THE country’s healthcare system faces yet another challenge as medical professors announce they will submit their resignations autonomously starting March 25, ending their involvement in patient care and surgical procedures.
The medical professors, often juggling dual roles as physicians in hospitals, have filled the void left by trainee doctors to mitigate disruptions in medical services following a month-long period of junior doctors’ walkout in protest of the government’s plans.
March 25 is also the deadline for trainee doctors to submit their opinions on license suspensions for defying the government’s return-to-work orders.
The decision comes after the emergency committee – comprising medical professors from 20 medical schools – held an online meeting late Friday on whether to take collective action.
Of the 20 medical universities, 16 schools were overwhelmingly in favor of submitting resignation letters, while the remaining four schools were still collecting opinions on whether to join the move. The names of the schools have not been revealed.
Following the announcement, Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong expressed grave concerns over professors’ collective action during a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters on Sunday, saying that it could jeopardise patients’ lives and health conditions.
“(The government) hopes that professors would stand by their patients to prevent aggravating public concerns.
“(We) would actively listen to the opinions of professors,” Cho was quoted as saying in a press release.
The remarks come after the professor’s group on Saturday said the medical circle could find a middle ground if the government backs down on adding 2,000 more seats to medical school admissions from the current 3,508, as both sides are holding hard lines.
More medical professors will likely follow in pressuring the government to seek a breakthrough by submitting their resignations.
A total of 11,999 trainee doctors at 100 training hospitals – or 92.9% of the total – have remained absent from their jobs as of Thursday, according to the Health Ministry.
The government has sent license suspension notices to some 9,000 junior doctors as part of its disciplinary action against them. — The Korea Herald/ANN
