Thousands of students give up prestigious universities, choosing to retake the medical school entrance exam multiple times to have the opportunity to work in the "most respected and highest paid" profession.
In 2022, according to data from Jongro Academy, nearly 1,900 students dropped out of prestigious universities such as Seoul National University, Korea University and Yonsei University. This year, more than 25% of candidates with high scores on the college entrance exam also rejected admission offers from these three schools.
Seoul National University said the number of freshmen dropping out has skyrocketed in the past few years. In 2023, the school had 225 freshmen dropouts, triple the number in 2019. The majority of the dropouts were from STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields.
These students want to spend time retaking the entrance exam to medical school, said Lim Sung Ho, CEO of Jongro Academy. Meanwhile, no applicants from Seoul National University Medical School have dropped out. Nor have other medical schools.
Statistics released by the Democratic Party of Korea at the end of March showed that nearly 4,000 medical students from 2020-2023 had retaken the exam multiple times before being admitted. Of these, about 20% retook the exam three times and 13.4% retook the exam more than four times. Kang Deuk-gu, a representative of the Democratic Party, said the number of retakers reflected a "widespread obsession" with the medical profession among elite students across the country.
"Obviously, high salaries and job stability are the reasons why students love the medical field," said Hong Yoo Suk, Dean of the School of Engineering at Seoul National University.
Students at Happo High School in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea, study for college entrance exams, November 2021. Photo: Yonhap
Doctors are one of the most respected and well-paid professions in South Korea. According to a report by the Korea Occupational and Labor Network last April, medical workers were among the top 10 highest-earning occupations. Specialist doctors accounted for 16 of the top 20 highest-earning jobs, along with pilots, fund managers and university presidents.
A survey by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs showed that the average annual income of doctors is 230.7 million won (4 billion VND), more than twice the income level considered high in this country. This figure is also higher than the average income of 140 million won at Samsung Group.
In addition to high income, job satisfaction is also a reason why the medical profession attracts students. In 2021, more than half of medical staff said they would recommend this profession to others. This number increased last year, to 61.4%, showing that the medical profession is increasingly popular.
According to the Korea Career and Workers Network, parents tend to suggest that their children pursue a career in medicine. One in five elementary and middle school students aspire to attend medical school.
Meanwhile, since 2006, the enrollment quota for medical schools has been frozen at 3,000 students per year. At this rate, South Korea is expected to be short of more than 27,000 doctors by 2035. Therefore, job opportunities in this industry are considered very open.
The South Korean government has planned to expand medical school enrollment by April 2024. However, the proposal has been opposed by the Korean Medical Association.
Phuong Anh (According to UWN, The Korea Herald )
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