The Association of Medical School Professors in South Korea is opposing the government's proposal to increase medical school enrollment, advocating instead for adjustments to existing enrollment numbers until current students graduate.
The Association of Medical School Professors in South Korea has expressed their opposition to the government's initiative to increase medical school enrollment, advocating that discussions on the matter should be postponed until the 2024 and 2025 cohorts graduate. They recommended that the government adjust the number of students admitted at each institution to effectively reduce the scale of the proposed increase. The president of the association, Jo Yoon-jeong, emphasized that while the total capacity of medical schools will remain unchanged, admission numbers can be strategically reduced to limit the impact of the government’s policy. Previously, the Yoon Suk-yeol administration decided to increase the medical school enrollment by 2,000 students beginning in 2025, an initiative met with backlash from the medical community due to concerns about a decline in education quality and potential overcrowding in training programs.
The professors argue that the quality of medical education cannot be guaranteed with an increase in enrollment, stressing the necessity of evaluating critical conditions affecting educational standards, such as faculty availability, clinical practice capacity, and overall educational conditions. Professor Jo highlighted the importance of transparency from the government regarding these factors and insisted on the need for public access to relevant data that can influence the decision-making process regarding enrollment expansion. The association's stance reflects broader concerns within the academic community about maintaining educational quality amidst changing enrollment policies.
Additionally, the association mentioned that the cohort overlap caused by the government's policy and the subsequent collective leaves taken by students (specifically from the class of 2024 and 2025) has created a situation of combined classes that could further strain educational resources. The students of the 2024 cohort, who initially opposed the enrollment increase through mass leave during 2023, have returned to schooling and are now sharing classes with the subsequent cohort of 2025, leading to potential overcrowding and quality issues even in the absence of further enrollment increases. Professor Jo noted the substantial number of students who had taken leaves, emphasizing the impending educational challenges posed by this overlap if not addressed properly.
