S.Korean hospitals to wrap up hiring of more trainee doctors

Seoul, Aug 16 – Hospitals in South Korea are set to wrap up the hiring of more junior doctors on Friday, but few more applicants are expected as many trainee doctors have defied the government’s medical reform for nearly seven months, the officials said.

Hospitals issued new recruitment notices for trainee doctors last week after the medical community was lukewarm to the initial round that ended last month. Some medical professors have even warned of a potential boycott of training new applicants, Yonhap news agency reported.

During the previous round, the total number of applicants was just 104, filling only 1.4 per cent of the 7,645 available positions.

The health ministry reported that the number of applicants for the new round continued to remain low as of Wednesday, adding that it will review additional measures after hospitals close applications.

“There are not many applicants so far,” a health ministry official said.

Last month, hospitals processed the resignations of nearly 7,700 trainee doctors who have been protesting the medical school quota hike since February, allowing departing doctors to seek new jobs and enabling hospitals to recruit fresh trainees.

“Trainee doctors resigned in clear protest against the increase in medical school quotas and the medical reforms. Unless the government changes its stance, it is unlikely that those who chose not to apply last month will reconsider,” a resigned trainee doctor said.

Amid concerns that some resigned doctors are hesitant to reapply due to potential backlash from colleagues, the government has asked the police to investigate the origin of lists circulating online that name junior doctors who have decided to return to work.

In a separate effort, the government is also working to reform policies to expand the roles of physician assistants in order to fill the vacuum left by junior doctors.