Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ariellowen]

I hope some members of this forum might find this story beneficial, as it illustrates very well some of the prejudices that Westerners face in Korea, in this case from the doctors. I want to tell the story truthfully, therefore some parts of the story may be a little disgusting.

After finishing my first contract in Korea I spent a month in Cambodia volunteer teaching English. On my very last day in Cambodia, I became a little ill, specifically with diarrhea. I returned to Korea and began a new contract. Unfortunately the diarrhea did not pass, instead it got worse: accompanied by abdominal pain, blood and mucus.

I went to the local walk-in-clinic and explained my symptoms to the doctor. I also told him that I felt the problem was likely an intestinal parasite, as the problem had started after spending a month in rural Cambodia. The doctor did not agree with my self-diagnosis; instead he told me that I probably had Irritable Bowel Syndrome caused by eating too much "kim chi" and "spicy food." He prescribled me a digestive supplement and Diazepam. I was skeptical, but I'm not a doctor, perhaps I was a little crazy and this was all due to stress?

I took the medication despite obvious inconcordances between my symptoms and those of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. The symptoms did not improve.

I returned to the local walk-in-clinic and explained that my symptoms were uneffected by the prescription medications. I reiterated my suspicion that an intestinal parasite picked up in Cambodia could be the cause. But this time the doctor gave me a note, and sent me to a medical office across the street. The doctor at this office turned out to be an OS, a specialist in the skeletal system. This doctor briefly examined me and said that because I was "too thin" my tail-bone was pinching a nerve, and that my symptoms were due to Coccygodinia. He prescribled me an anti-inflammatory and a pain-killer. I was skeptical, but I'm not a doctor, perhaps I was a little bit skinny (for a Westerner)?

I took the medication despite obvious inconcordances between my symptoms and those of Coccygodinia. The symptoms did not improve.

I went to the area "tertiary-care-facillity," ie hospital, a little frustrated with the judgment of the doctors in my area. I explained my symptoms to the doctor. I also told him that I felt the problem was likely an intestinal parasite, as the problem had started after spending a month in rural Cambodia. The doctor did not agree with my self-diagnosis; instead he told me that I may have Inflammatory Bowel Disease. "This disease is very uncommon in Asia, but Europeans and Jews do get this disease," said the doctor. He ordered a Sodium Phosphate purge, colonoscopy and biopsy. I was skeptical, but I'm not a doctor, perhaps I was unlucky?

I underwent the proceedure despite obvious statistical inconcordances between my case and the vitals of most Inflammatory Bowel Disease sufferers.

On returning to the hospital nine days later to get the biopsy results --and I think you know the results already --I was diagnosed with an intestinal parasite. I was prescribed antibiotics, and the symptoms cleared up in about thirty hours.

It took six unpleasant months to get the diagnosis and treatment that I strongly suspected I needed from the very begining. It wasn't the stereotype of a Westerner unable to eat kim-chi, it wasn't the stereotype of a Westerner who should be two-hundred pounds, it wasn't the stereotype of an ethnically European Jew, it was exactly what I had suggested to each doctor that it was all along. I hope that this story may be of benefit to some other Westerners who have to face the prejudices of Korean doctors.

[toddswift]

How dare you critic the DOCTORS OF KOREA! THey are gods!!!!!!!!! THe gods will destroy you!!!


Actually I had to give blood a month ago in order to get my health insurance card. I went to the "Hospital" and the "nurse" tried to find my vein. After giggles and poking me for 15 minutes a doctor finally came and did the job. Dude (or dudette) this country is an illusion. You just play the role. They are not "real" doctors and nurses. They just dress like them, copy the final exam, are awarded the "degree" and then they begin to "heal" the people. Back home there are REAL tests with REAL science and REAL medical boards who are not bribed and who do not rely on some metaphysics when doing medicine. Wake up! I would never go to any kind of doctor here, save that for home.

[ruffie]

If they haven't been trained in a western country and worked there for at least five years, walk out the door. Toddswift is right, the medical profession here is lie, just like the rest of it. Korean doctors are merley the ones at the top of the korean education cheating/scam pyramid. As a foreigner, you should know where you fit in that picture.

Where foreigners go wrong is that we think the doctor actually wants to hear our opinion, as he/she would in a western country. That doesn't fly here. Koreans think doctors are gods, that they have magic eyes that can see into our bodies, they can diagnose us simply by looking at us. As they are gods, they have a right to do with our bodies as they please. They have a higher status - it's the same as when you see a luxury Korean car plowing through a stopwalk on the walk sign. I have a Grandeur. You have to walk, thus I am better and can run you over, carte blanche. A freaky westerner jumping up and down and pointing to the walk sign just looks funny to them,as do you trying to give an opinion about the state of your own bowels.

[annabel]

I'm sorry for you, I know what it's like to be really sick in a different country, it's a tough place to be in. I think though that probably the problem had more to do with the Confucian culture of losing face than stereotyping necessarily... but yeah, I agree that the best bet for anything serious is to see a doctor who had studied in the west... the University Hospitals usually seem to be pretty good for that... and don't be afraid to seek second and third opinions immediately or to insist on certain medicines or procedures.

[Pateach]

Terrible story! Yes, some of the doctors here do "tell" rather than "ask" what is wrong! It reminds me more of the manner of doctors in past decades in my own vcountry-the 1960s and 1970s in the U.S.A.. I truck myself into the foreigners clinic-it's annoying, but it's little better I feel.

[kermo]

I've had some pretty silly diagnoses too.
The first one was fine because the medication resolved the issue, but the second one could have led to serious problems for me and others. Sadly, if he had seen me as a "dirty Westerner" I would had gotten more appropriate treatment. Even sadder is that Korean women will have even more difficulty getting appropriate treatment from this joker.

Case 1: I come to the doctor with swollen lymph nodes and a bladder infection. He diagnoses me with kidney stones and "blocked ducts".

Case 2: I come to the doctor specifically requesting a routine "just-in-case" gynecological health check. He limits it to an ovarian ultrasound and a cervical cancer check. He refuses to any further checking for STIs because "you look fine" and "Korean women don't ask for that kind of thing."

[Bibbitybop]

Severance Hospital next to Yonsei University
02-2228-5800

No Korean BS

[Junior]

I used to have a hernia. I know, I had it all my life, but k-doctor didn't believe me.

He took a look at the area before sticking his thumb into the spot. I yelled and pushed him away. he tried again, i shoved him to the wall. After calling me bad patient he left. he still didn't believe i had a hernia. I said, just do the operation.

During the operation, he finally leans over and gives the thumbs up: "you were right, I find hernia!".

After 3 days i was discharged. The doctor said "I never want to see you again". I smiled and limped to my taxi and have been fine ever since.

[sconner]

Junior, you're lucky. I was misdiagnosed at Severance hospital and have some pretty serious health priblems as a result. It's a long story which is posted on ESL Law. The doctor I saw had gone to Harvard, but that didn't help in the end.

[PEIGUY]

Was it the Korean or American doctor who misdiagnosed you?

[sconner]

A Korean doctor, and three more Korean doctors after him supported that diagnosis. The doctors I saw in the states when I got back knew immediately what the problem was.

[Papa Smurf]

I'm gonna keep an open mind here, because recently here in England it took 4 months, 2 different doctors and 2 trips to a uroligist to diagnose something in me that should have been very simple given the symptoms......

[Mr. Pink]

You get bad doctors everywhere.

I find it funny people think Koreans are so bad, yet why is it that EVERY American doctor has to have malpractice insurance and doctors are CONSTANTLY getting sued for doing a bad job?

In Canada it takes forever to even get to see a doctor, especially specialists.

You are complaining because the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. Go back home for some medical treatment and I am sure it will open your eyes. I know it opened mine.

[ruffie]

[Mr. Pink]