Few support doctors' protest against medical school quota expansion plan

Medical students take off doctors' gowns in protest of the government's push to increase the enrollment quota of medical schools during a rally organized by the Korea Medical Association in central Seoul, Sunday. Yonhap

Doctors are protesting the government’s push to increase the enrollment quota of medical schools but a recent public survey revealed that a majority disagree with the protest and support the hike plan.

In a survey of 1,016 members of the public, conducted on Dec. 12 by the Korean Health and Medical Workers’ Union, 89.3 percent of respondents agreed with the expansion plan, and 85.6 percent did not support the collective action doctors said they would take.

The union, comprised of nurses, caregivers and other health care workers, has 83,000 members across the country.

The Yoon Suk Yeol government is seeking to reform the country’s health care system by increasing the annual medical school quota in order to tackle physician shortages and deepening regional disparities in the quality and availability of medical services.

The Korea Medical Association (KMA), which represents doctors, has publicly and strongly opposed this plan, warning that doctors could go on a general strike if the government pushes ahead with it.

However, in the latest survey, 71.9 percent of the respondents said that they did not support the KMA’s position, and 87.3 percent said that the decision on the medical school quota hike should be made by the government and the people.

Announcing the results of the survey during the press conference on Sunday, Na Soon-ja, head of the union, said that the government should not be swayed by the opposition of doctors.

“What the KMA should do is prevent the collapse of medical services in regions, not block the government’s move to expand the medical school quota,” she said.

The total admission quota of the 40 medical schools in Korea has remained unchanged at 3,058 since 2006.

The doctors’ group has stepped up its offensive against the government after the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on Nov. 21 that the 40 schools want the annual enrollment quota to increase by nearly 3,000 in 2025 and by an additional 1,000 by 2030.

The findings were announced after the health ministry, together with the Ministry of Education, surveyed the 40 schools from Oct. 27 to Nov. 9. The results showed higher-than-expected demand from the schools, prompting the government to raise the medical school quota.

The KMA criticized this survey for “missing objectivity,” claiming that the issue should be consulted between the government and the doctors’ group before any decision is reached.

Participants protest the government's push to increase the enrollment quota of medical schools during a rally organized by the Korea Medical Association in central Seoul, Sunday. Yonhap

During a rally, also on Sunday, the KMA called on medical professionals across the country to join hands to block the quota hike plan that “will only cause various side effects.”

“Before pushing to raise the medical school quota unilaterally, the government should draw up fundamental countermeasures first to improve the working environment for physicians, such as raising medical fees to support essential medical fields,” KMA President Lee Pil-soo said.

“If the government pushes ahead with the hike plan without sufficient consultation with doctors, we will have no choice but to resort to the strongest and last measure.”

The last measure mentioned by Lee was construed as a general strike.

The health ministry denounced the group’s warning as “very inappropriate,” saying that a general strike by doctors could threaten lives and safety.

“The ministry will continue to hold sincere dialogues regarding the issue with various parties involved, including medical professionals, patients’ groups and experts,” a ministry official said.

“In addition, we will sternly react to any unlawful acts, such as the general strike, in accordance with laws and principles.”

The ministry noted that it will continue to take necessary measures, so the policy to expand the medical school quota can be implemented for 2025 admission.