Asking for medical help in Korea as an international student can be quite intimidating. Especially when Korean isn't your first language, or your second (in my case.) Though it's not just about bracing the embarrassment you might get when the doctor/pharmacist looks at you confusedly as you struggle to find the correct words to describe your condition, medical resources can be costly for a university student without a stable income.
After studying in Korea for almost 3 years, I've found my way around to some more accessible medical resources around Ewha Womans Univeristy. Without further ado, let's get into it shall we?
1. University Health Service Center
I've mentioned our University Health Service Center in a previous article about our school facilities, so feel free to check that out if you're interested!
So basically, if you pay a membership fee of approximately $17 (23,000krw) at the start of the semester when you pay your tuition fee, you'll get free access to the center's health services.
This includes:
A. Free Annual Health Checkups
Location: Human Ecology Building (생활환경관)
Naver maps link: https://naver.me/xyUsRKL5
The health checkup package includes: a blood test, a BMI test, a urinalysis, and a blood pressure test.
*students are only given one free health checkup per school year, and not per semester.
In fact, checkup reservations for the 2nd semester are available now through the official website! (November 25-29; December 2-4)
The reservation process can be quite tricky sometimes so here's a quick tutorial:
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Quick tip: I would always recommend you check out the Korean site rather the English site, as Korean universities tend to update the Korean version more. (However, I've compared the two and they don't seem to differ that much so it's up to you to decide!)
B. Free Health Consultations
This ranges from general consultations, special consultations (skin specialist) or even mental health consultations are all available at the University Health Service Center.
General consultations do not require reservations. This includes getting help for the common cold, period cramps etc. The doctor will then give you a prescription whereby you could get medicine from the center at a very affordable price.
*General consultations walk-in hours: 9:00a.m.-11:50a.m.; 1:00p.m.-4:50p.m.
Although both special consultations and mental health consultations are also free for those who pay the membership fee, they are only available for a limited time, and require reservations beforehand. So make sure to keep an eye on the notice board on the website!
