9 Types of Hospitals And Clinics In South Korea

The Korean healthcare system is known for its excellent medical technology, relatively low prices, and quick diagnosis and treatment times. Unlike many other countries where you have to wait months for a doctor’s appointment, you can visit a doctor right away in most of the time.

Many of you might not have Korean health insurance, but even if you don’t, the prices are relatively low, so if you want to check your health or get some treatment while you’re in Korea, these hospitals are a great place to start.

1. 내과 (Internal Medicine)

In Korea, internal medicine clinic and ENT clinic both treat patients with the common cold, or flu so many people get confused between the two. Internal medicine can be easily understood as “the department that treats diseases that occur inside the body without surgery”. In addition to treating respiratory diseases, it also treats most of the body’s organs that we can’t see, so the scope is quite broad.

2. 이비인후과 (ENT Clinic)

Think of ENT clinic as the more specialized treatment of respiratory conditions. It includes ear conditions (otitis media, hearing loss, tinnitus, otitis media), nasal conditions (sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, snoring), throat conditions (tonsillitis, vocal nodules, thyroid), and pharyngeal conditions (pharyngitis, laryngitis, vocal polyps).

3. 소아과 (Pediatrics)

The word pediatrics in Souht Korea has been used since the country’s liberation in 1945. Since 2007, the official name is pediatrics & adolescents, but the word pediatrics is still more commonly used. Because children and adolescents are still growing, they have different symptoms, course, and prognosis for the same diseases as adults, so they have separate hospitals. If you’re traveling to South Korea and your child is sick, look for these hospitals.

4. 피부과 (Dermatology Clinic)

Dermatology Clinic diagnoses and treats all skin conditions through accurate testing, including various eczema and skin allergies, bacteria, viruses, and fungi, skin infections, and skin diseases. In addition, many treatments such as laser toning for cosmetic purposes are also available at dermatology clinics in South Korea.

5. 정형외과 (Orthopedics)

Orthopedics treats diseases or trauma to the bones, blood vessels, nerves, tendons, muscles, and ligaments that make up the body. This specialty has become increasingly important in recent years due to the rise of degenerative joint diseases caused by the rapidly aging population. If you experience tunnel syndrome, fractures, or similar symptoms while traveling, visit an orthopedic clinic.

6. 치과 (Dental Clinic)

Dentistry is all about this, and it’s really easy to find one in South Korea, so if you have a toothache, go see one. Many people also visit dentists for various cosmetic purposes, such as teeth whitening and braces.

7. 안과 (Eye Clinic)

People visit the eye doctor for a variety of reasons, including cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, retinal detachment, and diabetic retinopathy. Treatments for dry eyes, LASIK, LASEK, and lens implants are also common in South Korea.

8. 성형외과 (Plastic Surgery Clinic)

South Korea has a lot of plastic surgeons, and the quality is high. Plastic surgery is broadly divided into two categories: surgery to reconstruct deformities, defects, etc. that appear on the outside of the body, and cosmetic surgery to alter the normal body to make it more beautiful. Here, what is beautiful is objectively different for everyone.

9. 한의원 (Korean Medicine Clinic)

Korean medicine is the traditional medicine of South Korea, and refers to the inherited knowledge of traditional medicine practiced throughout East Asia. While modern medicine is based on anatomy and cell biochemistry, Korean medicine looks at the human body and disease in a natural philosophical way. If you’re struggling with tight muscles, indigestion, or anything else that conventional medicine can’t help you with, it’s worth a visit.

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