The medical strike in Korea, where doctors who oppose the increase in a number of doctors being admitted into medical schools are resigning, has become an ongoing major social issue. Doctors say they cannot agree to the medical reform that has not been fully discussed, and they emphasize that refusing medical treatment is necessary. Despite the medical strike by doctors, the number of people applying to medical schools in the Seoul metropolitan area has increased by 34. 9%, making the increase in those applying to medical school another rising problem. The age range of people now gearing up for medical school ranges from elementary school students to office workers. What we are now witnessing, and have been witnessing for quite some time, could be called the “medical school craze” in the academy district. As the preference for medical school in Korean society gets deeper, students and parents are showing higher interest than ever before. Therefore, the Dongguk Post would like to find out the reason behind such a preference for medical schools in Korea and listen to students’ opinions on this phenomenon.
What causes the “medical school craze”
In Korea, doctors are regarded as the number one dream job. The preference for medical school is becoming increasingly prominent, and Korea is suffering from a high rate of private education. In the Gangnam district, marketing of the kindergarten medical school level class is in vogue following the elementary school medical class, and the line between the medical school and the SKY (word pointing to the three most prestigious universities in Korea; Seoul National University, Korea University, and Yonsei University) level class is getting bigger. The competition rate for medical school in 2023 averaged 46-1, up from 2022.
So why are people obsessed with becoming a doctor? Preferences for medical school have always existed, but the recent trends are becoming more concerning than ever. The expression, “black hole of medical school,” meaning in medical school results from the combination of the increased stability and profitability of the doctors’ profession. In addition, due to the increase in the number of medical schools, more and more young office workers want to challenge themselves to apply to medical schools. As the concept of a lifelong-secure job is disappearing as society changes, office workers who feel anxious about the uncertain future are also aiming to get into medical school. that medical schools suck in talented students like a black hole, has been used.
The IMF crisis in 1997s is regarded as one of the primary causes of this trend. The preference for medical schools, which are relatively superior in job security, economic stability, and social reputation, has begun as companies have experienced several economic crises since the 1990s, and the perception that they are no longer guaranteed job and wealth stability has spread.
Since then, as Korean industrial mechanisms and companies have matured, rapid growth has stopped, and the difficulty of finding employment has increased. Due to the greater uncertainty of the future, the manpower market has been transformed into an unbalanced medical school craze. Experts analyze that the concentration in medical school results from the combination of the increased stability and profitability of the doctors’ profession.
In addition, due to the increase in the number of medical schools, more and more young office workers want to challenge themselves to apply to medical schools. As the concept of a lifelong-secure job is disappearing as society changes, office workers who feel anxious about the uncertain future are also aiming to get into medical school.
Students’ thoughts about the medical school craze
What do students think about the preference for medical college? Bhang Soo-yeon (Department of Business students are flocking to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), there arises a serious talent imbalance. I think that even within STEM majors, there are a serious trend of focusing on medical schools. I think that if talented students in the STEM fields are concentrated only in medical schools, pure scientific talent might disappear, and Korea’s future perhaps will gradually vanish.” Also, Kim Eun-seo (Department of English Translation 21) said “I think the concentration of medical school has intensified as the concept of a lifelong job has gradually disappeared, increasing people’s preferences for professional jobs that require licenses. We need measures to prevent the crowding of people to medical school and to allow students to move on to more diverse fields,” critically looking at the concentration of medical school.
How to solve the medical school craze
To solve this problem, improvement of the educational environment is required. Instead of students only preparing for the college entrance exam through elementary, middle, and high school education, it is necessary to form the educational environment to strengthen career education. Currently, Korean students aim only for college entrance exams, which causes an ironic result, as they think belatedly about what they want to do. Therefore, an educational atmosphere where students can find out for themselves what they like and are good at should be encouraged. Suggesting directions so that talented people in various fields, such as medicine, science, and engineering, can realize their dreams in various fields can develop a society.
Additionally, our society should not view becoming a doctor as just merely a way of gaining job security and wealth. Society must try to truly understand what the process of becoming a doctor takes, and how they have a positive influence on society. We need to ask why we are envious of those becoming doctors. Perhaps we are overwhelmingly envious of doctors as a stable job and high profits. The medical school concentration has become an issue linked to the vitality of society beyond the problem of human resource imbalance. Therefore, people should start asking themselves, their true intensions behind the desire for medical schools.