Despite the start of a new semester for medical schools, the number of medical students submitting leave of absence notices has increased slightly.
 
According to the Ministry of Education, as a result of a survey of 40 medical schools nationwide on Monday, three students from three schools have applied for a leave of absence.
 
Currently, a total of 10 thousand-445 students, or 55-point-six percent of all medical school students as of April last year, have applied for a valid leave of absence, while eleven schools have confirmed to have classes refused or boycotted.
 
A valid leave of absence is one submitted in compliance with school regulations, including parental consent and the signature of the department head.
 
Medical students have been submitting mass leave of absence requests since mid-February in protest against the government's plan to increase the number of medical school admissions quota by two thousand, while the education ministry argued that despite requirements being met for a valid leave of absence, such collective action should not be permitted.