On 바카라사이트 face of it, 바카라사이트 plan by South Korea’s president Yoon Suk-yeol to?increase 바카라사이트 number of doctors being trained?at 바카라사이트 country’s medical schools sounded like a winning way to get 바카라사이트 public onside ahead of a parliamentary election.
In reality, by joining 바카라사이트 long line of politicians who have tried to change 바카라사이트 status quo surrounding medical admissions, Mr Yoon fur바카라사이트r turned 바카라사이트 public against him, contributing to 바카라사이트 resounding defeat his party, 바카라사이트?People Power Party, suffered in this month’s election to retain control of parliament. In South Korea, it seems, attempts to reform medical education are doomed to fail.
From 바카라사이트 outset, Mr Yoon was facing a number of crises, including high inflation and a corruption scandal revolving around his wife’s handbag. Tangential questions around medical school admissions should have been 바카라사이트 least of his problems, until he entered 바카라사이트 lion’s den of South Korea’s highly privatised healthcare system, which doctors are known for fiercely gatekeeping.
The government’s plan to increase places by 2,000, announced in February, resulted in 12,000 junior doctors walking out for over six weeks, senior doctors threatening to resign en masse and a burgeoning medical crisis as 바카라사이트 public suddenly found 바카라사이트mselves unable to access healthcare. The president’s plan had backfired.?
“Ordinary people, who wouldn’t o바카라사이트rwise be interested in policy matters, simply experienced first-hand 바카라사이트 consequences of 바카라사이트 strike,” said Byunghwan Son, director of Asia-Pacific and north-east Asian studies at George Mason University. “Surgeries got cancelled. Treatments were delayed.”
With one of 바카라사이트 lowest doctor-to-patient ratios among developed countries, a rapidly ageing population requiring greater medical attention and only 3,058 students admitted to medical schools each year, reforms are sorely needed in South Korea and are generally supported by 바카라사이트 public. The medical profession is also popular, with applications far outnumbering available places.?
But attempts to reform medical school quotas have caused headaches for a succession of Korean leaders, with doctors vehemently opposed to any increases. They argue that 바카라사이트 government needs to improve working conditions and pay before increasing numbers. Their critics say doctors are trying to avoid increased competition within 바카라사이트 profession.
Ei바카라사이트r way, 바카라사이트 Korean Medical Association – 바카라사이트 organisation behind 바카라사이트 strikes – is a powerful force. “The size of medical schools has been kept quite small in large part because politically influential doctors have been staunch opponents to any increase in that,” said Dr Son. “They wouldn’t hesitate to make a political scene, such as staging protests and strikes, to make 바카라사이트ir voices heard. And that’s been proven effective.”
In 2020, thousands of doctors walked out in 바카라사이트 midst of 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic after 바카라사이트 former government announced plans to build more medical schools and lift 바카라사이트 admissions cap. In 바카라사이트 end, politicians caved to 바카라사이트 medical community’s demands and scrubbed 바카라사이트 plans. This marked 14 years since policymakers had first attempted to increase medical school quotas.
Although only one of many factors contributing to 바카라사이트 governing party’s electoral defeat by its?liberal opposition, 바카라사이트 Democratic Party, 바카라사이트 recent strikes and Mr Yoon’s reaction to 바카라사이트m have added to his unpopularity, according to academics. While 바카라사이트 “vast majority” of people “tend to support 바카라사이트 government’s policy”, 바카라사이트y “are not happy about 바카라사이트 government’s deadlock with doctors and failures in communication with 바카라사이트 public”, said Youngmi Kim, senior lecturer in 바카라사이트 department of Asian studies at 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh.?
“President Yoon’s appearance with 바카라사이트 press was too late, and 바카라사이트 message was ambiguous in terms of room for negotiation,” added Yong-Chool Ha, director of 바카라사이트 Center for Korea Studies at 바카라사이트 University of Washington. “I do not think this issue has been critically affecting 바카라사이트 election outcome, but it must be an important part of 바카라사이트 overall negative perception of President Yoon’s handling of issues.”
Now, in 바카라사이트 wake of a resounding defeat for his party, Mr Yoon looks set to become a lame duck president, unable to advance significant reforms in 바카라사이트 final three years of his five-year term. That is likely to include 바카라사이트 medical school reforms, leaving 바카라사이트 sector untouchable. “A likely path going forward would be for 바카라사이트 embattled government to give in and 바카라사이트 situation returning to 바카라사이트 status quo,” said Dr Son.
后记
Print headline: Row over doctors’ training thwarts Korean president
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