"When young doctors with dreams meet cutting-edge basic science, great discoveries are born." As Joseph Goldstein, who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1985, said, physician-scientists (MD-Ph.D) who serve as a bridge between basic science and clinical practice are regarded as the key talents leading the advancement of modern medical and scientific fields. However, there are ongoing concerns that the ecosystem for physician-scientists to grow is still lacking in South Korea.
On the 22nd, a forum was held at the National Assembly Member's Office in Seoul to discuss the establishment of a Korean version of the Harvard-Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Health Science and Technology (HST) model. HST is a successful example of cultivating physician-scientists by integrating medicine and science technology through the collaboration of Harvard University and MIT. Experts from the medical and scientific communities and government officials present at the event unanimously agreed that a talent development system suited to domestic realities should be established based on this model.
Currently, the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ministry of Science and ICT are implementing various policies to establish a comprehensive support system that spans from undergraduate education to postdoctoral research stages. However, the reality is challenging. The proportion of medical school graduates who choose the career path of physician-scientists in South Korea is only 1.6%. This is a significant difference compared to the approximately 3% (about 600 people) recorded annually in the United States.
Lee Ho-young, Vice President for Research at Seoul National University and a professor at the medical school, diagnosed that "many ultimately give up due to lack of research opportunities and job instability, even when they choose the career of a physician-scientist."
Opinions have emerged that to improve this reality, a practical research environment and institutional foundation must be established to create a sustainable ecosystem. Park So-ra, a professor at Inha University College of Medicine, stated that "a structure where physicians and scientists collaborate in the same physical space, like Harvard-MIT's HST, is necessary," and emphasized that "flexibility in personnel management and administrative support are essential to allow participation in research without leaving the hospital." She added, "Training physician-scientists is not a single project but requires systematic support throughout the entire life cycle."
Lee Jun-hyung, a professor at Chonnam National University Medical School, raised the need for a more fundamental reform of the ecosystem. He pointed out that "it is difficult to coordinate an ecosystem to nurture physician-scientists under the leadership of a single ministry, and sophisticated cooperation among relevant ministries such as the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Ministry of Science and ICT, and the Ministry of Education is required," and added that "considering barriers such as low salaries that hinder entry into basic medicine, realistic incentives and a long-term roadmap must be prepared along with refined cooperation among ministries."
The government also empathized with this awareness of issues and acknowledged the need for institutional improvements. Hong Seung-ryeong, Director of the Health and Medical Technology Development Division at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, stated, "There were limitations in existing systems as we did not take into account the differences in domestic training processes and medical school education systems compared to the United States," and emphasized that "the establishment of a new system that organically connects education and research, individuals and institutions, along with collaborative efforts between hospitals, universities, and specialized universities is crucial."
Moon Se-yoon, a Deputy Director at the Ministry of Science and ICT's Advanced Biotechnology Division, noted that "it is indeed true that projects related to physician-scientists have been operated separately by each ministry until now," and stated, "We will closely collaborate with relevant ministries, including the Ministry of Health and Welfare, to establish effective policies and an integrated model."