Despite Government Measures, 90% of Medical Students Turn Away and 'Boycott National Medical Exam'

Proposals Like Grade Exemption and Additional National Exam Review Presented
Medical Students' Collective Leave Followed by National Exam Boycott
Next Year’s New Doctor Output Expected to Drop to One-Tenth
On the 30th, KMLE Begins Evaluation and Accreditation of Medical School Expansion

It has been reported that 9 out of 10 candidates scheduled to take the medical licensing examination (Kuksi) did not submit their application forms. Despite government persuasion, medical students' 'collective boycott' continues. An emergency has been raised regarding the annual production of about 3,000 new doctors.

According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare on the 29th, out of approximately 3,200 candidates scheduled to take the practical medical licensing exam, only 364 (11.4%) submitted their application forms. Among domestic medical students, excluding those who failed the previous year and foreign medical school graduates, only about 5%, or 159 students, submitted applications.

Medical students must pass the Kuksi after graduating from medical school to obtain a medical license. Most medical students, including fourth-year students who are eligible to take the exam, have collectively submitted leave of absence forms and refused classes since February in protest against the increase in medical school admissions. As a result, the number of new doctors produced next year is expected to be about one-tenth of the previous year. Last year, 3,212 candidates took the practical exam, and 3,069 passed.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Ministry of Education and universities have prepared academic operation guidelines to persuade students, including changing the grading evaluation criteria from the end of the semester to the end of the academic year and allowing a 'temporary special measure' not to fail medical students only for this year to prevent them from repeating a year. In particular, the government has decided to actively consider an additional medical licensing exam next year to encourage the return of fourth-year students.

However, despite these efforts, medical students continue to refuse to return, so the effectiveness is expected to be low. On the same day, the Ministry of Education stated, "We have requested the Ministry of Health and Welfare to consider an additional Kuksi exam and are still in consultation," and "Regarding the flexible academic operation guidelines for medical schools, each university is proceeding with the procedures, and we are monitoring the situation."

Meanwhile, an explanatory session on the major change plan evaluation of the Korea Institute of Medical Education and Evaluation's medical education accreditation will be held on the 30th. If a medical school fails this evaluation, it will be suspended from recruiting new students. The Institute plans to receive applications from 30 universities subject to evaluation by the 31st of next month.

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