Professors demand state action to repair Korea's medical education system

Medical school professors have raised their voices, saying that active financial and policy support from the government is necessary to normalize medical education.

“The return of medical students means that the training of doctors, which had been suspended for a year and six months, will resume,” the Medical Professors Association of Korea said in a statement issued on Monday. “However, medical schools are facing serious difficulties in reality.”

Due to the aftermath of the government-doctor conflict, a significant number of full-time professors have resigned, resulting in an increased student-to-professor ratio, according to the medical professors’ group. Some universities have seen the number of first-year pre-medical students surge to 4.25 times the previous level, it added.

“We are now in a difficult situation where two curricula must be conducted simultaneously in a single academic year,” the medical professors’ group said.

Despite the challenging circumstances, university deans and faculty members are making every effort to resume medical education in a manner that ensures the sustainability and development of the future healthcare system, taking into account each university's student population, faculty resources, facilities, curriculum, and academic regulations, the group noted.

“The wounds left by the expansion of medical schools on the medical education front are severe beyond measure. Healing these wounds and fully normalizing medical education will require a significant amount of time and effort,” the statement continued. “The government’s active investment and the establishment and implementation of reasonable policies are more important than ever.”

Additionally, the professors requested, “We also ask the people to extend warm encouragement to students who have overcome long-standing difficulties and regained their initial resolve to become doctors, so that they may adapt to school life as soon as possible.”