Seven out of 10 students and parents believe the government’s plan to introduce a regional doctor system could prompt strategic transfers to high schools outside Seoul, a study released Tuesday found.
According to the study published by Jongno Hagwon, a major college entrance preparatory academy, 69.8 percent of the 975 students and parents surveyed said they expected to see an increase in student movement to regions eligible for the regional doctor system, once the policy is enacted.
Under the planned policy, a quota of medical school seats would be set aside for students who agree to work for about 10 years in underserved areas after obtaining their medical licenses.
Meanwhile, 60.3 percent of respondents said they would consider enrolling at a regional medical school if the system is implemented.
Among those who expressed interest in regional medical schools, 39.6 percent cited lower competition as their main motivation, while 39.4 percent said they were driven by a desire to become medical professionals.
Others pointed to tuition benefits and the perceived social value of becoming a regional doctor, at 10.5 percent and 8.3 percent, respectively.
Starting with next year’s college admissions cycle, the regional doctor system will select a fixed proportion of medical school freshmen, provide them with tuition support and require them to serve for 10 years in designated regions after graduation.
Eligibility is limited to students who live near select medical schools and who have entered and graduated from middle and high schools in the designated areas, including parts of Gyeonggi Province, Incheon and other non-Seoul regions.
However, current middle school students outside such areas will also be eligible if they enter and graduate from a high school in the designated regions.
As a result, private academies said they have recently seen a surge in parental inquiries about “strategic enrollment,” in which families relocate to regions covered by the policy so their children can attend nearby high schools.
“There is a real possibility that students and families currently living in Seoul will move in succession to parts of Gyeonggi Province and Incheon where the regional doctor system applies,” said Lim Sung-ho, head of Jongno Hagwon.
“With top-tier medical schools such as Sungkyunkwan University located in the Gyeonggi area, the policy could attract significant attention from both students and parents.”
seungku99@heraldcorp.com
