Gov't and doctors should find reasonable middle ground

After four weeks of medical interns and residents protesting against the increase in medical school student quotas, the medical students taking a leave of absence in protest will face suspension from their schools starting Thursday. Approximately 14,000, or 75% of current medical students on leave, risk failing en masse due to inadequate attendance if they do not return by Wednesday. This threatens to disrupt medical training and hinder efforts to address the shortage of doctors in society. In response, professors from medical schools nationwide have pledged to resign collectively if students are adversely affected, potentially prolonging the resolution of the situation.

Disappointed by professors mirroring the actions of their students rather than guiding them to prioritize patient care, society is frustrated by the government's perceived helplessness and inadequate response. Despite pledging a resolute response, the government's actions have fallen short of its promises. On February 20, an ultimatum was issued to medical residents who collectively submitted resignations, warning of delicensing and legal consequences if they did not return by the end of the month. With no response from the residents, the government extended the deadline by three days but emphasized that further leniency would not be granted. However, the government hinted at a favorable resolution if residents were to return even at this late stage, giving the impression of pleading rather than enforcing orders.

The government's claims of readiness to engage in dialogue with medical circles appear increasingly hollow. Despite numerous mediation proposals and calls for dialogue from elders and specialists in the medical field, meaningful discussions have yet to materialize. Only on Monday did the Minister of Health and Welfare hold a private meeting with a non-representative regular medical resident, after failing to find a representative figure. The current emergency medical system is inadequate, relying on 138 public health doctors, 20 military doctors, and physician-assistant (PA) nurses, whose legal status remains unclear and whose numbers have never been accurately recorded. It's puzzling why the government proposed a significant increase of 2,000 medical students without plans to address doctors' refusal to treat patients or establish channels for dialogue.

As patients increasingly feel the impact of the medical vacuum, the potential exodus of medical professors, a scenario that could significantly worsen the situation, threatens to exacerbate the situation further. While the government claims collective actions by physicians endanger patients, its own inaction and incompetence pose equally significant threats to public health and safety. It is crucial for the government and the medical community to find a reasonable middle ground before the situation spirals out of control irreversibly.