Applicants for Regional Quota in Non-Capital Medical Schools Surge Over 40%... Decreases in Dentistry, Oriental Medicine, Pharmacy, and Veterinary Admissions

Applications for regional quota and regional doctor tracks at medical schools outside the capital area for the 2027 academic year early admissions have surged by more than 40 percent compared to the previous year.

According to an analysis released today (October 11) by Jongro Academy regarding application statuses for regional quota and regional doctor tracks in early admissions for medical, dental, oriental medicine, pharmacy, and veterinary (Uichi-hanyak-su) colleges outside the capital region for the 2027 academic year, 15,775 people applied to 27 medical schools.

This represents a sharp increase of 4,528 applicants, or 40.3 percent, compared to 11,247 applicants the previous year.

Conversely, applicants to 8 dental schools outside the capital area decreased by 8.5 percent to 2,348.

Applicants to 10 oriental medicine schools dropped by 7.3 percent to 3,495, 21 pharmacy schools fell by 17.4 percent to 5,523, and 8 veterinary schools declined by 13.5 percent to 1,129.

Analysts suggest this concentration of top-tier local test-takers applying to medical schools rather than dental, oriental medicine, pharmacy, or veterinary programs stems from the introduction of the regional doctor system.

Total applicants for the regional quota and regional doctor tracks across these five academic fields reached 28,270, a 10.5 percent increase from 25,573 the previous year.

Compared to 20,284 applicants in the 2022 academic year, the scale has expanded by 39.4 percent.

Following the 2025 academic year when medical school quotas were expanded, which saw 34,347 applicants, this is the second-highest figure among the last six academic years.

By region, Gwangju, Jeonnam, and Jeonbuk recorded the highest number at 7,734 applicants, followed by Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam (6,668), Daegu and Gyeongbuk (6,371), Chungcheong (5,283), Gangwon (1,914), and Jeju (300).

Based on 994 general high schools outside the capital area, the average number of applications per school stood at 28.4, an increase from 20.4 in the 2022 academic year.

Daegu and Gyeongbuk recorded the highest average per school at 34.1 applications, followed by Honam (33.6), Chungcheong (28.1), and Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam (23.6).

Officials at Jongro Academy forecasted, "In the 2028 academic year, the recruitment scale for the regional doctor system at regional medical schools will expand by 25.1 percent from this year's 466 to 583, and with the implementation of a 5-tier school record grading system, applicants could flock even more to the regional quota and regional doctor tracks."

They also predicted, "Top-ranking high school graduates may reattempt medical school entrance exams, and current students are also expected to apply to medical schools in greater numbers, which could bring changes to passing cutoffs."
 
(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.