Why South Korea's National Medical School Should Be in Namwon, Not Seoul

A proposal to establish a National Medical School in Namwon, located in the Jeollabuk-do province of South Korea, faces significant opposition after the Ministry of Health and Welfare indicated Seoul as a potential site. This potential shift away from the long-planned regional location has ignited strong reactions from the local community, which has been preparing for the school's establishment for eight years.

The author, a former professor at Jeonbuk National University's medical school, argues against a swift decision based solely on "efficiency." Drawing parallels with international models, the article contrasts Taiwan's National Yang-Ming University, located in Taipei, which resulted in graduates primarily serving urban centers, with Japan's Jichi Medical University, established in Tochigi Prefecture. The latter successfully trained doctors who largely fulfilled their mandatory rural service and remained in those areas, demonstrating the effectiveness of regional training.

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Public doctors must be nurtured in the very regions where they will work, focusing on comprehensive primary care, for them to eventually take root.

Drawing from a decade of experience as the director of the smallest county hospital in the nation, the author emphasizes the need for comprehensive general practitioners rather than highly specialized doctors for rural areas. These practitioners should be trained to handle infectious diseases, trauma, emergencies, chronic illnesses, and home care. The article suggests that achieving this requires a distinct, rigorous educational and certification system tailored to these specific goals, rather than lowering existing standards.

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If there is the will and cooperation, the limitations of infrastructure can be overcome.

Addressing concerns about infrastructure, the author points to Jeonbuk National University's past success in educating 38 Chinese students in English from 2014, utilizing university facilities. This experience, the author contends, proves that infrastructure limitations can be overcome with sufficient will and cooperation. Namwon's strategic location, within an hour's reach of medical schools in Jeonju, Gwangju, and Daegu, offers potential for a multi-disciplinary educational network through clinical rotation and practice.

Furthermore, the article frames the debate as a matter of national security, noting South Korea's lack of a dedicated military doctor training institution, unlike Japan and Taiwan. In modern warfare, regional public hospitals would likely be the first responders to mass casualties. The author also touches upon the evolving demographics of medical students, with a rising number of women, and suggests that the National Medical School's mandatory service, being state-funded, offers an opportunity to re-establish gender-neutral service obligations, addressing the shrinking supply base of doctors for rural areas.

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The logic that 'collaboration is only possible next to the National Medical Center' is also not valid.