An analysis found that about 7 out of 10 incoming students at regional medical schools next year will be local students.
On Mar. 17, Jongno Academy projected that the share of local students selected by 27 regional medical schools for the 2027 academic year will reach 68.2%. It forecast the share will rise to 69.6% in the 2028 academic year. Five years ago, in 2022, it stood at about 38%.
The number of local students among incoming students at regional medical schools is estimated at 1,698. Of these, 1,232 are through the local talent track, and 466 are selected under the regional physician system. This is 2.2 times the level of five years ago (766).
The number of students advancing from general high schools in regional areas to medical schools is also expected to increase. This year, an average of 1.2 students per school were admitted to medical school; next year, that is expected to rise to 1.7.
By region, the number of medical school admits per school at general high schools in Jeju is projected to increase from 1 in the 2026 academic year to 2.2 next year. In the Honam and Chungcheong regions, it is expected to increase to 1.9 per school, to 1.8 in Gangwon, 1.6 in Daegu–North Gyeongsang, and 1.4 in Busan–Ulsan–South Gyeongsang.
Lim Seong-ho, head of Jongno Academy, said, "There could be shifts in the landscape of prestigious high schools that have produced many medical students from regional high schools," adding, "Applications by repeat test-takers to regional medical schools will also increase significantly."