A doctor walks inside of a Seoul hospital on Aug. 27, 2020 (Yonhap)
SEOUL, July 27 (Korea Bizwire) — Workforce aging is accelerating in essential medical fields as a trend of avoiding majoring in critical subjects, such as surgery and obstetrics, leads to a shortage of young specialists.
According to data received by Rep. Shin Hyun-young of the Democratic Party from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the number of specialist doctors in key essential medical fields who are in their 70s totaled 1,621 last year, marking a 136.3 percent increase from the figure in 2013.
The number of specialist doctors in their 50s and 60s stood at 6,034 and 3,656, respectively, showing a 35.6 percent and 86.5 percent increase during the period.
In contrast, the number of specialist doctors in their 40s declined by 6 percent to 5,604, while the number of such doctors in their 30s and younger fell by 24.2 percent to 3,024.
In 2013, the age group with the most specialist doctors in essential medical fields was those in their 40s, followed by those in their 50s and 30s and younger.
Last year, however, there were more specialist doctors in their 50s, followed by those in their 40s and 60s.
By medical field, the number of surgical specialists in their 70s and older increased by 91.7 percent last year compared to 2013, while the number of those in their 30s and below declined by 21.9 percent.
In the field of obstetrics, the number of specialist doctors in their 70s and older jumped by 167.6 percent, whereas the number of those in their 30s and younger declined by 32.3 percent.
J. S. Shin (js_shin@koreabizwire.com)
