Trainee doctors in South Korea are currently on strike due to a proposed increase in medical school student quotas. The reason behind the country's doctor shortage is attributed to low wages and unfavorable working conditions in certain specialties and regions.
Impact on Healthcare System
The strike has raised concerns about significant disruptions to South Korea's already strained healthcare system. More than 1,600 trainee doctors have walked off their jobs in response to the government's plan to raise med school enrollment quotas.
Resignations and Crisis
As of Monday, over 6,400 trainee doctors, including those participating in the strike, have submitted their resignations across 100 hospitals. This accounts for nearly half of the 13,000 trainee doctors in the country, exacerbating the crisis in the healthcare sector.
Doctor Shortage Statistics
South Korea currently has 2.6 doctors per 1,000 people, falling below the OECD average of 3.7 doctors per 1,000 people. To address the manpower shortage, the government plans to increase the annual medical school quota from 3,000 to 5,000, particularly focusing on rural areas and specialties like emergency medicine.
Support and Concerns
A Gallup poll conducted in February revealed public support for the government's plan. However, doctors argue that the issue lies not in labor shortages but in a lack of manpower in certain specialties and regions due to inadequate compensation and working conditions.
Quality and Competition
Trainee doctors in South Korea often work extended shifts exceeding 24 hours and put in over 80 hours per week, as reported by a major medical trade union survey. Concerns have also been raised about the potential compromise in the quality of education and healthcare services with an increase in medical school enrollment.
Government Response
Authorities are urging the doctors to resume work, emphasizing the importance of their roles in the healthcare system. South Korea's second vice health minister, Park Min-soo, expressed disappointment over the situation and called on the doctors to reconsider their mass resignation and walkout.
This strike is not the first of its kind in South Korea. In 2020, young physicians staged a similar strike against a proposed expansion of medical school quotas, leading the government to backtrack on its initial plans.
Source: Business Insider
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By: htan@insider.com (Huileng Tan)
Title: South Korean Trainee Doctors Strike Over Plan to Increase Med School Quotas
Sourced From: www.businessinsider.com/south-korean-doctors-strike-government-plan-boost-med-school-quota-2024-2
Published Date: Tue, 20 Feb 2024 06:14:58 +0000
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