Gov't to announce allocation of additional medical school seats this week
Medical school students hold banners in a protest to the government's move to expand medical school admission at the Yangsan Campus of Pusan Natational University, Busan, March 19. Yonhap
The government is expected to announce the allocation of additional medical school admission seats this week, pushing ahead with the 2,000-seat increase despite stiff protests from doctors, officials said Tuesday.
Education Minister Lee Ju-ho is expected to make the announcement Wednesday afternoon following a public address by Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, according to government officials.
The scheduled allocation announcement will mark the culmination of the government's much-resisted plan to increase the medical school enrollment quota by 2,000 seats from the current 3,058 starting next year to enhance health care services in remote areas as well as essential but less popular medical disciplines.
More than 90 percent of the country's 13,000 intern and resident doctors have walked off their duties at general hospitals nationwide since last month to protest the quota hike, which they said would erode the qualities of medical education and services, and lead to a surplus of physicians.
Medical professors at many universities have also resolved to submit resignations en masse next week.
The government is expected to allocate 80 percent, or 1,600 seats, to medical schools outside the capital area, as previously announced.
The allocation, if conducted as planned, would increase the total admission seats at medical schools outside the capital area to 3,623, which accounts for 71.6 percent of the total, up from the current 66.2 percent.
The hike is largely predicted to benefit the medical schools of several state-run universities located in provincial areas the most, such as Pusan National University and Chonnam National University, as well as small-sized medical schools across noncapital areas, such as the University of Ulsan.
Once the allocation process is completed, each affected university will have the new medical student quota reflected in its school regulations as well as in its medical school admission announcement for the 2025 academic year, which will be released to students around May. (Yonhap)