Busan has been selected as the first metropolitan city for the government's "Contract-Based Regional Essential Physician Program" pilot project, beginning a full-scale effort to secure essential medical personnel. The city aims to offer specialists generous work allowances and research support to stem the outflow of medical professionals to the greater Seoul area, creating a turning point in establishing a "locally complete healthcare system" where diagnosis and treatment can be provided within the region.
Busan announced Monday that it had been selected in an additional round of the Ministry of Health and Welfare's "Contract-Based Regional Essential Physician Program" pilot project. The program is a system under which the central and local governments support work allowances and living conditions so that specialists can perform essential care for extended periods at regional medical institutions of general hospital level or above.
The program, which began last year centered on provincial areas including Gangwon, Gyeongnam, Jeonnam and Jeju, has expanded to metropolitan cities for the first time this year. Busan's inclusion among the first selected areas is seen as recognition of the region's medical competitiveness.
The city will pursue the project for 20 specialists across eight essential care fields, including internal medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, emergency medicine, cardiovascular and thoracic surgery, neurology and neurosurgery. The focus is on encouraging junior specialists, who tend to leave for the greater Seoul area, to settle in the region.
Selected specialists will receive a monthly regional work allowance of 4 million won, along with support for participation and registration fees at domestic and international academic conferences and professional training costs. The strategy is to encourage long-term service by supporting not only salaries but also research and career development.
The city plans to begin full-scale support starting in October. Based on the project's results, it intends to continue securing regional essential medical personnel by expanding the scale of support next year through consultations with the government.
"This selection is an important opportunity for expanding regional essential medical personnel and establishing a locally complete healthcare system," said Cho Gyu-yul, director general of the city's Citizen Health Bureau. "We will strengthen support so that essential medical personnel can settle stably in Busan, creating a medical environment where all citizens can receive essential medical services with peace of mind."
