Average age of OB-GYN specialists tops 60 in rural provinces

Average age of OB-GYN specialists reaches 60.7 in North Gyeongsang Province, 59.7 in South Jeolla Province

Doctors in their 30s number in single digits across South Jeolla (4), North Gyeongsang (5), Gangwon (7) and North Jeolla (7) provinces

Lawmaker So Byung-hoon calls for national responsibility system before 'retirement domino' hits

The average age of obstetrics and gynecology specialists has surpassed 60 in some rural provinces, data showed. The flow of doctors in their 20s and 30s into regional areas has in effect stopped, pushing local childbirth and obstetric care systems to the brink of collapse.

Data submitted to Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker So Byung-hoon of the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service showed the average age of OB-GYN specialists in major provincial regions reached 60 as of 2024.

By province, North Gyeongsang recorded the highest average age in the country at 60.7, followed by South Jeolla at 59.7, North Jeolla at 59.2, North Chungcheong at 58.7, Gangwon at 58.4, South Gyeongsang at 57.6 and South Chungcheong at 57.1.

Compared with 2020, the average age rose by 3.8 years in Gangwon Province (54.6 to 58.4), 3.7 years in South Jeolla Province (56.0 to 59.7), 2.9 years in South Gyeongsang Province (54.7 to 57.6), 2.8 years in North Chungcheong Province (55.9 to 58.7) and 2.5 years in North Gyeongsang Province (58.2 to 60.7) over four years, indicating a rapid aging of the medical workforce.

[Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service data, compiled by Rep. So Byung-hoon's office]

More alarming is the near-total absence of young specialists in their 20s and 30s entering rural areas — the very doctors who should be taking over delivery rooms in the years ahead.

As of 2024, OB-GYN specialists in their 30s or younger were heavily concentrated in Seoul (262) and Gyeonggi Province (190). In provincial areas, the numbers were in single digits across the board — South Jeolla Province had just 4, North Gyeongsang Province 5, Sejong 5, Gangwon Province 7, North Jeolla Province 7, South Gyeongsang Province 7 and South Chungcheong Province 8.

Once the older specialists in their 50s and 60s currently staffing delivery rooms reach retirement age, there will be no successor doctors in rural areas to take over delivery rooms and emergency obstetric operating rooms.

"It has been confirmed that simply raising medical fees cannot reverse the closure of delivery rooms or the departure of doctors," So said. "We must designate childbirth infrastructure as an essential national public good and draw up fundamental structural reforms, including the establishment of regional emergency transport networks."

thlee@heraldcorp.com