The government and the medical community are officially discussing the establishment of the "Medical Workforce Supply and Demand Estimation Committee," which would involve both parties in the process of determining next year's medical school enrollment. Due to differences in opinions regarding the operation and authority of the estimation committee between the government and the medical community, it is anticipated that the establishment may take some time. Accordingly, the ultimate goal of the estimation committee, which is to discuss next year's medical school enrollment, is also expected to be challenging.
According to the National Assembly and the medical community on the 7th, the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee will hold a public hearing on the 14th to discuss the establishment method of the "Medical Workforce Supply and Demand Estimation Committee (hereafter estimation committee)."
The estimation committee is a body in which officials from the government and the medical community gather to discuss medical school enrollment together, and it is identified as the only solution to resolve conflicts between the medical community and the government. The medical community has claimed that its opinions were not reflected during the government's process of increasing medical school enrollment this year, and has been advocating for the establishment of a body that includes the medical community. The government also plans to reflect the medical community's position in the adjustment of next year's medical school enrollment through the estimation committee.
Vice Minister Park Min-soo of the Ministry of Health and Welfare requested the National Assembly to push for swift legislation to resolve conflicts with the medical community and adjust medical school enrollment for the 2026 academic year. Vice Minister Park also conveyed the opinion that the conflicts must be quickly resolved through legislative reviews and approvals, creating an environment where residents and medical students can return.
However, the discussion on next year's medical school enrollment is projected to be virtually difficult. The government has set February as the deadline for confirming medical school enrollment. Even if the establishment of the estimation committee is discussed starting next week, predictions suggest that it would be challenging to form the committee and reach an agreement on enrollment within this month.
In this regard, the medical community holds the position that the government should show its willingness to postpone the decision on medical school enrollment to allow time for consultation.
A representative of the Korean Medical Association noted, "The government has continually said it would confirm medical school enrollment by February, and according to the Higher Education Act, it is correct to do so," but also said, "Considering there is no law on the establishment of the estimation committee yet, it is virtually impossible for the committee to reach an agreement on next year's medical school enrollment within February." He argued that "to realize the purpose of the estimation committee, the government must first show that it intends to significantly delay the confirmation of next year's medical school enrollment."
With the deadline for deciding medical school enrollment approaching, the government and the medical community have not found common ground regarding the authority of the estimation committee.
The government has stated that the estimation committee will serve in an advisory role regarding medical school enrollment, but it will respect the committee's decisions. In contrast, the medical community believes that the estimation committee should have the voting rights to decide on medical school enrollment. The Korean Medical Association stated in an opinion submitted on the 20th of last month that "the estimation committee must be granted complete independence and should operate in a structure that ensures its decisions are fully reflected."
The medical community believes that it will be impossible to determine next year's medical school enrollment through the estimation committee. The Ministry of Education stated on the 10th of last month that "considering the entrance examination process, discussions regarding next year's enrollment must be completed by February at the latest," but since there are discrepancies between the government and the medical community's views, achieving consensus on the installation of the estimation committee and enrollment within the deadline seems difficult.
Separately from the establishment of the estimation committee, the Korean Medical Association is expected to demand consultations with the government regarding next year's medical school enrollment. A representative of the association stated, "Next year's medical school enrollment is the most critical issue in the ongoing conflicts with the medical community," and emphasized that "given the urgency, it should be politically resolved separately from the estimation committee."