Ministry of Health and Welfare "Medical School Expansion Demand Survey Underway... Will Announce Promptly"

Vice Minister Park Minsu Holds Meeting with Private University Hospital Association
Survey Results to Be Announced Once Compiled
"When CPR Is Needed... Bold Government Investment Required"

The Ministry of Health and Welfare is conducting a demand survey until the 10th to determine the scale of medical school enrollment expansion. The ministry plans to compile and announce the results as soon as the survey is completed.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

A Ministry of Health and Welfare official, after concluding a meeting with the Association of Private University Hospitals held on the afternoon of the 10th at a conference room in Jung-gu, Seoul, told reporters, "The (medical school expansion) demand survey results will be announced as soon as they are compiled."

The ministry conducted the demand survey on medical school quotas for 40 medical schools nationwide until the previous day (the 9th). Most medical schools submitted their survey results by the deadline, but some have yet to submit, so additional submissions are accepted until the 10th. A ministry official said, "Since some universities have not yet submitted their survey results, it is not the stage to announce the overall scale," adding, "We plan to quickly compile and announce the results once all are received."

After completing the demand survey, on-site inspections and evaluations of each medical school's educational capacity will be conducted. The ministry official stated, "We will form a medical education inspection team to focus on four major requirements: professors and faculty, revenue-generating assets, and campus land," and added, "We will assess whether the maximum number of students that can be accommodated is feasible based on the acceptable number submitted by each university and their investments." The ministry will discuss the specific inspection schedule, items, and target medical schools in the future.

The timing for deciding the scale of medical school enrollment expansion has not yet been determined. The ministry plans to complete the expansion based on the demand survey results in line with the 2025 academic year admission schedule.

Meanwhile, Park Min-su, the second vice minister of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, held a meeting with the Association of Private University Hospitals on the morning of the same day. The meeting was attended by 29 representatives from 29 of the 53 member schools of the Association, including Yoon Eul-sik, chairman of the Association and vice president for medical affairs at Korea University, and Park Seung-il, senior deputy director.

Private university hospital officials attending the meeting reportedly voiced concerns about the outflow of specialists and the resulting shortage of specialists, as well as the management difficulties faced by regional hospitals. According to a ministry official, the attendees expressed opinions that "government resuscitation is necessary to solve the (essential medical shortage) problem" and emphasized the need for bold government investment. They also reportedly presented opinions on preventing the outflow of residents to private practice, conditional medical school expansion, and medical fees.

At the meeting, Vice Minister Park said, "There have been cases where citizens could not receive timely treatment and died, and long queues have been seen," adding, "The government takes this reality seriously and believes it must be corrected."

Vice Minister Park continued, "We are working hard to find alternatives that can protect citizens' lives and develop regional healthcare, but to solve all these problems, fundamental and structural measures must be introduced," and noted, "This will require considerable time and effort."

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