In Korea, the popularity of medical schools has been rapidly increasing over the past few decades, to the point where the smartest students in the country abandon the science and technology field and pursue lucrative medical careers. In fact, in 2005, 2010, and 2023, medical schools dominated the highest 20 university admission score rankings among natural science majors. 

An unprecedented phenomenon: parental aspirations and early preprations

In a recent online survey conducted by Jongro Academy, the manager of a preparatory school for junior high and high school students, 88.2 percent of 1,385 Korean parents raising elementary and middle school students wanted their children to eventually enroll in a medical school. 

The fervor over enrolling in medical schools in Korea is so great that even primary school students partake in after-school programs to heighten their competitiveness under great pressure. In the Gangnam and Daechi area in southern Seoul, small groups of elite elementary school students, usually under ten students per class, are selected to attend tutoring academies to study ahead in preparation for medical school.

This enormous enthusiasm is reflected in the increasing number of high school graduates retaking the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), or suneung, to be admitted to medical schools. 

According to a report released by Seoul National University, a top university in Korea, 225 students from a cohort of 3,606 admitted freshmen chose to take a leave of absence just this year, apparently to retake the CSAT and enter a medical school.

A total of 4,015 students have voluntarily left Seoul National University, Korea University, and Yonsei University (SKY), considered to be the most prestigious universities in Korea, in 2023 alone, presumably to retake the CSAT. Out of the 6,699 seniors offered admission to SKY in 2023, 2,206 students did not ultimately enroll arguably because they wanted to choose a medical school over other science majors.

According to the Ministry of Education, over 78.7 percent of medical school admittees between 2020 and 2022 had taken the CSAT at least twice. This means that only 21.3 percent of freshmen in medical school were admitted directly in their senior year of high school. 

Kim So-hee, a former lecturer at a test prep center for the CSAT in Daechi-dong, southern Seoul, and current private tutor, said that students who drop out of such high-ranking universities “aim to become medical students.”

Financial security: a driving factor

Uncertainty regarding the income potential of science and technology jobs amplifies the attractiveness of pursuing a career in medicine as a respected and lucrative choice.

According to the 2021 National Tax Service statistics, the average annual salary of all employees was just over $30,778. Even renowned scientists such as those who launched Korea’s first space-launch vehicle Naro-1 at the Korea Aerospace Research Institute received, on average, $76,945. 

On the other hand, the average income of physicians in 2020 according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare was $177,511, which amounted to approximately five times the average annual salary of all employees.

“It can’t be denied that financial stability is part of what causes the over-concentration of medical students”, said Jeong Myung-yoon, a third-year resident at Gachon University Gil Medical Center. “As a resident, I’m socially respected and financially stable.”

Indeed, 48.4 percent of 246 medical students from 14 universities said that they chose a medical school for the high income it guarantees in a 2023 survey conducted by Donga Ilbo, a local newspaper. 

Kim Joong-baeck, a professor of sociology at Kyunghee University, said, “Graduating from the government-protected medical school system promises a doctor’s license and therefore it guarantees, more than other jobs, a quality of life above a certain level,” in his recent column “The Ghost of Medical Schools.”   

Employment stability: a secure career path

While the material comfort provided by careers in medicine is undoubtedly a significant factor, it would be inaccurate to suggest that students are solely attracted to these professions for financial reasons. The assurance of employment stability also plays a crucial role in their career choices.

The desire for stability is exemplified in students’ lack of applications for the semiconductor-related studies department for the academic year of 2023. The semiconductor department—in high-ranking universities like Yonsei University, Korea University, Sogang University, and Hanyang University —is in direct partnership with conglomerates such as Samsung or SK, which guarantee employment after graduation. 

Therefore, at first glance, it seems that these mega-corporations offer both financial and occupational stability. However, the students who were accepted into the department of semiconductor at these universities disagree, as out of 47 total openings for freshmen, 47 admittees plus 26 additional applicants allocated to the waiting list did not register. 

The corporate world, despite offering high-paying jobs, lacks guarantees of continued employment, particularly in economic downturns when layoffs and company restructuring become prevalent. Conversely, pursuing a career in medicine provides a safety net for ongoing employment even in a gradually slowing economy. Clinic-owning physicians are not bound by a fixed retirement age, allowing them to work for as long as necessary.

According to a report released by the Medical Policy Research Institute of the Korean Medical Association (KMA), the average retirement age of doctors was 65.2 years old, while their idea of an appropriate retirement age was 67.7. Furthermore, 59 percent of currently retired doctors and those in their sixties answered that they intend to continue working as a doctor in their own clinic after retirement. 

In comparison, the average retirement age of all Korean employees was 49.3 in 2021, according to a report by the National Assembly Futures Institute. 

Kim, a third-year resident at Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital, commented that while she didn’t dream of becoming a doctor, she chose to become one because “my CSAT scores were higher than expected, and it guaranteed financial and occupational stability.” 

The medical school black hole: impact on STEM talents

Although employment security and stable income are crucial considerations in job searching, the strong preference of students for careers in medicine has resulted in a shortage of talent in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

This phenomenon, in which the most intelligent and high-scoring Korean students choose medical school over STEM, is called “the medical school black hole.”

All three students who received perfect scores in CSAT for the 2023 academic year chose to attend Seoul National University’s College of Medicine. 

Jongro Academy said 1,105 students—enrolled in Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) and the four major science and technology institutes including Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST)—dropped out over the last five years. About 80 percent of these students have enrolled in medical schools by retaking CSAT.

The medical school black hole makes it extremely difficult to secure human resources in STEM. 

This situation is reflected in the predicament of science high schools, which are established for the express purpose of fostering students with talent and passion for STEM that will contribute to the development and progress of such industries in Korea. However, in recent years, 1 out of 8 graduates from science high schools have applied to become medical students.

In response, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo presided over the Human Resources Development Strategy Meeting held in May of this year. During the meeting, the government proposed measures to guarantee the legal status of post-doctoral researchers and further expand the personnel expenditure and scholarship system for master’s and doctorate researchers in STEM.

Professor Lee Jin-hyung, associate professor of neurology and neurological sciences and bioengineering at Stanford University, expressed her regret over the fact that talented individuals in Korea are congregating in medical schools in an interview with Donga Science on July 6. 

Lee is the first Korean woman to earn the title of a tenured professor at Stanford University’s medical and engineering colleges. She studies interdisciplinary approaches to the development of new therapies for neurological diseases. She also founded LVIS, a U.S. healthcare startup, in 2015. 

“When I was in school, there were prominent policies aimed to foster STEM, but nowadays, many people shy away from the path of becoming a scientist,” she said.

“From the perspective of the scientific community, it is a very regrettable situation that so many talented students are all going to medical school.”