Pursuing A Medical Career In Korea: Working As A Nurse/ Medical Coordinator
There are possibilities and job openings in health care in Korea, for medical professionals who want to pursue a career in medicine. These opportunities are not as plentiful as teaching English and consequently there isn’t much information available.
In this post, I will talk about working as a nurse or a medical coordinator in Korea. This post is based on the research and resources that I could find online or otherwise, including information from government websites.
Job Responsibilities
As A Medical Coordinator:
Your main responsibility is to provide comprehensive services to foreign patients. For example: You act as a liaison between the foreign patients and the Korean hospital. You inform the foreign patients regarding treatment etc. In addition, you are responsible for making doctor’s appointment and provide interpretation if necessary.
As A Nurse:
You are responsible for providing treatment for the patients according to the doctor’s diagnosis and prescription. In the doctors absence, you will be required to take contingency action, and monitor the patient’s condition. You are also required to explain the treatment and preventive measures for diseases to the patient’s family.
Qualifications
You need a Bachelor’s degree or higher in the relevant field from either your native country or from a domestic university in Korea. Internationally trained candidates need valid medical license. However, in some cases you might need to go to medical school in Korea for additional credits.
Some places require candidates with 1-2 years work experience. Moreover you need at least basic level of Korean communication skills.
Although most hospitals in big cities have fluent
English speaking staff, you will be working with primarily Korean speaking patients. Therefore, it is beneficial to have Korean speaking skills in order to communicate effectively with the patients and build rapport.
You may also need recommendation letters, copies of medical licenses and other certifications for example: Medical diploma, doctor’s license, nurses license, etc.
Where To Find These Jobs
Due to the increase in the number of foreign residents in Korea, the number of international clinics is on the rise. Consequently, many big hospitals and international clinics need English speaking staff.
Additionally, many university hospitals like: Korea University Medical Center, Seoul University Medical center, Yonsei university medical center, Asan medical center etc. offer Visiting Fellow Program to licensed doctors, nurses and other medical staff in order to promote medical development and international exchange and cooperation.
The best way to find these jobs is to visit the websites of big hospitals
especially university hospitals and international clinics and apply online. Being active on the social media pages of various renowned medical institutions can also be helpful.
Average Salary
A Medical Coordinator salary starts from 3 million KRW to 4 million KRW or higher a month. On average nurses make around 2.5 million to 3 million or higher. Most visiting fellow programs offer about 3 million KRW a month.
Visa Sponsorship And Additional Benefits
If you are hired, the hospital or medical institution will provide E-7 visa sponsorship and paperwork assistance. Some places may provide meals at the hospital cafeteria for free or at a nominal price. Few places offer company provided accommodations or dormitories but you may have to pay monthly rent or utility bills.
Health care jobs for foreigners in Korea is not unheard of, regardless of some people on the internet calming that you cannot be a medical professional in Korea. If you are interested in finding out more about these opportunities check out this clip from Arrirang https://youtu.be/P0MNdaUYZ5g or watch the ‘Medical story’ series from Arrirang t.v (available on YouTube) for more information.