Doctors to hold nationwide rally against med school quota hikes

Doctors will hold massive rallies across the nation this week in protest of the government’s planned hike in the enrollment quota for medical schools, officials said Sunday.

The Korean Medical Association (KMA), a major lobby group for doctors, said it will hold protests nationwide Thursday as a first collective action after the entity went into emergency mode in response to the government’s decision to boost the number of medical students.

Last week, the health ministry announced a plan to increase the enrollment quota for medical students by 2,000 next year to over 5,000 in an effort to address the chronic shortage of doctors in rural areas and essential healthcare fields.

Doctors, in response, have threatened to stage a large-scale strike.

Details about the rallies, including how many medical personnel will participate in the upcoming rallies, are yet to be known, the officials said, adding that the KMA is also reviewing holding a meeting involving representatives of doctors nationwide to discuss foll
owing moves.

The government has vowed a stern response to deal with any collective action by doctors.

Source: Yonhap News Agency