Pursuing a career as a doctor seems to be rewarding in many ways. It's a rare profession allowing job holders to receive respect, relatively higher income and job security as well. Behind such known perks, there is also a price paid. Courses are exceptionally demanding, creating a challenging environment for students. The rigor of their academic schedules often makes it difficult for medical students to strike a balance between coursework and social life. Moreover, the gravity of the profession adds to the pressure, as doctors bear significant responsibilities, dealing with matters of life and death. Gaining admission to medical schools is highly competitive due to stringent selection processes. In Korea, the field's popularity continues to grow steadily. It makes sense that a program teaching students with the highest in-demand field of education attracts top-performing students in their fields. But it becomes somewhat nonsensical when highly talented students are exclusively pursuing medical schools from an early age, despite having diverse aptitudes and interests in other areas. If such a trend persists, it signals a problem in society, indicating that the Ivory Tower is no longer viewed as a place for holistic learning. In a society dominated by this mindset, universities risk becoming mere cookie-cutters, repetitively producing the same types of "products" without nurturing a diverse range of skills and talents. Korea is grappling with the consequences of the craze for medical schools. Medical schools were popular in the past, but their popularity has gone too far in recent years as almost all smart students go for them. This, in turn, leads to higher competition for already competitive medical schools, causing a brain drain at science and engineering departments. In a recent media interview, Son Woong-jung, the father of Tottenham Hotspurs striker Son Heung-min in the English Premier League, expressed cynicism regarding the fervor among Koreans for medical schools. "(What's happening in Korea i s) just insane," he bluntly remarked when asked to share his thoughts on the overwhelming popularity of medical schools among students. He criticized parents for allegedly pushing their children to go to medical school. "They treat their children as if they are their belongings, and by doing so, they are ruining their children's future." His criticism is fair to some extent. The frenzy for medical schools in Korea is primarily driven by parents. Many parents want their children to live a fulfilling life without worrying about financial troubles and job insecurity. Becoming a doctor clicked in their minds as a profession that they perceive to meet all conditions for a rewarding career, making it a rare and coveted choice. The unwavering dedication of some Korean parents to secure admission for their children into medical schools exceeds the imagination of those outside the country. Kids are thrown into the world of very competitive "pre-med" classes since fourth grade. Children are enrolled in off-campus afterschool programs at private academies where they study middle school-level math in advance. As they progress through their classes, they delve into high school-level math before even entering high school. Due to years of dedicated study and rigorous learning of intensive, advanced math courses, some students achieve high scores in the college entrance exams, securing admission to medical schools. However, not all students succeed, and those who fall short often opt for engineering or science departments as a second choice. Some may take a gap year to retake the college entrance exam and reapply to medical schools. Students dropping out of college to apply to medical schools are increasingly becoming a headache for universities. University authorities are wrestling with an unwanted reshuffle every year because of a drop in enrolled students. A recent survey shows that the dropout rate for students majoring in engineering and science stands at 5.2 percent, which is double the dropout rate observed for s tudents in humanities and social sciences. Universities fill the gap by accepting transfer students. Last year, nearly 40,000 students transferred to other universities. The number of transfer students has kept increasing since 2019. The intense pursuit of medical schools comes at a price. At the personal level, children are forced to choose a career as doctors when they are very young. Their demanding parents drive their children to choose medical schools as their dream program. For these young aspiring doctors, the decision to pursue a career in medicine is not their own, but rather their parents'. This suggests that these children may end up living someone else's lives rather than their own. The problem is more serious at the national level. Brain drains in engineering and science departments will deal a blow to Korea's economy. As high-achieving students aspire to enter medical schools, there is a noticeable brain drain affecting engineering, science, and other departments. The fields of science, tec hnology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are crucial for Korea's future, serving as the cornerstone of education that cultivates critical thinking and problem-solving skills among students. The brain drain in STEM fields, driven by the intense competition for medical school admission, is feared to leave Korea inadequately prepared for the future. Source: Yonhap News Agency