"Doctors Should Earn Less, Say the Public"…Big 5 Doctors Speak Out

Professor from 'Big 5' Hospital Posts on YouTube Channel
"Who Would Operate at a Loss When There Are No Patients in the Provinces?"

Amid escalating conflicts between the government and the medical community, a professor affiliated with one of the capital region's 'Big 5' hospitals (Seoul National University, Severance, Samsung Seoul, Seoul Asan, Seoul St. Mary’s) claimed that the government's plan to increase medical school admissions is "unrealistic" and argued that the public supports the increase because of "doctors' high income."

On the 27th, a post submitted by Professor A, who identified himself as belonging to one of the so-called 'Big 5' tertiary hospitals, was revealed on the YouTube channel ‘Yunaeuri, who was a medical school professor born from YouTube,’ operated by Dr. Dong-ik Lee, a practicing ophthalmologist and former professor at Seoul Baik Hospital. Professor A said, "Since the public only sees this as a fight over job security and thinks very negatively, I decided to speak out," adding, "The government says the problem is the lack of pediatric and obstetrics-gynecology departments in rural areas, but this is not the fault of doctors."

"Would a newly graduated doctor go to the countryside and operate at a loss?"

On the 16th, when residents of the 'Big 5' major hospitals in the Seoul metropolitan area announced their intention to submit resignation letters in protest against the government's medical school expansion, residents were moving at a large hospital in Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

Professor A pointed out, "The reason there are no pediatrics or obstetrics-gynecology departments in rural areas is because there are no people there. With the declining birth rate, there are no pediatric patients or pregnant women. There are no patients." He criticized, "(The government) thinks that if they increase the number of doctors, someone will go to these patient-scarce rural areas to work in pediatrics or obstetrics-gynecology. That assumption is wrong." He explained that to run a hospital, one needs to see more than 40 patients a day, but small rural towns have too few patients, resulting in a deficit.

He added, "There are cases where excellent entrepreneurs establish hospitals in rural areas despite expecting losses," but questioned, "Would a doctor who just finished studying open a pediatrics or obstetrics-gynecology clinic in the countryside, anticipating a loss?" He further argued, "Since the probability of maintaining a hospital in areas with few patients is almost zero, no one goes there."

76% of the public positive about increasing medical school admissions: "Because of doctors' income"

On the 21st, when the resignation and work stoppage of residents nationwide, including those at the Big 5 hospitals, continued, patients and their families waiting for medical treatment were seen at a large hospital in Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

Regarding the public opinion favoring an increase in medical school admissions, he said, "Anyway, doctors earn a lot of money, so regardless of the region, people think it would be better if they earned less. Therefore, they want more doctors to be admitted. That seems to be the thought of many citizens." According to a Korea Gallup survey conducted from the 13th to the 15th among 1,002 adults nationwide aged 18 and older, 76% responded that there are more positive aspects to expanding medical school quotas, while 16% said there are more negative aspects.

Professor A also expressed concern, saying, "I wonder if the public agrees (to increase doctors) thinking about paying health insurance premiums 10 or 20 years from now," predicting that medical expenses will increase. The Korean Medical Association also cites medical costs as one of the reasons for opposing the increase in medical school admissions. The biggest factors affecting medical expenses are the number of doctors and hospital beds, and if the medical school quota increases by 2,000, medical expenses will be 35 trillion won higher by 2040, causing each citizen to bear an additional 60,000 won per month.

However, the government remains firm on expanding medical school admissions by 2,000. On the same day, President Yoon Suk-yeol stated, "Increasing medical school admissions by 2,000 is the minimum scale to fill the shortage of doctors," and added, "Medical reform cannot be a subject of negotiation or compromise." The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced that starting today, it will implement a 'pilot project for medical support personnel' to minimize medical service gaps caused by the withdrawal of residents.

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