Medical Professors Urge Univ. Presidents to Suspend School Admissions Quota Hike Procedures

Medical professors have urged the presidents of universities to suspend activities related to the implementation of the increased admissions quota for medical students and called for the government to engage with the medical community to discuss the disputed reform measures.

In an open letter to university presidents on Wednesday, the Medical Professors Association of Korea said expansion of hospitals to train the increased number of students would lead to an increased burden on medical professors and contribute to rising medical costs.

In a statement to the government, the group said opinions from professors and others in the training field are not reflected in the quota hike of two-thousand and such an increase would lead to a decline in the quality of medical training due to the lack of human resources and facilities.

The professors said the shortage of doctors in essential medicine stems from the state’s neglect, adding talks on the quota hike would be meaningless without establishing an environment in which doctors can treat patients while free from concerns over money.

In order to prevent imbalanced demand for the “Big Five” general hospitals in Seoul, the group called for the establishment of a system where patients with minor symptoms can access medical support at nearby clinics and facilities.