Medical Association: "Ministry of Education, Do Not Undermine the Independence of the Medical Education Evaluation Institute"

Jeonui Gyo Hyup, Korean Medical Association, and Medical Association, etc.
"Unreasonable Changes in Composition Must Not Be Attempted"

The government expressed regret over the media interview given by the president of the Korea Institute of Medical Education and Evaluation (KIMEE), which assesses and accredits the quality of medical education, and demanded changes to the board composition, prompting medical organizations to escalate their criticism day by day.

A promotional poster opposing the increase in medical school admissions is posted at the Korean Medical Association in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 6th, the Korean Association of Medical School Professors (KAMSP), the Korean Association of Medical Colleges and Schools of Medicine, the Korean Academy of Medical Sciences, and the Korean Medical Association (KMA) stated in a press release, "The Ministry of Education's briefing could be perceived as an attempt to intimidate the accreditation body in advance or as a plea from KIMEE to ease the evaluation." They added, "We sincerely hope that the Ministry of Education respects the expert insight of medical school professors and refrains from further undermining KIMEE's independence and autonomy."

On the 4th, Deputy Minister of Education Oh Seok-hwan said at a briefing, "We express deep concern and regret over (Andukseon) KIMEE President's baseless prejudgment about the decline in the quality of medical education, which has continuously caused anxiety through media interviews." He also requested that KIMEE reflect in its evaluations the fact that the government will not spare financial support for medical reform and include 'public interest representatives' recommended by consumer groups in the medical field on KIMEE's board of directors.

KAMSP and others argued, "The Ministry of Education must faithfully fulfill its responsibility to ensure the quality of university education by requesting KIMEE to thoroughly verify the feasibility of (medical school quota increases) in the field," and "It should actively oppose the unreasonable policy of increasing quotas by 65% within one year."

Regarding the board composition, these organizations stated, "Compared to the board compositions of medical education accreditation bodies in the United States and Japan, diversity is higher," and "Only in Korea's KIMEE does one Ministry of Health and Welfare official participate." Among KIMEE's 22 board members, 18 are physicians. In the U.S. medical education accreditation body, 5 out of 21 members are physicians, and in a similar Japanese institution, 18 out of 19 members are physicians.

The statements from the medical organizations came following consecutive critical statements issued by emergency committees of professors from medical schools affiliated with the 'Big 5 hospitals'?Korea University, Yonsei University, Seoul National University, Sungkyunkwan University, and Ulsan University?on the previous day. The Korean Medical Association's Special Committee for Proper Medical Care (SCPMC), which includes professor groups and local medical associations, also declared after a meeting that day, "We condemn the Ministry of Education's remarks that disparaged KIMEE's independence and autonomy," and emphasized, "There must never be reckless attempts to unreasonably change KIMEE's composition."

KIMEE operates based on the Medical Service Act and the Higher Education Act, evaluating and accrediting whether medical schools have proper educational conditions and no issues in conducting medical education. The institution has clearly expressed opposition to the government's push to increase medical school quotas through statements and interviews by its chairperson and president.

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