The government decided to improve the training environment for residents who have been trained in poor conditions due to excessive working hours. The plan is to reduce the weekly working hours from the current 80 hours to 72 hours and to enhance the training quality.
Vice Minister of Health and Welfare Park Min-soo said at a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters regarding physician group actions held at the Government Seoul Complex in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 10th, "Residents have been recognized more as 'labor force for hospitals' rather than as 'trainees receiving education,' and have been trained under poor conditions such as excessive working hours." He noted, "We will implement policies for training innovation for residents to foster specialists, who are core national talents."
Earlier, the government announced 'innovation in resident training' as one of the key tasks of the first implementation plan for medical reform in August last year. This year, they are pushing for innovations in the training environment with a secured budget of 278.8 billion won.
First, starting this year, the government plans to provide more systematic and intensive training through supervising specialists. Specifically, they will conduct a 'multi-institutional cooperative training pilot project' that allows residents to experience public and community healthcare, aiming to enhance clinical competencies and expand support for technical training.
The working hours of residents will also be reduced. Earlier, the government carried out a pilot project to reduce residents' working hours to 80 hours and their continuous working hours to 36 hours in May last year. This time, they will take a further step to reduce the weekly working hours to 72 hours and the continuous working hours to 24 hours.
The training allowance for residents will also be expanded, focusing on essential medical departments. Last year, residents in pediatrics received a monthly training allowance of 1 million won, and this year it will be expanded to include eight essential medical departments, including obstetrics and gynecology.
Vice Minister Park said, "The tasks of the first implementation plan for medical reform have already entered the implementation phase," and added, "We will continue to support residents so they can concentrate more on their training and establish a foundation to grow as capable medical professionals."
Meanwhile, the amendment to the Basic Health and Medical Law related to the supply and demand forecasting discussion body, which passed the National Assembly, will be sent to the government this week and is expected to go through the cabinet meeting's resolution next week. Vice Minister Park stated, "We will quickly push forward with the follow-up procedures such as preparing subordinate regulations, appointing commissioners, and designating a supply and demand forecasting center so that the forecasting committee can be launched promptly."