Health care standoff leads to infighting within medical sector
Doctors’ group slams med school professors; nurses criticize doctors
The medical community is facing an internal split as the conflict between the government and doctors over the medical school enrollment quota increase intensifies.
The Korea Medical Association (KMA), the nation’s largest coalition of doctors, criticized medical school professors at Seoul National University and Sunhkyunkwan University, whom the KMA believed sided with the government, which is seeking to add 2,000 seats at 40 medical schools nationwide next year.
The KMA opposes this plan, saying the quota hike may compromise the quality of education and training that would-be doctors receive. In protest, thousands of trainee doctors have handed in their resignation notices and left their hospitals, resulting in significant disruptions to medical services nationwide.
On Sunday, an association of professors at Sungkyunkwan University’s medical school disclosed the results of its survey, which showed that most of the school’s professors agreed with the need to increase the number of medical students. However, they recommended adding 350 to 500 instead of the government’s plan to add 2,000.
The association said that 201 professors participated in the survey conducted from last Friday to Saturday.
“Both the government and the KMA should make a concession,” the association said in a statement. “The government should stop unilaterally pushing for the quota hike, while the KMA should stop its protests.”
The survey results were inconsistent with the KMA’s position, which says that the country is not experiencing a shortage of doctors and the quota increase is unnecessary.
Joo Soo-ho, a KMA spokesperson, denounced the survey as not representing all of the school’s professors.
“There are more than 1,000 professors at the school, including those in contract-based positions, but the survey reflected opinions of only about 200,” Joo said in a media briefing, noting that other professors who did not participate in the survey “are very embarrassed and angry.”
Joo also criticized Chung Jinhaeng, a professor at Seoul National University’s medical school, who headed the emergency response committee of the professors’ association of the school.
The professors’ association issued a statement on Monday, urging the government to hold regular talks with relevant parties and focus on persuading trainee doctors rather than resorting to threats.
Joo said Chung met with one of the country’s vice health ministers recently and has since made various remarks. But, according to Joo, there are more professors at the school who do not agree with Chung.
Chung abruptly stepped down from the position four hours after her meeting with the trainee doctors.
The Korean Health and Medical Workers’ Union, comprised of nurses, caregivers and other health care workers, criticized doctors’ protests, urging trainee doctors to stop their “unjustifiable refusal to treat patients” and go back to their hospitals.
During a press conference, the union cited its survey that was conducted in December, which showed that 89.3 percent of the people supported the medical school quota hike.
“The people do not agree with the KMA’s claims that the country is not experiencing a shortage of doctors,” a union official said.
About 9,000 trainee doctors at major hospitals across the country, including the five biggest ones in Seoul, have walked off the job since their strike began on Feb. 19 in protest against the government’s policy proposal.
The government ordered them to go back to work by Thursday, warning that it would take legal action, including the suspension of their licenses and even indictments, if they do not return to work by the deadline.
The government should stop unilaterally pushing for the quota hike, while the KMA should stop its protests.