Professors at Key National Universities: "Government and Medical Organizations Need to Cooperate in Formulating Practical Policies"

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As conflicts between the government and the medical community deepen over the expansion of medical school admission quotas, professors from national flagship universities across the country have called for cooperation to establish realistic policies.

The executive committee of the Federation of Professors' Associations of National Flagship Universities (Geogukryeon), composed of the presidents of professors' associations from 10 national flagship universities including Seoul National University, issued a statement on the 25th, strongly urging "the government and medical organizations to cooperate in establishing realistic and future-oriented medical policies."

They stated, "It appears that the government did not consider the impact on education, academic ecosystems (science and engineering fields), and the overall industry when planning to increase medical school quotas," adding, "In a situation where rural and small-to-medium city populations are declining to the point of concern for extinction, it remains uncertain whether significantly increasing medical school quotas will alleviate the concentration of doctors in metropolitan areas or resolve the shortage of doctors in essential medical specialties."

They continued, "Nevertheless, the government and the medical community are intensifying the medical crisis by emphasizing only their own legitimacy," criticizing, "The government refuses even to negotiate, insisting that the increase of 2,000 students is a non-negotiable condition, while necessary facility improvements, funding expansions, and faculty recruitment that should precede the increase are still far from realization."

They also criticized, "Some medical schools and their presidents, aware of the limited educational conditions yet trapped in shortsighted selfishness, initially requested excessive increases but hastily changed their stance to oppose the expansion," adding, "As half of the residents leave the medical field and medical students prepare to leave their universities, with patients' grievances and public concerns engulfing the entire country, no one apologizes for this situation and the flip-flopping."

They urged, "Responsible medical organizations should immediately begin official dialogue and relax the principle of increasing by 2,000 students to establish an expansion policy that considers reality," emphasizing, "Some university leaders and experts should apologize for providing the government with incorrect and exaggerated information and devote their utmost efforts to bring residents back to the medical field."

Finally, they added, "To minimize side effects from the expansion and maximize policy effectiveness, the education and industrial sectors must also participate in consultations," urging, "The government should not hold residents who have left the field responsible and should use this crisis as a driving force to create a future-oriented medical system, medical education, and a healthy admissions culture."

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