Over 10,000 trainee doctors likely to end up leaving hospitals
Despite monthslong efforts by the medical community and the government for a breakthrough, over 10,000 striking trainee doctors were presumed to leave hospitals as they have decided not to withdraw their resignations, the health ministry said Thursday.
More than 90 percent of around 13,000 junior doctors walked off their jobs in February in the form of resignations against the government’s plan to sharply raise medical school admissions.
The government has presented a set of measures to convince them to return to work but a majority of them have remained off their jobs.
“The government is reviewing the lists submitted by hospitals of trainee doctors who will finally resign. It was unfortunate that most of them are not likely to return,” Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong said during a meeting regarding the strike.
The ministry has demanded that hospitals complete accepting their resignations by Monday, while vowing not to suspend the medical licenses of the strikers, regardless of whether they return to hospitals or not, and offering special measures for returnees on their training and earning specialist licenses.
“After confirming the vacancy, the government will begin a process to recruit trainee doctors for the second half,” Cho said, 추천 stressing that the junior doctors can get a chance to earn specialist licenses if they apply for the upcoming session.
“The government will enhance monitoring of the medical scene and further beef up the emergency system in an effort to minimize the medical service vacuum,” Cho said.
The walkout has disrupted the health care system, as most of the major hospitals have significantly reduced treatments, surgeries and other services for patients.
The minister also vowed “fundamental reform” of the medical system to reduce major hospitals’ excessive dependence on trainee doctors.
Despite strong opposition from doctors, the government has already finalized an admissions quota hike of some 1,500 students for medical schools for next year in an effort to address problems stemming from the shortage of doctors.