Korean Job Discussion Forums

bbud656 · Joined: 15 Jun 2010

So far my experience with Korean trained medical doctors has been a disaster. Now, my medical problems are getting a lot worse and I have lost confidence in doctors trained here after 3 of them have been unable to do anything but give me a low dose of antibiotic for over a month, 2 days worth at at time. Now my situation is potentially life threatening. Does anyone know a good doctor in the Seoul area that studied outside of Korea?

PEIGUY · Joined: 28 Mar 2004 Location: Omokgyo

have you tried Dr. Linton at Yonsei Severance in Sinchon?

goniff · Joined: 31 Dec 2007

wow!! I'm really surprised...I found quite the opposite to be true...can you expand on how they let you down?

bbud656 · Joined: 15 Jun 2010

Sure, the first one said I had something minor, gave me some antibiotics. Had to go back and see him every other day to get more pills. Im not old enough to get a bottle filled, i guess. He was closed one evening, so I had to go the hospital because I was still really sick. Got a different diagnosis. Rinse and repeat. Finally, after not being healthy for nearly a month I go some where else and they say now I have something very serious with my lymph nodes and if it gets in my blood stream it could be fatal. Guess what, they want to keep the same routine as the previous quacks. I had to twist the guys arm to get him to do a simple blood test. Oh yeah, been going to 3 doctors, one at a hospital for over a month and this is the first actual test Ive had run on me. I have had enough of Korean trained doctors.

goniff · Joined: 31 Dec 2007

ok I'm sorry to hear that...

I've had only good experiences with Korean medicine

but one thing that does surprise me is they don't have the family GP thing

so the doctor often isn't aware of their medical past...

GoldMember · Joined: 24 Oct 2006

Don't get too excited about "Western trained Doctors", there seem to be a lot of doctors around here with western qualifications hanging up on their office walls. Amazingly they also seem to have virtually non existent English skills.

CrikeyKorea · Joined: 01 Jun 2007 Location: Heogi, Seoul

google Seoul Medical Referral Service, or check the global centre home page, you can can a volunteer medical professional that will be able to recommend a doctor for you

Snowkr · Joined: 03 Jun 2005

Samsung Hospital in Gangnam was always the best for me when I lived in Korea. Now I'm back home in San Diego and my doctor here is a Korean American who worked at Samsung.

http://www.samsunghospital.com/global/en/main/main.do

This site is in English. Good luck!

bbud656 · Joined: 15 Jun 2010

the samsung hospital looks nice,but it says you need a physicians referral to go. I doubt these guys are going to want to admit they don't know what they are doing.

Junior · Joined: 18 Nov 2005 Location: the eye

Snowkr · Joined: 03 Jun 2005

A referral?
I never needed one. And I went to that hospital for nearly 3 years while I lived in Korea. I'd fly back to Seoul from the states right now to go back there if I really needed to. I think the quality is BETTER.

That said, I do live in the land of the free and the home of no health care... God bless the USA.

bbud656 · Joined: 15 Jun 2010

Ill give them a call and see if they will take me without one. thanks.

sweet_potato · Joined: 05 Jul 2009

what kind of doctors were you going to?
when i had a cold last year, my korean friend referred me to a walk-in-clinic. it worked out fine, so i went there with a more serious problem last month (severe stomach ache). without actually taking tests or anything, he just gave me some gastritis meds, which did nothing. the next day, a coworker drove me to a "big hospital", to the emergency room, where she insisted that i have a more serious problem than gastritis. they took care of me really well and really quickly, xrays, blood work, ultrasound, which detected that i had a bacterial infection. if i didn't go to the emergency room, i probs would have keeled over by now. so, i would suggest taking a korean with you, go to the emergency room of a big hospital near you, and get them to explain the severity of your case for you. it did the trick for me.
good luck and hope u get better!

samd · Joined: 03 Jan 2007

Asan Hospital's International Clinic is excellent. No referral needed, very helpful service, reasonably priced.

emetib · Posted: Fri Dec 17, 2010 5:22 am Post subject:

Dr. Young Shin Kim at Samsung Medical Center in the International Clinic. Just call to make an appointment before you come in for the first time. She is amazing and Board Certified/Licensed in the US. I'm really picky about doctors, especially since I used to work with top notch ones. She's probably one of the best English speaking doctors you'll find here, and is on par with my doctor back in the States.

Here is her contact info:

02)3410-0200

[email protected]

Get off the subway at Irwon station off of line 3 and take exit 1 (I believe). You turn right and walk straight for about 10 minutes. You'll see the hospital on your right. There is also a hospital shuttle right outside exit 1 if you want to go that route instead. The international clinic is in the annex portion of the hospital on the second floor.