The Korean Academy of Medical Sciences: "Government's Claim of '10,000 Doctor Shortage' is a Misinterpretation of the Report"

The Korean Academy of Medical Sciences, a leading academic organization in the medical field, claimed that the government's assertion of a shortage of 10,000 doctors by 2035 as a basis for increasing medical school admissions is a result of misinterpreting the report.

On the afternoon of the 25th of last month, participants marched toward the Presidential Office during the "National Doctors' Representatives Expanded Meeting and March Event" held at the Korea Medical Association in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, shouting slogans opposing the increase in medical school quotas. [Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 22nd, the Academy stated this through a review opinion on three research reports used by the government as grounds for increasing medical school admissions: those from the Korea Development Institute (KDI), the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, and a research team from Seoul National University. The Academy expressed its position, saying, "We strongly express concern over the biased selection of evidence, formal communication with the medical community, hasty investigations of educational sites, excessive optimism about the educational environment, as well as the interpretation process of the evidence."

The Ministry of Health and Welfare estimates, based on these three research reports, that there will be a shortage of about 10,000 doctors by 2035. The recently controversial plan to increase medical school quotas by 2,000 over five years is also based on this prediction.

The Academy concluded, after reviewing and discussing these reports for a month starting from the 23rd of last month, that there are problems with the government's interpretation of the reports. The Academy argues that these research reports do not reflect social and institutional changes such as medical systems and fees, changes in the public's medical consumption behavior, and advancements in medical technology through artificial intelligence (AI). Furthermore, the changes expected from the soon-to-be-implemented policies to strengthen essential and regional healthcare, as announced by the government, are also not reflected at all.

The Academy stated, "Even now, policies should be decided through a healthy governance composed of the government, the public, and the medical community, based on scientific evidence that considers various factors, undergoes periodic evaluation, and secures flexibility to increase or decrease quotas as necessary."

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