"Trusting the Government, Returning to School"... Medical Students Announce Return After 1 Year and 5 Months

[Financial News] Medical students who had collectively taken a leave of absence in protest against the increase of 2,000 medical school seats since February last year have officially expressed their intention to return.

The Korean Association of Medical Colleges and Graduate Schools (KAMC) announced a 'Joint Statement for the Normalization of Medical Education' at a press conference held at the Korean Medical Association Hall in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on the 12th. Members of the National Assembly's Education and Health and Welfare Committees, as well as representatives from the Korean Medical Association (KMA), were also present at the meeting.

KAMC stated, "Based on trust in the government and the National Assembly, all students will return to school to contribute to the restoration of medical education and the healthcare system." They did not specify the exact timing of the return.

The KMA pledged to fully support the resumption of medical education and promised to continue constructive dialogue with the government for the recovery of the healthcare system. The National Assembly also announced plans to jointly respond with the government to prepare measures for students' return to studies.

They urged the President and the government to "establish comprehensive measures to enable the return of medical students through the normalization of academic operations." They also demanded the creation of a consultative body for the recovery of damages in the medical field and the improvement of long-term education and training environments, ensuring the participation of stakeholders.

Meanwhile, the deans of medical schools suggested that the unconditional expression of intent to return by students be a prerequisite and indicated plans to discuss normalization measures with the government for the second semester return.

According to the medical community, the Korean Association of Medical Colleges and Graduate Schools (KAMC) held a board meeting the previous day to finalize key principles for the normalization of medical education and communicated them to affiliated institutions that morning.

KAMC emphasized to students, "Students who wish to return must clearly express their intention to return to school without any conditions and initiate discussions with the school. They must acknowledge the right to study of peers who have already returned and explicitly state that they will not disrupt the campus community order, pledging to take responsibility according to school regulations if violated."

Additionally, they stated, "To ensure the quality of medical education, the total amount of the regular curriculum will be maintained, and the shortening of the education period or the flexibilization of academic operations will not be considered."

ahnman@fnnews.com Ahn Seung-hyun, Kim Man-gi reporters