[News Today] FIRST DEBATE ON MEDICAL REFORM

[LEAD]
In the wake of ongoing healthcare policy disputes, the government and medical community held their inaugural public debate. Despite extensive discussions, they failed to find common ground on the key issue of expanding medical school admissions. The medical sector has expressed concerns, deeming the current discussions premature.

[REPORT]
A debate between the government and the medical community in the 8 months of conflict between the two sides over medical reform was held for the first time.

Discussions focused on the medical school admissions quota hike, and yet again, both sides repeated their existing stances.

The government said there is sufficient scientific ground to raise the quota and an increase by 2,000 is the minimal level.

Jang Sang-yoon / Senior pres. secretary for social affairs
In fact, the quota needs to rise by over 4,000 at least. That's why the gov't has consistently called for a minimum 2,000 hike.

Meanwhile the medical community questioned the need for a quota expansion. They said that if there are more doctors, healthcare costs will also rise.

They said the issue lies not in the absolute number of doctors but their shortage in essential care areas and provincial regions.

Kang Hee-kyung / Head, SNU Med School·SNUH emergency committee
The number of doctors rose this much in the past decade. It grew in Seoul but not in the provinces such as Chungnam and Gyeongbuk Province.

Regarding recent controversy over a possible review of reducing the medical school period to 5 years, the presidential office said that was not the intended idea.

The government also stuck to its objection to approving the mass leave of absence requested by medical students while med professors said the applications should be greenlit.

All in all, the session failed to produce solid conclusions and only served to reaffirm differences.

Park Yong-eon / Vice president, Korean Medical Association
Why the 2025 quota needs to be adjusted should have been mentioned. Comments such as 4,000 hike is backed by science is an insult to doctors.

Medical groups view such an attempt to hold talks in a positive light but stressed that now is the time for policy makers to make decisions, rather than arranging discussions and debates.