Over 1,000 medical students nationwide file for leave of absence in collective protest
A student enters a medical school building in Seoul, Feb. 19. Yonhap
More than 1,000 medical students from across the nation have filed for a leave of absence in a collective action against the government's plan to drastically increase the medical student admission quota, the education ministry said Tuesday.
A total of 1,133 students from seven medical schools nationwide had submitted requests for leave as of Monday evening, and all but four of them were presumed to have done so in protest against the government, according to a briefing by the ministry.
A leave of absence was granted only to the four who presented valid reasons, such as serving mandatory military service, ministry officials said.
The action comes amid growing concerns over a possible health service paralysis as thousands of trainee doctors have submitted their resignations en masse in protest of the government plan to add 2,000 new seats to the country's medical school enrollment quota next year.
The government says the admission expansion would be vital in addressing a chronic shortage of doctors, particularly in rural areas and essential medical fields, while doctors protest that it would compromise the quality of medical education and services.
The education ministry has confirmed the collective action of medical students at seven medical schools and said that efforts are under way to persuade the striking students to return to the classroom.
The number of medical students opting for a leave of absence is likely to go up further, however, as student heads of 35 of the 40 medical schools nationwide met and resolved last week to go on strike.
The education ministry maintains that collective action does not constitute a valid reason for granting a leave of absence to students. (Yonhap)