South Korea Allows Additional Recruitment of Medical Residents in May

On May 19, the South Korean government announced that it will permit the additional recruitment of medical residents this month. Typically, residency training begins in March or September each year, but this initiative aims to provide returning opportunities for residents who left earlier this year.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare stated that, following requests from various medical organizations including the Korean Medical Association and the Korean Association of Training Hospitals, hospitals will be allowed to autonomously recruit residents from May 20 until the end of the month. Successful candidates will commence their training on June 1.

The ministry also confirmed that it will apply an exception allowing residents to return to the same specialty and year within one year. For those military-exempt residents choosing to return, the ministry will actively negotiate with the Military Manpower Administration to allow for deferment of their enlistment.

This decision reflects concerns within the medical community about a potential shortage of specialists extending into next year. Residents must return within three months to be eligible for the specialist examination, meaning that senior residents need to rejoin by the end of this month to qualify for next year's exam.