{"id":2204455,"date":"2024-03-27T19:16:58","date_gmt":"2024-03-27T10:16:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2204455"},"modified":"2024-03-28T22:17:16","modified_gmt":"2024-03-28T13:17:16","slug":"south-koreas-med-school-expansion-plan-sparks-debate-over-long-term-impact","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2024\/03\/south-koreas-med-school-expansion-plan-sparks-debate-over-long-term-impact\/","title":{"rendered":"South Korea\u2019s med school expansion plan sparks debate over long-term impact"},"content":{"rendered":"

The South Korean government plans to increase medical school admissions by 2,000 spots next year, the first expansion in nearly two decades, to address the country\u2019s <\/span>doctor shortage<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But experts say there may be unintended consequences that impact the quality of education, regional sustainability and the long-term distribution of healthcare professionals.<\/span><\/p>\n

The government decided to increase admissions to the country\u2019s medical schools as there is a severe need for medical professionals as the country rapidly ages. Seoul projects a shortage of some 20,000 trained medical professionals by 2035.<\/span><\/p>\n

The government\u2019s initiative aims to decentralize the medical profession and enhance healthcare services in rural areas by expanding admission quotas at others. The government hopes this will address the country\u2019s severe shortage of surgeons, obstetricians and pediatricians.<\/span><\/p>\n

REGIONAL DISPARITIES<\/b><\/p>\n

South Korea has 40 medical schools with a total admission quota that has remained unchanged at 3,058 students annually since 2006, according to the education ministry, a limited number compared to other fields of study.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lim Seong-ho, the CEO of Jongno Academy, a private institution that helps would-be medical students pass the entrance exam, told <\/span>Korea Pro<\/span><\/i> that the government plans to allocate 1,600 out of 2,000 new slots to students outside major metropolitan areas.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGiven the smaller student populations in provincial areas compared to the Seoul metropolitan area, the government\u2019s strategy aims to expand the number of future doctors to these sparsely populated regions as much as possible,\u201d Lim said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

A medical student uses a laptop | Image: Canva<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

SHIFTING COURSE<\/b><\/p>\n

Lim explained to <\/span>Korea Pro<\/span><\/i> that two main factors determine the competition rate for regional talent admissions: the number of applicants and the number of spots available.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNaturally, regions with fewer applicants and a significant increase in medical school slots will see lower competition rates,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

An <\/span>analysis<\/span><\/a> by the <\/span>Herald Economy<\/span><\/i> newspaper revealed that Gangwon Province, with about 11,000 applicants, faces a competition rate of one in 27 across four medical schools admitting 432 students.<\/span><\/p>\n

Conversely, Busan and Ulsan in South Gyeongsang Province have 57,000 applicants and the highest national competition rate at 70 to 1, with four medical schools enrolling 820 students.<\/span><\/p>\n

This situation has heightened <\/span>interest<\/span><\/a> among parents aiming for regional talent admissions, potentially leading to more families relocating to provincial areas so their children can qualify for a better chance of getting into a medical school.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBeing an education-centric country, the fervor for education often leads parents to prioritize their children\u2019s prospects over their aptitudes or interests, especially when selecting their children\u2019s field of study,\u201d Lim Jeong-Mook, the chair of Seoul National University\u2019s faculty council, told <\/span>Korea Pro<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lim of Jongno Academy backed up Lim Jeong-mook\u2019s concerns, telling <\/span>Korea Pro<\/span><\/i> that he has already observed a renewed interest in reapplying for medical school among individuals who tried and failed to get in before and among STEM students and professionals.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been observing this closely since the government announced its plans to expand medical school quotas,\u201d Lim of Jongno Academy said, adding that the new admissions system may successfully lure students from other majors into medicine.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol meets the medical staff at Cheongju Korea Hospital, March 26, 2024 | Image: ROK Presidential Office<\/a><\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

BUT WILL IT WORK?<\/b><\/p>\n

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol announced measures to address the distribution of medical professionals across the country during a <\/span>cabinet meeting<\/span><\/a> in late March. The measures aim to establish a support system that ensures the additional medical professionals who benefit from the government\u2019s initiative can find jobs outside urban areas.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Yoon expressed confidence that graduates from regional medical schools would stay and work there. He also stated that the government would help make it possible for medical school graduates to complete residency training outside the capital area.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If the administration\u2019s plans come to fruition, it might benefit regional hospitals that are facing significant challenges. According to the National Health Insurance Service\u2019s latest national <\/span>statistics report<\/span><\/a>, four out of 10 health insurance beneficiaries treated in Seoul last year were from other regions.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kim Mi-suk, director of the nursing department at a hospital in Chuncheon, about 45 miles (75 kilometers) from Seoul, shared with <\/span>Korea Pro<\/span><\/i> the challenges of working in a rural region of South Korea.<\/span><\/p>\n

She pointed out that equipment and staffing shortages were exacerbated by a tendency for medical school graduates to flock to Seoul. This trend, coupled with the public\u2019s preference for larger hospitals, adds additional strain.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSince our hospital is a mid-sized hospital, we lack the advanced equipment found in larger hospitals, especially Seoul, and our capacity to accommodate critically ill patients is limited,\u201d Kim said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

South Korean doctors protest against the government’s plan to expand medical school quotas starting in 2025, Feb. 25, 2024 | Image: Korean Medical Association<\/a><\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

INTERNATIONAL COMPARISONS<\/b><\/p>\n

The National Medical College Professors\u2019 Association has come out against the plan.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In its <\/span>statement<\/span><\/a>, the association argued that a similar government initiative over the last decade in Greece increased the number of doctors in the country by threefold but failed to diffuse specializations or expand the number of doctors in rural areas.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, many other countries, such as <\/span>Germany<\/span><\/a>, the <\/span>U.K.<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>France<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>Japan<\/span><\/a>, are also expanding their medical school admission quotas as they also grapple with increasingly aging populations.<\/span><\/p>\n

In Germany, the total quota for public medical schools exceeds 9,000, and it has decided to increase this number to around 15,000. Similarly, more than 8,600 students in the UK were admitted to 42 medical schools in 2020. This number is expected to increase to 15,000 by 2031.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, Lim of Seoul University told <\/span>Korea Pro<\/span><\/i> that the situation in those countries is still unfolding, saying that \u201cwe have not yet seen a significant number of doctors in those countries choosing to move to rural areas\u201d and that there are many variables to consider such as in rapidly changing societies like South Korea.<\/span><\/p>\n

As South Korea moves forward with its plan to increase medical school admissions, it is crucial to consider the long-term implications. Without complementary legal reforms and economic initiatives to bolster provincial economies, there is no guarantee that the government\u2019s initiative will succeed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Edited by John Lee<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Business & Economy<\/span><\/a>Culture & Society<\/span><\/a>Domestic Politics<\/span><\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The South Korean government plans to increase medical school admissions by 2,000 spots next year, the first expansion in nearly two decades, to address the country\u2019s doctor shortage.\u00a0 But experts say there may be unintended consequences that impact the quality of education, regional sustainability and the long-term distribution of healthcare professionals. The government decided to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10781,"featured_media":2204462,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[24,25,27],"yoast_head":"\nSouth Korea\u2019s med school expansion plan sparks debate over long-term impact - KOREA PRO<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2024\/03\/south-koreas-med-school-expansion-plan-sparks-debate-over-long-term-impact\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"South Korea\u2019s med school expansion plan sparks debate over long-term impact - KOREA PRO\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The South Korean government plans to increase medical school admissions by 2,000 spots next year, the first expansion in nearly two decades, to address the country\u2019s doctor shortage.\u00a0 But experts say there may be unintended consequences that impact the quality of education, regional sustainability and the long-term distribution of healthcare professionals. 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