Striking doctors should return to dialogue
A conflict between the government and the medical sector is escalating over a plan to increase the number of medical students. The Korean Intern Resident Association, the mouthpiece of 16,000 trainee doctors, said Monday that it has decided to go on an indefinite strike. The haggling is worrisome as it comes amid the resurgent COVID-19 pandemic here.
The dispute shows no signs of abating as most medical students are boycotting the Korean Medical License Examination. In protest of the government plan, 93.3 percent of 3,036 students have already withdrawn their applications for the state exam. They are strongly against the plan to increase the admissions quota at medical schools across the nation by 400 annually for 10 years starting in 2022.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare appeared to have triggered the problem by hurriedly announcing the quota hike, July 23. Despite opposition from relevant organizations and their threats of strikes, the ministry went ahead with the plan. As trainee doctors began to strike nationwide last week, the ministry issued an administrative order to force them to return to work.
The striking doctors have criticized the government for pressing for another plan to create a public medical school unilaterally without listening to their voices. The ministry said in its official blog that the envisaged medical school will recruit students based on recommendations by a committee composed of representatives from civic organizations.
This has triggered strong repercussion as many civic bodies are under the influence of local government heads. Such a plan, if implemented, may help children of influential local figures enter medical schools ― hardly a reflection of fairness in admissions.
In the face of the strong backlash from the public, the ministry deleted the content from the blog but controversy still persists over the issue. The ministry needs to scrap its plan and start from scratch to have negotiations with medical doctors and trainee doctors.
The doctors, for their part, need to come up with their own proposal to address the shortage of medical practitioners and strengthen the country's public medical institutions. They also should try to find a compromise. Demanding a full withdrawal of the government plan will not work to solve the problem.
They should realize that their collective action will backfire amid the rapid spread of the COVID-19 pandemic because few people support their cause. If their strike disrupts healthcare services, they cannot avoid criticism for pursuing their own interests at the cost of patients.