Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Murph]

A friend of mine has recently informed me that the medical that all us applying for an E-2 visa have to submit to covers ears, eyes, teeth etc... I was surprised to hear this because I thought that all that mattered were drugs, HIV, and TB. I have been in Korea for several years now, and was lucky enough to receive my last E-2 visa just before the new laws went into effect. I would like to ask any of you who have had to go through with the medical check if you've had any issues with eyes, ears, teeth etc... A few years ago I had to get a a root canal, and a piece of my tooth has since chipped away. I figured that the tooth was already dead, and it was in the back where it wouldn't be seen so I just left it alone. It could be that this is a non issue that doesn't matter, however I am asking because if anyone responds that they've had trouble regarding something similar I would then think about having it taken care of before the time comes when I apply for a new visa, and have to go through with the medical check. If on the other hand people inform me otherwise I'll just forget about the whole thing. It's just better to be prepared ahead of time. Peace

[BritishinSuwon]

I just went for my medical check last week, and they do in fact check out teeth. I was asking my boss (who went with me and my coworker, who also needed her med check) why they did this, and I guess it's because tooth decay can be a sign of wasting diseases (AIDS for example).
When I went for my dental check-up, I was fine, but the dentist told my co-worker that she had numerous cavities. Nobody seemed worried or concerned about it, and my boss certainly didn't act as if they were going to run into any problems down the road due to a few poor teeth.
Not sure if that really helps you or not though.

[Katchafire]

I had my medical on Friday. (I'm re-signing with my school, so not sure if that makes the medical any different).
I went to YESS Hospital in Yangju. I had eyes, ears, B.P, blood, and x-ray and it cost 50,000.

My first medical I went to St Mary's Hospital in Uijeongbu. Had all of the above tested - as well as teeth, and it cost 60,000.

[dr. love]

Hospitals have different packages for the medical examines. A dental check is not required for your E2. Ask for simple blood work, a chest xray, and the TBPE and HIV test. That is good enough and should cost no more than 60 000 won.

[shifty]

It's as Dr Love says. I went for the med 3 weeks ago. It included eye test, BP, chest xray, urine and blood test. Cost was 68000 won.

I had also been concerned that there'd be an inspection of the teeth. A few months before leaving for Korea a tooth immediately behind an incisor broke in half.

To get a cap would have required at least 3 dental appointments as I was led to believe, so I decided to scrap that idea.

The eye test was in retrospect quite funny. My minding nurse couldn't speak a lick of English and all that I could see on the chart looked like H's. So I said H for everything and still passed with flying colors. Ten out of ten if that be the jargon for eye test scores.

According to my blood pressure reading I'm on death's doorstep.