Amid a growing medical workforce crisis, around 300 South Korean doctors and nurses gathered at a recruitment briefing session in Seoul on July. 27, organized by Singapore’s MOH Holdings, to explore opportunities for working in Singapore.
The event aimed to inform South Korean doctors and nurses interested in working in Singapore about the recruitment plans, followed by a Q&A session. It was reported that about half of the 200 doctors who attended were residents.
Additionally, 100 nurses participated, finding it difficult to secure positions in university hospitals following the medical crisis. An official from the organizing team stated, “We expected it would take about two weeks to recruit participants, but the applications were so numerous that we closed it in just three days.”
Singapore only recognizes medical licenses from graduates of 103 medical schools worldwide, a policy aimed at accepting only ‘verified individuals.’ In Korea, this includes graduates from Seoul National University College of Medicine and Yonsei University College of Medicine, while graduates from other universities must go through a separate medical license certification process by the Singapore health authorities. Despite this, it is notable that 200 doctors attended the briefing.
Cho Seung-guk, CEO of K-DOC, which organized the event, mentioned that there were many questions about obtaining a Singapore medical license and specialist qualifications, as well as inquiries about working hours, conditions, and workload. It was also noted that about 30 attendees had on-site interviews.
Since the medical crisis in February, many residents have been looking not only at Singapore but also at the U.S. and Japan. In fact, numerous posts by residents contemplating moving to the U.S. have appeared in communities preparing for the U.S. medical licensing examination. Amid this situation, the Korean Medical Association (KMA) recently conducted a survey on overseas advancement policies among doctors, sparking some controversy.
The KMA noted that interest in overseas advancement among their members had surged, and they intended to discuss policy support for this. However, some criticized this approach, questioning whether the responsibility for the medical workforce shortage was being shifted to the government while doctors focused on finding their own opportunities abroad, regardless of the state of healthcare in South Korea.
In addition, the overseas advancement of residents is not easy. In the case of the U.S., those who do not have citizenship or permanent residency need to obtain a separate visa to practice medicine locally, which requires a recommendation letter from S. Korean government.
Moreover, the overseas advancement of residents is not easy. In the case of the U.S., those who do not have citizenship or permanent residency need to obtain a separate visa to practice medicine locally, which requires a recommendation letter from the S. Korean government.
The government has taken a reserved stance, indicating that the issuance of recommendation letters will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Additionally, the language barrier in performing complex tasks such as consultations and surgeries is significant, and competing with applicants from other countries for jobs also poses a challenge.
