The Korea Health Personnel Licensing Examination Institute located in Gwangjin District, Seoul. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, July 21 (Korea Bizwire) — A record number of foreign medical school graduates have passed South Korea’s preliminary medical licensing exam this year, marking a more than threefold increase from the previous year, signaling a shifting landscape in the country’s medical profession.
According to the Korea Health Personnel Licensing Examination Institute on July 20, 172 out of 194 candidates passed the second round of the 21st physician preliminary exam, which tests clinical skills. The 88.7% pass rate marks a significant jump from the previous year’s 54.5%, when only 55 candidates passed — making this year’s total more than triple.
The preliminary exam is mandatory for graduates of overseas medical schools seeking eligibility to sit for Korea’s national medical licensing exam. The exam consists of a written and a clinical section, typically administered before the main licensing test.
Notably, this year also saw a dramatic improvement in the pass rate for the written portion: 56.7% of 282 candidates passed, crossing the 50% threshold for the first time since the exam’s inception in 2005. Until now, the average written pass rate had lingered around 31.2%.
Doctors walk at a general hospital in Seoul on July 11, 2024. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
The increase in preliminary exam success suggests a growing cohort of foreign-trained doctors likely to qualify for Korea’s national medical licensing exam. Earlier this year, 52 of the 269 total successful candidates in the 89th medical licensing exam — or 19.3% — held degrees from foreign institutions.
Observers expect the number of foreign-trained doctors passing the upcoming 90th national exam could surpass 100 for the first time.
Hungary continues to dominate as the top country of origin for foreign-educated examinees. In last year’s preliminary clinical test, 67 Hungarian medical school graduates participated, with 41 passing. Of the final licensees in the 89th exam, 39 held Hungarian medical degrees. A smaller number hailed from the U.S., Russia, and the U.K.
As the medical profession in South Korea grapples with a range of challenges — including a domestic shortage of physicians and ongoing medical school disputes — the influx of foreign-trained professionals may become an increasingly vital element of the country’s healthcare workforce.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
