Medical professors to decide whether to resign by Friday

A medical professional sits on a chair at a general hospital in Seoul on Wednesday. [NEWS1]

A coalition of 19 medical colleges nationwide will decide about potential professorial resignations by Friday.

“Of 40 medical colleges in the country, 19 teamed up to form an emergency committee to prevent the Korean medical sector from collapsing due to the students’ boycotting and junior trainee doctors' walkout,” said the press release issued by the committee of Seoul National University and its hospital on Wednesday.

The decision for collegiate joint action comes after a general meeting with medical professors from the 19 colleges on Tuesday evening.

During Tuesday's meeting, the professors discussed collective measures aimed at “making striking juniors and students return to hospitals and schools to complete their training and academic courses."

The coalition comprises of medical colleges at: Seoul National University, Yonsei University, University of Ulsan, The Catholic University of Korea, Wonkwang University, Pusan National University, Gyeongsang National University, Inje University, Hallym University, Ajou University, Jeju National University, Dankook University, Chungnam National University, Kangwon National University, Keimyung University, Hanyang University, Daegu Catholic University and Chungbuk National University.

Prof. Bang Jae-seung from Seoul National University’s College of Medicine will chair the committee.

Professors at medical colleges and clinical professors at their hospitals will decide by Friday whether to file their resignations or not. The date of submission will be determined at the upcoming meeting.

“Legal measures that will be imposed on trainee doctors and students’ leave of absence are the most pressing emergency as of now. The professors decided to unite and organize the coalition of emergency steering committees to prevent an emergency," the professors said.

“We have agreed to put our best effort into treating patients in working hospitals until our resignations are processed."

“When junior trainee doctors and students do not complete their training and academic courses, Korean medical services will be toppled,” the committee's professors said, requesting the government to "make a negotiable setting" to bring them back to their hospitals and schools.

BY LEE SOO-JUNG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]