South Korea Tightens Eligibility for Regional Doctor Program

South Korea is strengthening the requirements for its “Regional Doctor System” to prevent students from strategically relocating solely to gain admission to medical schools in underserved areas. The changes, announced by the Ministry of Health and Welfare on February 27, 2026, focus on residency and educational background.

Recent Residency Requirements

Under the revised enforcement decree for the “Act on Fostering and Supporting Regional Doctors,” applicants to the regional doctor track must now graduate from middle schools within the same metropolitan area as the medical school they are applying to. This replaces the previous requirement of simply graduating from a non-metropolitan area middle school.

For example, students seeking admission to Chonnam National University Medical School or Chosun University Medical School in Gwangju Metropolitan City must have graduated from a middle school located in Gwangju, Jeollanam-do (Jeonnam), or Jeollabuk-do (Jeonbuk). Medical schools in the Gyeonggi and Incheon regions will continue to require both middle and high school attendance within the same area, as previously planned.

Earlier Implementation Date

The middle school location requirement will now be applied starting with the entrance exam for the 2027 school year, a year earlier than initially proposed. This decision addresses concerns about students potentially enrolling in middle schools outside their home regions specifically to qualify for the program.

Selection Ratios and Local Student Priority

The amendment also clarifies selection ratios. Thirty-two medical schools outside of Seoul are mandated to fill at least 10% of their total enrollment quota through the regional doctor selection track. 100% of the positions allocated through this track must be filled by students who have completed both middle and high school in the designated region.

Increased Medical School Enrollment

These changes come alongside a broader government initiative to increase the number of medical school students in regional areas. The government has decided to increase the number of students in 32 medical schools, excluding those in Seoul, by an average of 668 students annually for five years, starting from the 2027 to 2031 school years. This will result in an increase of 490 students in medical schools next year, bringing the total enrollment from 3,058 to 3,548.

Public Comment Period

The Ministry of Health and Welfare is accepting public comments on the revised enforcement decree until March 6, 2026. Feedback can be submitted to the Medical Manpower Policy Department or the Citizen Participation Legislation Center.

Source: Asia Economy