"I Feel Sorry for the Patients, So I Chose Fasting Instead of Going on Strike."
On the 2nd, Go Beom-seok, a professor of breast surgery at Asan Medical Center in Seoul, met with a reporter from the Dong-A Ilbo at the hospital in Songpa-gu, Seoul. He stated that since the 23rd of last month, he has been fasting, consuming only water, salt, and coffee. "My waist circumference has decreased by about 4 inches (approximately 10 cm) after the fast, but my health is not significantly affected," he said.
The decision to fast was also influenced by some public opinion suggesting, "Instead of going on strike, shave your head or fast to avoid harming patients." He explained, "I saw a comment on the internet saying, 'Doctors don't even shave their heads or fast because they value their bodies too much.' After thinking about it, I realized that patients, residents, and janitors are all suffering after the medical vacancy crisis. So, I decided to fast to share the burden." He added, "It was heartbreaking to see cancer patients complaining that they felt like cancer cells were spreading throughout their bodies and that they wished their appointments could be moved up by a few days."
Professor Go set a principle that "fasting should not harm patients." He did not inform his colleagues about his fasting and continued his consultations and surgeries as usual. On the 2nd, he performed five surgeries and was on duty until early morning on the 3rd. He also saw about 80 patients on the 3rd. "I drink coffee just before surgery to bring my condition close to 100%," he said. "I will continue to treat patients until I personally judge that it is difficult to do so."
"I don't expect the government's attitude to change because of my fasting," he said. "However, if the number of medical school students increases significantly as it is now, it will be impossible to provide education. I'm doing what I can to prevent the medical education field from heading towards disaster." He also appealed, "I hope the government will take a step back so that residents can return to the hospital."
On the 3rd, professors at Ulsan University's College of Medicine, which has Asan Medical Center as its training hospital, issued a statement saying they would focus on severe, emergency, and rare incurable diseases by readjusting their consultations instead of the full-scale strike they had planned from the 4th. As a result, major surgeries on the 4th will decrease by 29% compared to last week and by 49% compared to before the medical vacancy crisis. Professor Go explained, "This decision was inevitable because if the departure of residents continues until early next year, it will be difficult for the remaining professors to hold out." However, an official from Asan Medical Center said, "There will be almost no disruption in consultations due to the readjustment of consultations." 먹튀검증