SEOUL - Medical professors from across South Korea have announced plans to submit their resignations on March 25, standing in solidarity with the trainee doctors' strike against the government's medical policy reforms.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the decision to resign was made during an online assembly involving representatives from 20 of the nation's 40 medical schools. This collective action aims to urge the government to find a resolution to the ongoing dispute initiated by trainee doctors over the proposed increase in medical school admissions. Despite their resignation, the professors have vowed to continue patient care, responding to the void left as over 90 percent of the 13,000 trainee doctors have halted their services in protest since last month.
Bang Jae-seung, head of the emergency committee of medical school professors, emphasized at a press conference that their resignation is a strategic move to advocate for negotiations and is not intended to neglect patient care. The professors plan to maintain their clinical responsibilities until their resignation processes are finalized.
The core of the disagreement lies in the government's plan to boost the number of medical school seats by 2,000, aiming to alleviate doctor shortages in rural regions and less popular medical specialties. However, the medical community fears this expansion could dilute the quality of medical training and services, leading to escalated healthcare costs for the public.
As the March 25 deadline approaches for trainee doctors to respond to the government's license suspension notices, the tension underscores deep-seated concerns about the future of healthcare services in South Korea. Major hospitals have already reported significant disruptions, including postponed surgeries and compromised emergency care, heightening anxieties about patient access to timely medical interventions.
The forthcoming meeting scheduled for next Friday by the professors' group is expected to assess the situation's progress and potentially chart the course for further actions within the medical sector's protest against the enrollment quota increase.