The government has decided to allow the return of medical students who left schools in protest against the expansion of medical school enrollment starting this second semester, and to conduct an additional medical national examination.
The Ministry of Education announced on the 25th an operational plan for returning medical students that includes these details.
The operational plan for medical students announced by the Ministry of Education that day is a confirmation of measures prepared by the Council of Deans for the Advancement of Medical Colleges, a gathering of presidents from 40 medical schools, and the Korean Association of Medical Colleges (KAMC).
Previously, these organizations had formulated a plan that accepts the return of medical students for the second semester while maintaining measures such as grade retention. This plan includes that first and second-year pre-med students will advance normally in March next year, while first-year medical students will graduate in February 2029, and second-year medical students will graduate in February 2028. It also includes that third-year medical students will graduate in February or August 2027, and fourth-year medical students will graduate in August 2026.
Additionally, these organizations decided to request the government to conduct an additional medical national examination for third- and fourth-year medical students graduating in August.
The Ministry of Education noted that "the deans of medical colleges have conveyed this statement to the government based on the results of several discussions held," adding, "The government respects the position of the Council of Deans and recognizes the autonomy and responsibility of individual universities, and plans to actively promote necessary administrative and financial support."
At the same time, the government stated, "We will consider promoting the medical national examination for students graduating in August in the third and fourth years."