The Korean Medical Women’s Association (KMWA) plans to expand exchanges and support programs for young female physicians and medical students.
The association announced the initiative during a press conference on Monday to inaugurate its 33rd president, Kim Hyang, director of Kim Hyang Internal Medicine Clinic, and the new executive team.
Kim Hyang, president of the Korean Medical Women’s Association, said the 33rd executive leadership team would lead the organization over the next two years through “togetherness.” (KBR photo)
"Women now account for 38,000 of the country’s 140,000 physicians, or 27.6 percent, and the proportion of women in medical schools continues to rise," Kim said. "However, female doctors still face significant challenges in balancing childbirth, childcare, and their professional careers."
To address these issues, the association plans to expand its scholarship program for female students at medical schools and graduate medical schools.
“The scholarship program is designed to help selected medical and graduate medical students with tuition and related expenses before they become physicians,” Kim said. “We will strengthen the structure and quality of the program to ensure that beneficiary schools are selected more evenly.”
Kim also pledged to broaden support for female trainee doctors and encourage their participation in the association.
Referring to the recent establishment of a “young member” category for doctors aged 40 and under at the 79th regular general assembly of the Korean Medical Association, Kim said discussions are underway to create more opportunities for residents to participate in the women’s association as well.
“The female vice president of the Korean Intern Resident Association is already serving as a delegate at the KMA,” she said. “We will discuss ways for residents to become active within our association as well.”
Kim added that the association opened a Women Doctors’ Human Rights Center in 2018 and has been working with the Korean Women Lawyers Association to address grievances and complaints raised by young female physicians, including residents.
Kim is the first president of the association to be elected through a direct voting system. After the association became an affiliated organization of the Korean Medical Association in 2023, its bylaws were revised to allow delegates to the general assembly to elect the president by vote. The presidential term is two years.
Celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, the association plans to hold a commemorative ceremony, academic symposium, and vision declaration event in July. It is also preparing a documentary video highlighting the organization’s 70-year history.
During her term, Kim said the association will also publish a booklet on its activities within the Medical Women’s International Association, participate in initiatives supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and share information on the future of medicine, including the use of artificial intelligence in clinical settings.
Kim compared her role to “the 33rd runner in an Olympic relay,” saying she would work to ensure that "the torch continues to burn brightly and is successfully passed on to the next generation."
Kim Jung-hyun
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