Resident Physician Walkout and High-Incidence Cancer Operation Volumes in South Korea

In this cross-sectional study with an interrupted time-series analysis of national claims data, the 2024 resident physician walkout in South Korea was associated with substantial reductions in cancer operations at tertiary hospitals, which were only partially compensated by general hospitals. These findings highlight the structural vulnerability of South Korea's health care system, arising from an overreliance on resident physicians.