Dr. John Linton, MD, Korea Native and Yonsei International Healthcare Center (IHC) Doctor

Interview by Grace Sun, Shots by Ethan James

1. Can you tell me a little about your family and their history in Korea?

My great-grandfather, Eugene Bell, was a Presbyterian missionary who came to Korea in 1895. My grandfather, William Linton, also served in Korea from 1912 and my father Hugh Linton, served in Korea from 1954. My mother also served in Korea for 40 years as the director of the Soonchun Christian Tuberculosis Rehabilitation Center.

My wife and I met when we were both studying in college, and we have two daughters – 21 and 19 – and a 9-year-old son. They are beautiful Amerasian kids.

2. What was it like growing up in Korea in the 60s?

I was born in Jeonju and grew up in Suncheon. I do not see myself as someone from a wealthy family coming to help the “poor natives”, but in fact I see myself as a product of Korea. The old people in the village taught me very strong values and how to be a good human being. It was a wonderful childhood growing up in Korea. My biggest break was being allowed to study at Yonsei University, after which I went to New York and then came back here to do family medicine. Koreans have given me the opportunity to go to school here and become a doctor. I am thankful for that, and I have tried to give some of that back.

3. What are the standout things you have achieved here that make you proud?

My father was killed in a tragic car accident in 1984 and after that I designed five models of ambulances, of which there are now 4000 on the street. All the square ambulances you see on the street are 100% my design, and I believe it was a pretty significant breakthrough. The other thing would be the medical work my brother and I did under the Eugene Bell foundation in North Korea. We treated 300,000 patients in 6 years and raised US $35 mil..

4. Do you consider yourself a foreigner or a Korean?

My heart is in Jeonju, so I think of myself as more of a Jeonju person and not really Korean. I wrote a book called “My Hometown is in Jeollado, My Soul is in Korea”. Who am I? As a child, I never looked in the mirror, I just saw myself as a kid in the village. At one point in my life I realized the advantages of Asian culture over Western culture and I made a choice to be Asian. I have great respect for the collectivism of Asian culture. We’re very communal, and that is something I strongly believe in.

5. What should foreigners be careful of when seeking medical care here in Korea?

The number one problem with all patients, local and foreigner alike, is communication. Korean doctors see five to ten times the number of patients that Western doctors see, and it can often get very busy and crowded. Koreans put up with this lack of communication and explanation, but foreigners are much more used to personalized care. They can be very inquisitive, but Korean doctors are too busy to explain. I think there is a big difference in expectations – the concept of medicine to Westerners is that it is a necessary evil, a toxin. But for Asians, it is a mechanism for correcting the imbalances in your body – like ying and yang. The doctor is the guru, and his decisions are not questioned. While a Westerner will thank me for not giving him any medicine, a Korean will invariably ask for an injection! The advice I would give to foreigners that are seeking help is to write everything down – Korean doctors read much better than they speak. At the end of the day, the Korean and Western consumer want the same thing: professionalism and quality time.

6. What is your personal stance on the medical system here in Korea?

Korean doctors are heroic – the amount of patients they see – they’re superhuman. This system works because they work so hard in order to make ends meet under national insurance. There is a huge need, not for revolution, but for reform. Korea needs private insurance, and public and private should come together seamlessly like in the Netherlands or Germany.

7. You have the title of not only doctor, but mentor and trusted cultural guide. Can you tell me a little about your theories and beliefs?

One of my theories is that central heating has played a big part in fracturing today’s families. Here is why – I grew up in a time when there was no central heating, and this was true in many parts of the US too. Back then, everyone gathered around the kitchen stove and all education happened there. It forced people to interact and have very healthy mental hygiene. In Korea, it was the hot floor that you would congregate around. This was the place where older people would teach values and provide their wisdom to the younger people. Nowadays everyone has their own individual television, their own computer and the kids just stay in their room. That causes a generation of very selfish kids.

8. How is IHC different from other international clinics in Korea?

We are an all-service clinic, and a lot of people who come here need urgent care, but I am also trained as a family practitioner so we also manage and prevent disease.

We have four full-time English speaking doctors, and most importantly we have a 24-hour medical doctor and administrator on-call. The difference between ours and other international clinics is that I am the only Western foreigner licensed to practice medicine in Korea and I am part of the institution. Other doctors are contracted, and are not available after hours so there is very little follow through. I am committed to patients and actively partake in their treatment, whether they are here in the clinic or in the emergency room.

9. How has IHC progressed and improved over the years?

When I returned to Korea in 1991 the International Healthcare Centre was in a very dilapidated state with only 1 or 2 patients coming every other day. Now we have over 80 patients a day, and last year we saw 30,000 foreigners. We are also the only JCI-accredited (Joint Commission International) hospital in Korea, and the biggest in the world, which means we have been prepared for many presidential visits.

10. What do you see for Korea’s medical field in the future?

I believe the future is in medical tourism, and in fact all my efforts right now are focused on promoting Korea as a place for treatment abroad. I have been working very closely with the  Ministry For Health, Welfare and Family Affairs to promote the amazing surgeons Korea has to offer. Their manual dexterity is the best in the world, even among their own fellow peers in Asia – Koreans are the only Asian population that uses metal chopsticks. We have 5 Da Vinci robots, and in fact we are the leaders in Asia. Presently, the cost in Korea is more expensive than Bangkok, but cheaper than Singapore and Hong Kong, and about a third to a fifth of the cost in the US.

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