For South Korea’s top students, smart money is on medical school over chips

Medical staff are seen at a university hospital in Gwangju on Feb 19, 2024. Data showed that 26% of students admitted into the computer engineering department of Seoul National University for the 2024 school year decided not to enroll in the first round of regular admissions, while no one gave up their spots in the medical school at the nation’s top public university, according to SNU’s website. — AFP

A South Korean plan to greatly increase medical school seats has helped prompt more top students to enroll for exam-prep studies to become doctors – over the once sure-fire bet of trying to become engineers who make semiconductors.

The operators at some of the nation’s largest cram schools have set up new courses for those looking to take exams in November to enter a university medical programme next year, when South Korea plans to increase the number of slots by 2,000 from the current 3,058 to alleviate a shortage of doctors.