South Korean trainee doctors (interns and residents) have collectively walked off their jobs to protest against the government’s recruiting more medical students, and some medical professors at university hospitals are also showing signs of resignation.
Many medical students across the country are skipping classes as well, which could lead to a large-scale grade retention if they don’t return. “It’s about 14 days for students to take a leave of absence and get tuition back,” said a medical school professor, adding, “We have to start online lectures this week to make up the days.” A senior government official said on Mar. 10 that while many professors are willing to stay by their patients, many are not willing to see their students get hurt (by having their licenses suspended).
Sixteen professors and specialists who submitted their affiliations and names from eight hospitals, including Asan Medical Center and Severance Hospital in Seoul, have recently opened a website called “Save our K-Med” to collect signatures. “If this situation (health service disruptions) is not ended, the lives and health of the people will be seriously threatened,” they said. “We call on all the interested parties to make rational decisions and the government and representatives of the medical community to sit down and discuss reasonable measures to find a solution.” They also said, “We are on the front lines, making desperate efforts for our patients and continuing each day hard, but we are already at our limits, and strongly warn that the country’s medical catastrophe of the worst kind is on the horizon.” As of 2 p.m. on Mar. 10, 5,236 professors and specialists from teaching hospitals across the country had signed the petition.
Several professors have also announced their intention to resign. Some professors at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Ulsan Medical University, the Catholic University of Korea, Wonkwang Health Science University, and Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine have announced their intention to resign. They said, “We protest the government and university headquarters’ unilateral decision to ignore the opinions of professors, students, and specialists in the process of increasing medical school quotas,” adding, “If doctors and students suffer disadvantages such as license suspension or loss of pay, we may take collective action.” The Emergency Response Committee of the Faculty Council of Seoul National University will hold a general meeting on the afternoon of Mar. 11 to exchange opinions on collective action, including collective resignation. “Professors are the backbone of large hospitals, and if they leave, it will have a serious impact on the lives and health of the public,” said an official from the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
