In Seoul, South Korea, on Tuesday, trainee doctors staged a collective walkout to intensify their protest against a government medical policy, resulting in the cancellation of surgeries and other medical procedures at hospitals.
The Health Ministry issued a plea for doctors immediate return to work, emphasizing the importance of not jeopardizing patient lives in their struggle against the government’s decisions.
By Monday night, over half of South Korea’s 13,000 trainee doctors had reportedly submitted mass resignations to oppose the government’s initiative to expand the number of medical students. According to Health Ministry data, 1,630 trainee doctors had already left their posts.
It is anticipated that more trainee doctors will join the movement. Following a decision by their association, trainee doctors from the nation’s five major hospitals were slated to walk out together on Tuesday.
At the heart of the disagreement lies a recent government announcement to increase medical school admissions by 2,000 beginning next year. The government argues that this expansion is necessary to address the shortage of doctors, particularly with the country’s rapidly aging population.
However, the plan has faced strong opposition from many doctors who contend that the proposed increase in admissions is excessive and would strain medical schools. They argue that resources should be directed towards resolving other pressing issues first. Additionally, critics assert that an oversupply of doctors could lead to unnecessary medical interventions due to heightened competition among practitioners, with concerns raised about potential income reductions for existing doctors.
The 13,000 trainee doctors in South Korea are predominantly stationed across 100 hospitals, where they assist senior doctors in surgeries and patient care. Prolonged walkouts or potential participation from senior doctors could lead to disruptions in these hospitals and affect the country’s overall medical services, according to observers.
South Korea boasts a total of 140,000 doctors. The Korea Medical Association announced plans on Monday to organize rallies in support of the trainee doctors’ collective action, although they have not yet decided on initiating strikes themselves.
Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo reported that authorities have received 34 public complaints linked to the trainee doctors’ walkouts, with 25 concerning the cancellation of surgeries. Additional grievances involve hospitals refusing patient treatment and canceling scheduled medical procedures.
Park emphasized the unjustifiability of leaving patients unattended to protest government policies, particularly given the foreseeable consequences of such collective actions. He urged trainee doctors to prioritize patient care and cautioned against actions that endanger patients’ lives in pursuit of expressing their opinions.
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