Medical-Political Agreement on Improving Training Environment... Still a Steep Climb Until Residents Return

The government and the medical community have reached a consensus on the need to improve the training environment for residents. The medical community voiced concerns about the poor conditions of resident training, and the government expressed its intention to actively work on improving the training environment after gathering opinions. Although the government and the medical community communicated positively regarding medical policy, there remains a widespread view that the process of reinstating resigned residents will still be challenging.

Panelists are speaking at the 'Policy Dialogue for Normalizing Medical Sites' discussion held on the 10th at Seminar Room 3, National Assembly Members' Office Building, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Choi Taewon

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The Korea Medical Association, the Korean Intern and Resident Association (KIRA), the National Assembly Legislative Research Office, and the National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee held a policy dialogue forum titled "Policy Dialogue for Normalization of Medical Field" on the 10th at the 3rd Seminar Room of the National Assembly Members' Office Building in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, focusing on improving the training environment and treatment of residents.

Park Dan, the emergency committee chair of KIRA, who presented at the forum, proposed improvement measures such as reducing training hours from 80 hours per week to 64 hours, and eventually to 52 hours in the long term, as well as shortening continuous working hours from 36 hours to 24 hours. He stated, "Referring to cases in Europe and Japan, resident training hours should be reduced to 64 hours per week, and medical personnel should be removed from the special exceptions under the Labor Standards Act to gradually introduce a 52-hour workweek."

He added, "Since the risk of harm to patients increases just by being awake for 24 hours, the most urgent improvement is the 36-hour continuous working hours," and emphasized, "Given that the current 80-hour workweek is ineffective, rest time should also be recognized as training time and legally codified."

He also pointed out the need to improve resident salaries, which are at minimum wage levels. Park said, "The average weekly training hours for residents are 77.7 hours, but the average monthly salary is 3.97 million KRW. Calculated hourly, it is about 11,700 KRW per hour," and argued, "The comprehensive wage system should be prohibited, and wages should be paid according to actual working hours."

He raised the necessity to amend the special law for residents so that the Labor Standards Act can be applied. Citing Article 5 of the Public Interest Whistleblower Protection Act as a precedent, he said, "If the law is amended to state that 'this law shall take precedence over other laws regarding the protection of residents' rights, but if applying other laws is more favorable to residents, those laws shall apply,' then at least the minimum standards of the Labor Standards Act could be applied."

Bang Young-sik, Director of the Medical Workforce Policy Division at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, expressed agreement with these proposals. He said, "Until now, responsibility for the resident training environment has been unilaterally placed on hospitals," and added, "Since the process of training specialists is ultimately a national necessity, the Korean government now accepts the concept that the state should bear some responsibility."

He continued, "Because the resident training environment is an issue that applies to all departments, I believe it should be continuously developed in the mid to long term," and added, "We hope to actively participate in the legislative process so that the proposals made today can be stably institutionalized and the resident training environment in Korea can be improved."

Although the government’s response to the medical community’s suggestions has somewhat broadened the scope for communication between the two sides, the general outlook is that this atmosphere is unlikely to induce resigned residents to return.

Regarding this, Park, the emergency committee chair, stated, "I attended the forum because improving the training environment is one of the seven major demands of residents," and clarified that the communication on this day was unrelated to the issue of reinstating resigned residents.

He added, "Even if the quota issue is resolved, will residents and students really return to schools and hospitals? Then, will I be able to persuade them in the middle? That remains a question mark."

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