Government reduces medical school expansion for 2025 academic year: What to expect next?

The government has accepted the recommendations of the presidents of six major national universities and reduced the amount of medical school expansion for the 2025 academic year from the original 2,000 to 1,000. It has been explained that the government has issued the ‘flexible response’ card as voices are gaining strength that the government must first make concessions to end the tight tug of war between patient groups, the medical community, and lawmakers, including the National Assembly. .

Prime Minister Han Deok-soo presided over a meeting of the disaster and safety headquarters on the 19th and held a special briefing regarding the increase in medical school capacity of students within the range of 50- 100% regarding the recruitment of new students for the school year 2025. He said, “Considering the educational situation of each university, among the 32 universities whose medical school quota was extended this year, if they wish, they will be allowed at each university to recruit new students independently only for the school year 2025 within the range of 50%. or 100% of the maximum number of students.

However, starting from the 2026 school year, all universities must accept all the increases given last month. Prime Minister Han said, “Since the 2025 school entrance exam is just around the corner, we decided to proactively accept the recommendations of national university presidents, paying attention to the need to reduce the anxiety of prospective students and parents and the urgent need for standardization. the academic record of the medical school.

As the government expressed its view that it will reduce the number of medical school students rather than stick to the number of 2,000, it asked the medical community to also show a positive attitude to resolve the situation to quick Prime Minister Han said, “I hope the medical community will also accept this government’s decision with an open mind,” and added, “Medical students and residents who are considering returning must return to the school and to patient side as soon as possible. .” He said, “The government’s decision shows its willingness to discuss any topic with an open mind with medical students and residents. “

Despite the government’s concessions, the response of the medical community is cold. The medical community still insists that they cannot accept any card from the government unless it ‘completely cancels’ the policy. Kim Chang-soo, president of the Association of National Medical University Professors, said, “Although we kept telling the presidents that the educational conditions were not good, the presidents arbitrarily submitted to accept only the number of students,” and they said, “Now that they are reducing the number of students, it is a stoppage of a plan to negotiate (with the government). Kim Seong-geun, chairman of the media and public relations committee of the Korea Medical Association’s Emergency Response Committee, said, “It shows how suddenly (the policy to increase the number of medical schools) was implemented,” and said e, “I am encouraged that a review from the beginning is correct.”