ArticlePloS one2025
Legal education reform and medical litigation: Improved access but delayed justice in plastic surgery malpractice cases in South Korea.
Article in PloS one, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Litigation meets evidence: a novel approach to understanding preventable complications in breast reconstruction.BMC surgery · 2025Pooled it
- Risk Factors and Liability Distribution in Medical Disputes Related to Spinal Diseases: A Six-Year Retrospective Study in Beijing.Journal of multidisciplinary healthcare · 2026Article
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Authors and funding
2 authors.
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Abstract
South Korea's 2009 legal education reform, which replaced the bar exam and two-year judicial training system with graduate-level law schools, aimed to enhance the quality and accessibility of legal services. This study examines its impact on malpractice litigation in plastic and reconstructive surgeries and procedures (PRSP). Using publicly available civil court decisions, we conducted a retrospective analysis comparing litigation patterns before (2006-2012, n = 23) and after (2017-2021, n = 75) the reform, excluding the transitional period (2013-2017). Our findings reveal significant increases in litigation frequency (3.28 to 15 cases annually, p < 0.001) and case duration (median: 969-1,570 days, p < 0.001). While the increased litigation frequency and reduced adjudicated damages (median reduction: 75.8%) suggest improved accessibility to legal services - aligning with reform objectives - prolonged case durations highlight unresolved systemic challenges. The transition from practical training to academic-focused legal education, coupled with limited expansion of judicial infrastructure, has contributed to procedural delays despite consistent judicial standards in malpractice assessments. These findings underscore the dual impacts of the reform, achieving partial success in improving access to legal representation but exposing inefficiencies in judicial capacity. To address these challenges, short-term measures such as appointing additional judges and establishing specialized court divisions are needed. In the mid-term, implementing AI-based case management systems could enhance procedural efficiency. Long-term strategies, including structured mediation programs, are critical to alleviating court burdens and ensuring timely resolutions.
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