Resigned Residents Allowed to Return to Previous Hospitals; Excess Quotas to Be Recognized (Comprehensive)

The government will implement measures to allow resident doctors who have resigned and have not yet completed their mandatory military service to return to training and, as much as possible, complete their training before enlisting. Additionally, if these resigned residents return to their previous hospitals in the same specialty and year, each training hospital will be allowed to autonomously determine the number of positions. If this results in exceeding the quota, the government will recognize the excess positions.

On the 7th, the 3rd Resident Training Council meeting was held at Dalgaebi in Jung-gu, Seoul, attended by Kim Gukil, Director of Health and Medical Policy at the Ministry of Health and Welfare; Yu Heechul, Chairman of the Training Environment Evaluation Committee; Kim Wonseop, President of the Korean Association of Training Hospitals; Lee Jinwoo, President of the Korean Medical Association; Han Sungjon, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the Korean Intern Resident Association; and Kim Donggun, Emergency Committee Member. Photo by Yonhap News

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The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on August 7 that it had reached this agreement during the 3rd Resident Training Council meeting, held in the morning at Dalgaebi in Jung-gu, Seoul, together with the Korean Intern Resident Association and other organizations. The meeting was attended by Kim Gukil, Director of Health and Medical Policy at the Ministry of Health and Welfare; Yu Heechul, Chairman of the Training Environment Evaluation Committee; Kim Wonseop, President of the Korean Association of Training Hospitals; Lee Jinwoo, President of the Korean Medical Association; Han Sungjon, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the Korean Intern Resident Association; and Kim Donggun, Emergency Committee Member.

The participants agreed to support resigned residents in returning to training through this second-half recruitment process. However, they also agreed that it is necessary to consider the level of measures that have been applied in the past when determining specific methods.

Accordingly, this recruitment will be conducted within the range of vacancies by hospital, specialty, and year. If a resigned resident returns to the same hospital, specialty, and year as before their resignation, each training hospital will autonomously decide on their acceptance. If this leads to exceeding the quota, the Ministry of Health and Welfare will recognize the additional positions according to procedures.

The Ministry also plans to coordinate with relevant agencies so that residents who are in a resigned status as military medical officer candidates and return to training through this recruitment can, as much as possible, enlist as military doctors or similar positions only after completing their training. Kim Gukil stated, "If residents end up enlisting during their training depending on the scale of returns, the government will recognize the additional positions after the fact. However, the issue of residents who have already enlisted returning to training will continue to be reviewed."

Previously, in March, the Korean Association of Training Hospitals, the Korean Medical Association, and the Korean Intern Resident Association strongly urged the government to establish a plan that would allow residents who resigned and enlisted, and who are currently serving in the military, to resume their training at their previous hospital, specialty, and year after their discharge in 2028, provided both the resident and the hospital wish to do so.

At the meeting, it was also decided that, considering the second-half training for residents begins in September, applications at each training hospital will start on August 11, and each hospital will conduct interviews and other detailed procedures by the end of this month. In addition to the second-half recruitment, follow-up discussions will continue on improving the resident training environment.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare plans to accelerate key policies to create an environment where doctors working in essential medical fields are given preferential treatment, using this second-half resident recruitment as an opportunity. The government will continue to increase fees for undervalued essential medical services, such as high-difficulty surgeries and procedures, and adjust fees based on cost analysis to ensure appropriate compensation for essential medical services by 2030.

Additionally, to address the avoidance of high-risk essential medical care, the government will discuss establishing a public compensation system for medical accidents and a legal protection system for those who provide essential care to the best of their ability. These discussions will take place through bodies such as the "National Participation Medical Innovation Committee" (tentative name), with the aim of building a safety net for medical accidents.

Minister of Health and Welfare Chung Eunkyung stated, "We hope that many residents will return and continue their training through this second-half recruitment," and emphasized, "The government will prioritize and promote policies that support essential medical services directly linked to the health and lives of the people."

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