J Korean Med Assoc.  2024 Jun;67(6):415-422. 10.5124/jkma.2024.67.6.415.

Strategies to enhance public health doctor system in South Korea

• Oh SH
• Kim JS

• KMID: 2556025
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5124/jkma.2024.67.6.415

Abstract

Background
South Korea’s public health doctor system requires physicians to provide primary healthcare in medically underserved areas, such as rural regions, as an alternative to mandatory military service. Recently, concerns have arisen over the decline in the number of public health doctors available in these underserved areas. This study reviews issues related to the public health doctor system and proposes strategies for enhancing its management.
Current Concepts
The annual number of public health doctors has steadily decreased by approximately 46.6%, from 1,962 in 2008 to 1,048 in 2022. According to the survey, the reasons behind this decline include the lengthy service period of 36 months compared to the 18-month military service, poor working conditions, low financial support, unreasonable manpower deployment, and uncertain social status.
Discussion and Conclusion
Several recommendations can enhance the effectiveness of the public health doctor system. First, the mandatory service period of 36 months should be shortened, and a military training period of 1–2 months should be incorporated into the overall service duration. Second, ensuring appropriate working hours, including holidays, along with improved working conditions and reasonable financial support and compensation, is essential. Third, the role of public health doctors should shift from solely providing basic primary healthcare to acting as public health managers in local communities. Lastly, a long-term plan should be developed to establish various types of medical institutions in medically underserved regions.

Keyword

Public health; Physicians; Community health centers; Working conditions; Republic of Korea; 공중보건; 의사; 지역사회보건소; 근무조건; 대한민국