Patients wait to see doctors at Pusan National University Hospital in South Korea’s southeastern port city of Busan on Aug. 7, 2020. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Feb. 10 (Korea Bizwire) — A substantial number of South Koreans are in favor of the policy to increase the number of medical doctors and establish public medical schools, a survey showed Tuesday.
The Seoul National University Hospital conducted an online survey of 2,097 people aged from 19 to 68 to arrive at this conclusion.
At 64.9 percent, almost two-thirds of the respondents said they agreed with the policy of increasing the number of medical doctors, while 54.3 percent agreed with the idea of establishing public medical schools.
A major reason behind agreement with the policy of increasing the number of medical doctors is the shortage of medical workers (70 percent), followed by the need to improve access to medical services (22.9 percent).
The common reason for disagreement was concern about the deterioration of medical service quality (25.8 percent), followed by the recognition that the number of medical doctors is already sufficient (12.8 percent).
The primary reason behind agreement with the policy of establishing public medical universities is the need to improve the shortage of medical services (30 percent), followed by the need to improve access to medical services (20.6 percent).
The main reason for disagreement is concern about the decline in the quality of medical services (23.4 percent).
In the meantime, 39.6 percent of the respondents said that they hadn’t received emergency treatment, even when they needed it, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
J. S. Shin (js_shin@koreabizwire.com)
