Seoul University Hospital Faces Alarming Shortage of Obstetricians Amid Staffing Crisis. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, April 20 (Korea Bizwire) –In a concerning development, Seoul National University Hospital has not had a single full-time obstetrician on staff since March, highlighting the growing aversion among medical professionals toward the high-risk and demanding field of obstetrics.
This marks the first time the prestigious hospital has grappled with such a vacancy in its obstetrics department. The shortage stems from a two-year stretch without any resident applications coupled with the departure of remaining obstetricians for other positions.
Hospital officials cite obstetrics as a notoriously undesirable specialty, plagued by a multitude of challenges. Low reimbursement rates for deliveries make it difficult to maintain adequate staffing levels.
The existing obstetricians often find themselves overworked, performing emergency surgeries around the clock, including nights and weekends, with minimal personnel.
The photo is from SBS’s TV drama “Obstetrics and Gynecology Doctors,” which aired in 2010. (Image from SBS)
Furthermore, as a leading university hospital, Seoul National University Hospital treats a high volume of high-risk pregnancies, exposing obstetricians to an elevated risk of medical malpractice lawsuits – another factor driving the aversion to the field.
“Millennial and Gen Z resident doctors cannot be blamed for avoiding obstetrics as a specialty,” lamented one hospital staff member, who warned that the discipline itself faces the risk of becoming obsolete.
The crisis has prompted urgent calls for a comprehensive strategy to address the low reimbursement rates, unfavorable working conditions, and lack of incentives that have made obstetrics an increasingly unappealing career path for medical professionals in South Korea.
Without decisive action, experts warn, the nation’s healthcare system may soon confront a perilous shortage of obstetricians, jeopardizing access to essential maternal and reproductive care services.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
