“8,000 medical graduates pour into the job market… ‘Resident Doctor Salaries Already Slashed in Half'”

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Recruitment Deadline for Second-Half Medical Residents, But Only a Few Applicants Rushing to Private Practices

Medical Residents Opting for Private Practices Instead of Training
(Seoul=Yonhap News) By Shin Hyun-woo

‘ (Seoul=Yonhap News) By Sung Seo-ho = With the imminent closing of applications for second-half medical residents set to resume training in September, it is expected that those who have given up obtaining specialist qualifications will pour into private practices.’

‘ With them flocking in at once, the job competition is becoming fierce, with immediate salary reductions and popular fields such as dermatology and cosmetic surgery already showing signs of saturation.’

‘ Some are turning their eyes towards overseas ventures like the United States, but in the long run, a considerable number are expected to return to medical residency training.’

Even ‘Big 5’ Hospitals See No Applicants for Medical Residency
(Seoul=Yonhap News) By Kim Sung-min

Medical Residents Turning to Private Practices Instead of Returning… 8,000 Pouring Out
‘ According to the government and the medical field on the 31st, 126 medical institutions recruiting interns and residents for the second half of this year will close application submissions at 5 p.m. today.’

‘ The number of medical residents recruited for the second half is 7,645, but it is reported that very few medical residents have applied so far.’

‘ A total of 7,648 medical residents have resigned or given up appointments, and they are expected to pour into private practices and other areas of the medical market after giving up medical residency training.’

‘ An emergency medicine medical resident who resigned from a regional training hospital said, “For now, I plan to work as a general practitioner and decide whether to continue training at the September recruitment.” They added, “Most of the resigned medical residents are not planning to apply for the September recruitment.”‘

‘ However, for those who have resigned, it is difficult to find employment due to their lack of specialization as they have not completed their training.’

‘ Typically, doctors complete one year as an intern and 3 to 4 years as a resident to obtain specialist qualification. While those who have trained for a long period may be able to utilize their specialty, it is even more challenging for medical residents with shorter training periods to find jobs.’

‘ Furthermore, if 8,000 resigned medical residents flood into private practices at once, competition for limited positions will intensify, resulting in a decrease in salaries.’

‘ A medical resident trained in a rural area revealed, “There are many resigned medical residents looking to get a job anywhere, such as nursing hospitals,” referring to the crowded situation where they are heading en masse to the pay doctor (physician employed at a hospital) market.’

‘ A medical resident who resigned from a hospital in Seoul and is currently working part-time stated, “Salaries have dropped to almost half. Positions offering 3 to 4 million won monthly are starting to emerge, but there won’t be anyone willing to work as a doctor for that money.”‘

‘ Particularly in fields like dermatology and cosmetic surgery, which are already popular, it is rumored that job opportunities are not easily given to those who have resigned, seen as temporary labor rather than permanent hires. Due to the large influx of people, signs of market saturation are also emerging.’

‘ A resigned medical resident aiming to enter the beauty field said, “I heard that around 80% of people who find employment are seen as people who will return (to the training hospital)” and added, “They tend to select candidates who seem likely to work for a long time because of the ample available workforce.”‘

‘ Even senior doctors who have already entered private practices find it challenging to actively recruit medical residents.’

‘ A private practice in Seoul stated, “Medical residents are not specialists, and hospitals have already designated the required workforce for each specialty,” explaining the difficulty in hiring medical residents.’

[Provided by Korean Medical Association]

Difficulty in Finding Employment Leads to Consideration of Overseas Options… “Many Medical Residents Expected to Return to Training in the Long Run”
‘ Given this situation, senior doctors are stepping in to help medical residents enter their desired fields.’

‘ The Korean Medical Association (KMA) will begin a training program for resigned medical residents starting next month.’

‘ To date, the KMA has hosted job matching activities, such as setting up employment boards at medical societies in Seoul, but this will be the first time the KMA will conduct training specifically for resigned medical residents.’

‘ The first training course will focus on orthopedic surgery, and the KMA plans to accept participants on a first-come, first-served basis, expecting high popularity.’

‘ A KMA official stated, “We are not exclusively operating training programs on popular subjects,” emphasizing that they will create programs based on the interests of resigned medical residents in overseas ventures, private practices, and other fields.’

‘ There are quite a few medical residents preparing for overseas ventures in reality.’

‘ One medical resident mentioned, “There are many people around me preparing for the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE),” expressing thoughts about it and hearing that many related seminars are held monthly.’

‘ However, overseas ventures may not be easy due to language barriers and cultural differences.’

‘ Therefore, both within and outside the medical field, it is predicted that in the long run, a considerable number of medical residents will have no choice but to return to training sites.’

‘ A professor at a university hospital speculated, “Since they may not be utilized much as general practitioners, many medical residents may want to return to a training hospital to become specialists in the long run.”‘

‘ soho@yna.co.kr’

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