Most Korean medical interns still not back to work

As of Wednesday, only 294 of the more than 9,000 trainee doctors who went on strike had returned to work, Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo said at a press conference. "It's fortunate that there are trainee doctors who have returned to the patient's side and I can say that they made a wise decision," Park said.

Most of the Korean medical interns still do not return to work after graduation. Image 1 — South Korean Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo speaks during a meeting in Sejong, South Korea, Feb. 29, 2024. Photo: Yonhap

Two-thirds of South Korea's medical interns have quit their jobs to protest plans to increase the annual medical intake quota to 2,000 to address what the government says is a shortage of doctors. The young doctors protesting say the government should first address pay and working conditions before trying to increase the number of doctors.

Ahead of the strike, South Korea issued a return-to-work order for doctors who had quit and warned their medical licenses could be suspended if they did not comply by Thursday's deadline.

The strike caused disruptions at major hospitals, forcing facilities to turn away some patients and cancel surgeries and medical procedures.

A coalition of groups representing patients with serious illnesses, including cancer, has called for doctors to return to work so they can discuss how to improve the health system for everyone.

Among them, Lee Kun-joo, a terminal lung cancer patient, begged the doctors to return after sharing that during his 25 years of fighting the disease, he had been greatly helped by quality health care and well-trained doctors.

“The place of doctors is to be by the patient's side, regardless of reason or condition,” said Mr. Lee, reiterating that doctors are sworn to consider “the health and well-being of the patient as their primary concern.”

The South Korean government has invited the trainee doctors to a meeting late Thursday to try to convince them to return. But so far there have been no formal discussions.

Hoai Phuong (according to Reuters)

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