermatology.

On the other hand, national university hospitals in rural areas facing a crisis of medical infrastructure collapse and several experts counter that the trickle-down effect clearly exists and that medical school quotas should naturally be increased.

Lee Sang-woon, Vice President of the KMA, stated, "There is no guarantee that increasing the number of doctors will necessarily increase doctors in essential medical fields or produce more regional doctors. Rather, if the concentration in cosmetic surgery or metropolitan areas worsens, it will be difficult to resolve the issue through policy."

More extreme claims have also emerged. Han Joo-suho, former KMA president and current head of the Future Medical Forum, wrote in a media column, "Let's clearly show that the power lies with us, not them," and argued, "We should interpret the government's push to expand medical school quotas as a strong assertion not to specialize in essential medical fields, and seriously consider abandoning essential medicine to enter the non-reimbursed market."

At the emergency medical representatives meeting held by the Korean Medical Association (KMA) on the afternoon of the 17th at the KMA in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, President Il-su Lee (left) is seen conversing with attendees.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

In particular, Representative Han suggested that medical associations should attract doctors to essential medical fields through measures such as "fee increases" rather than expanding medical school quotas.

Jung Ki-seok, Chairman of the National Health Insurance Service and a doctor himself, also stated at the National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee audit the previous day, "(The trickle-down effect) should be considered minimal," and advocated for cost preservation, i.e., fee increases, in essential medical fields.

Doctors working in essential medical fields are also strongly demanding fee increases. A specialist running an obstetrics and gynecology clinic in Seoul said, "The reality is that delivery fees are lower than those for double eyelid surgery; even if the number of doctors increases, would they come here?" urging the need to adjust fees realistically.

Some Argue the Trickle-Down Effect of Expanding Medical School Quotas Is Significant

Inquiries about 'Elementary Medical School Classes' are also flooding in due to the expansion of medical school quotas.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Contrary to the claims of medical associations, many experts argue for the trickle-down effect of expanding medical school quotas. They predict that if medical school quotas increase, doctors will not endlessly flock to fields like plastic surgery and dermatology; once these fields become saturated and profitability declines, doctors will choose essential medical fields.

Moreover, plastic surgery and dermatology are industries that are highly sensitive to economic cycles, so during recessions combined with an increase in doctor supply, profitability may unexpectedly worsen.

Kim Yoon, a professor at Seoul National University College of Medicine, explained in a media interview, "The overwhelming income of doctors compared to other professions causes the concentration in medical schools," adding, "As the number of doctors increases, income decreases accordingly, reducing the attractiveness of these fields."

Nam Eun-kyung, Policy Director at the Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice (CCEJ), also stated, "If enough doctors are added, internal competition and market principles of supply and demand will appropriately distribute them," asserting, "The trickle-down effect is natural."

Rural national university hospitals are even more proactive about expanding medical school quotas, raising their voices for immediate action.

Nam Woo-dong, Director of Kangwon National University Hospital, emphasized at the National Assembly Education Committee audit on the 17th, "Based on experience and conviction, expanding medical personnel is 100% necessary, and even now it is not too late."

He added, "Even if expansion happens now, the doctors will only be deployed in the field 10 years later, and the field is desperately concerned about how to endure until then."

Professor Joo Jin-hyung of Kangwon National University College of Medicine also stressed, "The main cause of regional medical collapse is a shortage of doctors. We must increase the number of doctors first. Now is the time to make a decision."

Poor Conditions Facing Regional Medical Infrastructure

In response, the government is expected to take proactive measures to strengthen regional and essential medical services, focusing on local national universities, to address the crisis of 'collapse of regional medical infrastructure.'
[Photo by Yonhap News]

As voices warning of "regional extinction" due to demographic changes and concentration in the metropolitan area grow louder, the imbalance in medical infrastructure is also cited as a cause of the metropolitan concentration phenomenon.

Those in favor of expanding quotas argue that urgent expansion is necessary to improve the poor conditions of regional medical infrastructure.

They point out that rural medical institutions struggle to recruit doctors in essential medical fields even when offering high annual salaries of 300 million to 400 million KRW, and that regional medical infrastructure is on the brink of collapse.

The government plans to proactively respond to the crisis of "regional medical infrastructure collapse" by focusing on strengthening regional and essential medical services centered on rural national universities.

In particular, the government intends to increase the number of doctors to induce inflow into essential medical fields and designate national university hospitals and other key institutions as hubs for essential medical services, strengthening cooperative systems with regional hospitals and clinics.

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