S Korea: Over 10,000 trainee doctors likely to end up leaving hospitals

Seoul, July 18 – Despite many months-long efforts by the medical community and the government for a breakthrough, over 10,000 striking trainee doctors were presumed to leave hospitals as they have decided not to withdraw their resignations, the health ministry said on Thursday.

More than 90 per cent of around 13,000 junior doctors walked away from their jobs in February in the form of resignations against the government’s plan to sharply raise medical school admissions, Yonhap news agency reported.

The government has presented a set of measures to convince them to return to work but a majority of them have remained off their jobs.

“The government is reviewing the lists submitted by hospitals of trainee doctors who will finally resign. It was unfortunate that most of them are not likely to return,” Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong said during a meeting regarding the strike.

The ministry has demanded that hospitals complete accepting their resignations by Monday, while vowing not to suspend the medical licenses of the strikers, regardless of whether they return to hospitals or not, and offering special measures for returnees on their training and earning specialist licenses.

“After confirming the vacancy, the government will begin a process to recruit trainee doctors for the second half,” Cho said, stressing that the junior doctors can get a chance to earn specialist licenses if they apply for the upcoming session.

“The government will enhance monitoring of the medical scene and further beef up the emergency system in an effort to minimise the medical service vacuum,” Cho said.

The walkout has disrupted the healthcare system, as most of the major hospitals have significantly reduced treatments, surgeries and other services for patients.

The minister also vowed “fundamental reform” of the medical system to reduce major hospitals’ excessive dependence on trainee doctors.

Despite strong opposition from doctors, the government has already finalised an admissions quota hike of some 1,500 students for medical schools for next year in an effort to address problems stemming from the shortage of doctors.

Doctors have urged the government to revisit the decision, claiming that medical schools will not be able to handle the increased enrollment, which will compromise the quality of medical education and ultimately the country’s medical services.

The health ministry, meanwhile, said that it has referred 18 doctors, medical students and others to the prosecution for a probe into their alleged involvement in drawing up or releasing a list of junior doctors who returned to hospitals following their walkout.

Last week, a list of junior doctors who decided to end their months-long strike and return to work was circulated online, with the police conducting an investigation upon the request of the ministry.

“Police found 18 doctors, medical students and others who were suspected of being involved in the incident and sent them to the prosecution for investigation,”

“The government has vowed stern responses to such cases of stigmatising returning trainee doctors,” he added.