The Federation of Korean Trade Unions National Medical Industry Labor Federation (Medical Labor Federation) on the 13th said it "welcomes it in principle" regarding the government's plan to gradually expand medical school enrollment quotas, but noted it is "still insufficient to resolve staffing shortages on the ground."
At the 7th Health and Medical Policy Deliberation Committee meeting on the 10th, the physician shortfall in 2037 was estimated at 4,724, and it was decided to increase medical school enrollment in stages by a total of 3,342 over five years starting with the 2027 academic year (an annual average of 668). The first-year increase is 490.
In a statement that day, the Medical Labor Federation said, "Given the workload borne by nurses and physician assistants (PA) who have been substituting for physicians, this increase amounts to only 75% of the estimated shortfall," adding, "It is not sufficient to fill the gap in essential medical services."
However, it added that it respects the plan "as a social consensus derived after discussions among the government, the medical community, and civil society, taking into account educational conditions and future demand."
The Medical Labor Federation argued that follow-up measures are needed for the increase to be felt in the field.
First, it said the "regional physician system" should not end with mere selection, calling for financial support and infrastructure expansion to help physicians settle in the regions. In particular, it said, "Priority should be given to deploying the expanded workforce to essential medical sites to end illegal medical practices that have been shifted to nurses and PAs due to physician shortages."
It also urged improvements to the training environment for residents. The Medical Labor Federation said, "Burnout among the existing workforce has reached its limit until the increased personnel are deployed in the field," arguing that shorter working hours and a reorganization of the medical delivery system should proceed in tandem.
It expressed concern about the "doubling" issue arising from simultaneous instruction for the classes of '24 and '25. The Medical Labor Federation said, "The promises to expand full-time faculty at national universities and invest in facilities must be implemented without delay," and "management is needed to ensure that overload in educational settings does not lead to a decline in medical quality."
The Medical Labor Federation said, "This decision to increase enrollment should not be derailed by political controversy," urging consistent implementation by the government.