Kim Yoo-young, head of the trainee doctors association at Samsung Medical Center, said Wednesday that she gave up her dream of becoming a pediatric anesthesia specialist because of the government’s push to increase the number of medical students.
Kim made this statement while appearing before the police as a witness for the investigation into allegedly aiding or abetting the mass resignations of trainee doctors.
On Wednesday, the Public Crime Investigation Team of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency summoned Kim as a witness.
The investigation is focused on the mass resignation of residents and interns, as well as the potential involvement of former and current executives of the Korean Medical Association (KMA) in aiding and abetting it.
“It's difficult to stand in front of photographers because it's my first time being exposed to the media,” Kim told reporters before entering the police agency. “I'm angry that powerful people who always get VIP treatment at tertiary hospitals decide medical issues and policies.”
Kim continued, “I used to be an anesthesiologist and dreamed of becoming a doctor specializing in pediatric anesthesia, but I gave up that dream.”
Police are summoning the heads of trainee doctors at Korea's five largest tertiary hospitals, following Park Dan, chair of the Korean Intern Resident Association emergency committee. Kim Tae-geun, head of trainee doctors at the Catholic Medical Centerof Catholic University of Korea, will be the last to be summoned on Friday.