Entering the Chinese market ⓵

Dr. Shim Younggi of Yonsei S Hospital

 

It has become a trend among Korean doctors to enter into the Chinese market. This trend could be said to have begun with Dr. Shim Younggi of Yonsei S Hospital. Dr. Shim entered the Chinese market in 1998 before no other Korean doctors, neither plastic surgeons or any other specialties, even thought of practicing in China. It was too early to predict success or failure of such bold attempt but Dr. Shim’s main purpose of going to China was to be a medical missionary.

 

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“In the late 1990s, the most advanced medical institution in China were military hospitals. They had good facilities, hard-working doctors and offered affordable prices. I opened a plastic surgery clinic in a military hospital as it was easier than getting licensed for a private practice as a foreigner. I specialized in lower limb varicose veins, blepharoplasty, rhinoplasty, women’s hemorrhoids, and dermatologic laser. However, the demand for aesthetic procedures was still low at the time and only the treatment of lower limb varicose veins was in high demand. Varicose veins is quite common in China due to a greasy diet and eating while standing up. However, few Chinese doctors specialized in varicose veins. Treatment of varicose veins began in Korea in 1995 and only three years later it was introduced in China. As such, this was a very new concept for the Chinese market.”

 

Chinese language skills are a must.

 

Dr. Shim emphasizes the need to assimilate oneself to the Chinese language and culture before venturing into China.

“The reason for my success in China was that I did not open a private practice under my name but hired a Chinese doctor to open a clinic in a bigger hospital. I went through the long preparation process of thoroughly training the Chinese doctor in Korea before starting in China. Some of my fellow doctors ask me for advice on opening a practice in China and I ask them in Chinese why they want to go to China. If they cannot answer in Chinese, I tell them not to go to China. The ability to communicate in Chinese is very important. When you can understand the culture and business, you are finally ready to start your practice in China.”

 

-To be continued-