Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Jack_Sarang]

I re-signed with my hogwon in February, before the new visa requirements. Thus I did not need a criminal background check or health check.

Come today I'm being told I need to go get a health check.

Has anyone else heard of this? My school has been extremely good to me but this strikes me as bullshit. Plus they're telling me I have to pay for it out of pocket.

All the teachers at my school have been asked to do this, even new ones who already have had their E2 required health-check soon after they arrived.

[Ut videam]

[mike123_ca]

That is true for the health insurance, but only if your 45 years and older.

[Jack_Sarang]

Well it turns out that its supposedly the NHIC that is requiring this check and all teachers at my school including the Koreans are required to get this check.

I've been insured this contract since March. I'm on my 5th E2 (3 different schools) and been insured before and never have I been asked to do a health check.

Nobody else has heard of this? Something doesn't smell right.

edit: I'm well under 45.

[Young FRANKenstein]

[skconqueror]

[bassexpander]

Yeah, it's normal. Hopefully it's free, too.

Enjoy the free health check. I should be getting another one later this year. They're great.

[Young FRANKenstein]

[sojourner1]

What do they check for? Do they actually check blood pressure and take a good look at and inside of your body? If they find anything, do they treat or just tell you everythings fine? I recken this might depend on if you're in an international clinic in Seoul or just an average Korean doctor where serious conditions are under treated due to the belief kimchee cures it all.

[hugekebab]

[Katchafire]

Being the fan of Doctors and Hospitals that I am (groan), my first Med. check was a nerve racking experience.
It turned out to be nothing much of a worry at all. In fact, I never knew my blood type until I'd had it done, and I discovered I had high blood pressure (not that this was a surprise seeing as both parents had/have it). I hadn't had a TB vaccination, (still haven't, which reminds me I should get that before I go for my next Med. Check in a week or so).
If you have to pay for it (and it is ((should be)) only around the 50,000 - 70,000 mark) ... just think of it as a helpful, full medical.
Can you think of anything else you'd like to know about your health? Get it checked while you are there maybe?
Seeing as you ARE paying for it ... point this out to your 'owner/trainer/supervisor' and set the appointment for a morning or afternoon when you aren't teaching - go during school time, not on a weekend.

I can think of MANY other things that are far worse than having a Med. Check, that could be requested of you from an employer.

Good luck, and just enjoy the goodlooking Nurses/Doctors that you'll see while you're there. I did .... which is probably why my blood pressure was higher than it could have been.

[buster brown]

I think it's something you can get out of if you really don't want to do it. My first uni came up with the same 'required' health check during my second year, too. I have a needle phobia (don't ask me why, I've struggled to overcome it...to no avail), so I put my foot down and told them I wouldn't do it without someone showing me the requirement in writing. I also got the "It's required for everyone who's enrolled in the NHIC every 2 years." excuse. Needless to say, no one ever showed me the requirement in writing. There was even an empty threat of a serious fine of around 2,000,000 Won for both the university and me personally.

Near the end of the second calendar year, the pressure cranked up a few notches, but I didn't back down. Finally, I told the director I'd take it if they got rid of the blood test. Evidently, that was enough of a face-saving gesture for all involved, so they wrote me a little letter and sent me off to the hospital for the health check. Still, the nurses tried to sit me down at the station with the needles and vials. I insisted (in Korean) that I wasn't going to do it, so they just shrugged and sent me to the next station.

The check-up ended up being pretty simple, but I wasted a couple of hours on my day off for something I really didn't care about. The bottom line for me was that they were telling me to do something that wasn't required by my contract, university, immigration or the NHIC. Eventually, I acquiesced because the blood test was removed. Otherwise, I would have found out whether or not there really would've been a major fine.

[Young FRANKenstein]

[ardis]