"‘If You Don’t Get Hit at Least Once a Day...’ Scandal of University Hospital Attending Physician Habitually Assaulting Residents"

Chosun University Excludes Professor from Medical Practice
Repeated Assaults and Beating with Steel Pipe Reported

On the first day of the implementation of the so-called 'Doctor's License Revocation Act,' which cancels the licenses of medical professionals who commit crimes, a revelation emerged that a university hospital supervising professor had been habitually assaulted, causing a stir.

The controversy quickly spread mainly through online communities, and the hospital took temporary measures against the supervising professor accused of assault.

On the 22nd, Chosun University Hospital strengthened the existing temporary measures against the professor, banning all medical activities including outpatient care, surgeries, inpatient treatment, and emergency medical center duties.

Earlier, on the 20th, a post titled "I am a university hospital resident. Please help me regarding habitual assault" was uploaded on the online community Bobae Dream.

On the 20th, a post titled "I am a resident at a university hospital. Please help with habitual assault" was uploaded on the online community BobaeDream.
[Photo source=Online community 'BobaeDream']

A, who identified himself as a fourth-year neurosurgery resident at a university hospital in Gwangju, claimed, "I have been continuously and habitually assaulted by my supervising professor."

A explained, "I was assaulted in the hospital corridors where patients pass by, in front of patients who came for outpatient visits, and in front of nurses and hospital staff," adding, "I was separately called and beaten multiple times with a metal pipe, slapped so hard that my glasses flew off and bent, and my face was slammed onto a computer keyboard while my neck was grabbed."

The recording files contain sounds presumed to be assault along with the professor's voice

As the controversy spread, Chosun University Hospital immediately held an Education and Training Committee meeting, confirmed the assault by the supervising professor, and reported the matter to the University Faculty Personnel Team, which handles faculty disciplinary actions, as well as to the University Human Rights and Gender Equality Center responsible for the investigation.
[Photo by Online Community 'BobaeDream']

Among the three audio recordings attached by A, there are sounds presumed to be from the assault along with the supervising professor’s voice saying, "Hey, if you don’t get hit at least once a day..."

A said, "Due to fear stemming from the status difference between a resident being trained and a supervising professor, and the concern that conflicts might harm my colleagues, I endured it," adding, "However, I realized that thinking I could just endure it alone was wrong."

He continued, "I do not believe that being humiliatingly beaten in front of patients, juniors, and hospital staff is necessary to provide better medical care," emphasizing, "I want to break this bad practice at least within my cohort so that it does not continue to future residents."

As the controversy spread, Chosun University Hospital immediately held an education and training committee meeting, confirmed the assault by the supervising professor, and reported the matter to the university personnel team responsible for faculty discipline and the university human rights and gender equality center in charge of the investigation.

Additionally, the hospital prohibited all contact between the accused professor and the victim resident until the disciplinary committee makes a decision. Initially, the professor was barred from all medical activities except scheduled outpatient care and surgeries, but on this day, outpatient and surgical duties were also excluded.

Meanwhile, the so-called 'Doctor's License Revocation Act (Medical Law Amendment),' which cancels the licenses of medical professionals such as doctors who receive prison sentences or higher for criminal acts like traffic accidents, came into effect on the 20th. The law applies not only to doctors, dentists, and Korean medicine doctors but also to midwives and nurses.

If a medical professional’s license is revoked due to a crime, they must pay for and complete more than 40 hours of related education on patient rights and understanding before reissuing the license. Furthermore, reissuance requires the consent of at least five out of nine members of the License Reissuance Review Committee.

However, some critics argue that the requirements for reissuing medical licenses are unclear, raising concerns about fairness.

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