The number of specialists increased by 27,000 over 10 years, increasing the average age by 3.6 years
Oct 08, 2024
The number of Korean specialists has increased by 27,000 over the past 10 years since 2014, but the average age has also increased as the demographic structure changes.
Seo Young-seok (Democratic Party of Korea, Bucheon-si, Gyeonggi-do), a member of the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee, showed that as of July 2024, the total number of specialists was 148,250 and the average age was 50.1. Compared to 2014, the number of specialists increased by 27,323 (22.6%) and the average age increased by 3.6 years.
The highest average age was 63.4 years old in the department of tuberculosis, followed by obstetrics and gynecology (54.4 years old), preventive medicine (53.6 years old), and urology (53.5 years old). Compared to 2014, the medical subjects with the largest increase in average age were urology (6.5 years old ↑), cardiovascular thoracic surgery (5.6 years old ↑), tuberculosis (5.3 years old ↑), and obstetrics and gynecology (4.9 years old ↑).
As the average age increased, the proportion of specialists in their 40s or younger decreased. The proportion of specialists under 40 who accounted for 39.5% (47,817 out of 12,0927) overall in 2014 decreased by 5.4%p to 34.1% (50,567 out of 148,250) in July 2024.
By treatment subject, the number of specialists increased in most of the 26 treatment subjects, but tuberculosis, urology, and obstetrics and gynecology decreased by 40.4%, 6.4%, and 2.4%, respectively. Seven medical subjects were tuberculosis, urology, obstetrics and gynecology, cardiovascular thoracic surgery, preventive medicine, otolaryngology, and surgery, while 11 medical subjects were reduced in the proportion of specialists under 40 in all specialists, including obstetrics and gynecology, urology, surgery, otolaryngology, and cardiovascular thoracic surgery.
Among the internal medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, and pediatrics, which are called essential medical care, the obstetrics and gynecology index was the worst. In the case of obstetrics and gynecology, the average age increased by 4.9 years, and the total number of specialists and specialists under 40s decreased by 2.4% and 28.1%, respectively, revealing the problems of the medical system.
Lawmaker Seo Young-seok said, "The number of doctors retiring increases as the age structure of doctors changes along with the change in the overall demographic structure of the Republic of Korea, but the number of new doctors discharged is inevitably decreasing." "As the demand for medical care increases in the future due to the increase of the elderly, measures to efficiently allocate resources such as expanding public medical care should be prepared so that sufficient medical services can be provided for each treatment subject, including essential medical care.", he explained.
Seo Young-seok (Democratic Party of Korea, Bucheon-si, Gyeonggi-do), a member of the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee, showed that as of July 2024, the total number of specialists was 148,250 and the average age was 50.1. Compared to 2014, the number of specialists increased by 27,323 (22.6%) and the average age increased by 3.6 years.
The highest average age was 63.4 years old in the department of tuberculosis, followed by obstetrics and gynecology (54.4 years old), preventive medicine (53.6 years old), and urology (53.5 years old). Compared to 2014, the medical subjects with the largest increase in average age were urology (6.5 years old ↑), cardiovascular thoracic surgery (5.6 years old ↑), tuberculosis (5.3 years old ↑), and obstetrics and gynecology (4.9 years old ↑).
As the average age increased, the proportion of specialists in their 40s or younger decreased. The proportion of specialists under 40 who accounted for 39.5% (47,817 out of 12,0927) overall in 2014 decreased by 5.4%p to 34.1% (50,567 out of 148,250) in July 2024.
By treatment subject, the number of specialists increased in most of the 26 treatment subjects, but tuberculosis, urology, and obstetrics and gynecology decreased by 40.4%, 6.4%, and 2.4%, respectively. Seven medical subjects were tuberculosis, urology, obstetrics and gynecology, cardiovascular thoracic surgery, preventive medicine, otolaryngology, and surgery, while 11 medical subjects were reduced in the proportion of specialists under 40 in all specialists, including obstetrics and gynecology, urology, surgery, otolaryngology, and cardiovascular thoracic surgery.
Among the internal medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, and pediatrics, which are called essential medical care, the obstetrics and gynecology index was the worst. In the case of obstetrics and gynecology, the average age increased by 4.9 years, and the total number of specialists and specialists under 40s decreased by 2.4% and 28.1%, respectively, revealing the problems of the medical system.
Lawmaker Seo Young-seok said, "The number of doctors retiring increases as the age structure of doctors changes along with the change in the overall demographic structure of the Republic of Korea, but the number of new doctors discharged is inevitably decreasing." "As the demand for medical care increases in the future due to the increase of the elderly, measures to efficiently allocate resources such as expanding public medical care should be prepared so that sufficient medical services can be provided for each treatment subject, including essential medical care.", he explained.
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