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South Korea trainee doctors walk out in protest against reforms | Al Jazeera (www.aljazeera.com)

submitted 8 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 8 months ago (2 children)

The government wants to boost medical school admissions by 2,000 from the 2025 academic year, against a current annual figure of about 3,000, and eventually add 10,000 more by 2035.

South Korea has one of the lowest doctor-to-population ratios among developed countries. President Yoon Suk-yeol said the government would not back down over the “necessary” reforms, which he described as an essential measure to prepare for caring for the country’s fast-ageing population.

But doctors have voiced fierce opposition to the plan to sharply raise medical school admissions, claiming it would hurt the quality of service. Proponents of the plan say doctors are mainly concerned the reforms could erode their salaries and social status.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 8 months ago (2 children)

Does this mean that only product about 3k doctors a year right now? That seems really low.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

It's a phenomenon that is happening in many countries around the world. Medical associations pour huge amount of money into lobbying and restrict the number of new doctors to increase their members' individual wealth at the cost of public health. (Medical spending as a whole does not decrease while less number of doctors share that pie)

It's more extreme and visible in South Korea because it is considerably later stage capitalism than some other countries, but the profit motive has been killing people for a long time. Not just in pharmaceutical industry, but from doctors themselves in the form of their associations.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 8 months ago

its fairly low yeah, as its really a multi faced problem caused by a lot of factors. given how serious a medical negligent situation can be, practice is highly scrutinized. you also have the other problem countries have where its not necessarily not having enough doctors in a specific field, but ones willing to work in the middle of bumfuck nowhere. getting specialist doctors in rural areas is difficult, and they end up having to do way more worl than what they are qualified for because of it.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 8 months ago

You know what's really good for pumping up those doctor numbers? The communism button. Wouldn't be surprised to find out the ROK is shitting itself now the DPRK has changed it's position on peaceful reunification. Worried about the idea that the DPRK is about to start showing what can be achieved by a DotP without much external trade or a blank check from the US. Getting ahead of the messaging by investing in healthcare.