Yonsei Institute
for Global Health

1) Please introduce yourself. My name is Luong Thi Van Trang, 33 years old. I am the only child in my family, with both of my parents being retired teachers. I was born in a small coastal province in Central Vietnam, and I have been determined to become a doctor since I was in high school, inspired by the strong medical tradition on my mother’s side, which began with my uncle, a military physician. 2) Where is your working place back in your country and what is your specialty? Before coming to Korea to pursue my second Master’s degree in Medicine at Chung-Ang University, I worked as a Cardiologist at Hoan My Da Nang Hospital, a branch of the leading private Medical Corporation in Vietnam. I was also a part-time lecturer, teaching pre-clinical cardiology at the Faculty of Medicine, Duy Tan University (Da Nang). These experiences inspired me to further specialize in Cardiology, prompting me to continue my studies in Korea in August 2022. 3)How did you get to know Severance? Why did you choose Severance as your training hospital? In November 2024, while studying for my Master’s degree in Seoul, I had the opportunity to attend the Echo 360 Conference organized by Professor Geu-Ru Hong (Department of Cardiology, Severance Hospital). I was deeply impressed by the clinical presentations on Echocardiography and Interventional Cardiology. Fortunately, my Vietnamese teacher, Assoc. Prof. Le Minh Khoi introduced me to Professor Hong. After graduation, I immediately researched training opportunities and knew that the Severance Hospital offers excellent and in-depth fellowship programs for international doctors. I sent an email to Professor Hong and was truly grateful to be accepted under his guidance. 4) How long is your training period in Korea? Initially, I had planned to join the fellowship at the Echo Lab for only three months. However, during that time, I was lucky to receive tremendous guidance and support. Acknowledging that there was still much more to learn, I applied for an additional year of fellowship, and I am deeply grateful that Professor Hong generously supported this decision. 5) Which area did you focus on during your fellowship at Severance? During my fellowship at Severance, I focused on Echocardiography and Echocardiography-guided Interventional Cardiology. I observed procedures such as: Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR), Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair for Mitral Regurgitation (TEER), Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement (TMVR), Percutaneous paravalvular leak closure… In one TEER case I observed, the intervention itself took only 30 minutes and was successfully completed. Observing the patient regain consciousness very shortly afterwards allowed me to experience firsthand the advantages of these transcatheter procedures, which significantly reduce pain and enable rapid recovery, especially in elderly patients. I was truly impressed by the fast, precise interventional guidance and the adoption of novel echocardiographic techniques by Professor Geu-Ru Hong, a leading expert in Echocardiography and Rare & Structural Heart Disease. I hope to learn extensively from him so that I can apply the knowledge and these techniques when I return to Vietnam. 6) What is the most impressive feature of Severance Hospital? I knew that Severance Hospital was one of the leading hospitals in Korea, but when I first visited, I was amazed by its scale, the vast campus and the modern buildings. While working in the Cardiology Department, I was very impressed with the department’s organization and the way it creates a comfortable environment for patients. In addition, the advanced equipment and cutting-edge techniques in the Echo Lab and the Hybrid Catheterization Lab left a strong impression on me. This was the first time I had ever worked in such a professional and modern environment. Furthermore, I am truly grateful for the supportive working culture here, with dedicated teaching from Professors and the friendliness and strong collaboration among colleagues, all of which have greatly motivated my learning. 7) What are the specific contents of your fellowship program at Severance? I have been observing and learning Transthoracic Echocardiography (TTE) and Transesophageal Echocardiography (TEE), as well as TEE-guided interventional procedures and the use of novel imaging software for this purpose, which are performed in only a few cases or are not yet available in Vietnam. In addition, I am participating in clinical research using large, multicenter registry data. The knowledge and experience I am gaining at Severance will be invaluable for my future work in Vietnam and will strongly support my continued development in Medicine. 9)Who are you most thankful for at Severance(who helped you the most) & why? The person I am most grateful to is Professor Geu-Ru Hong, my direct supervisor at the Echo Lab, Cardiology Department. I feel truly lucky and thankful to be his student. He guided me with excellent dedication, gave me great opportunities to participate in all activities of the Echo Lab, and generously supported my life in Korea. The comprehensive knowledge I have learned from him is essential for my future work, his strong passion for Medicine inspires me to continue learning and developing and his kindness toward patients serves as a role model for me to become a better doctor. He also created valuable opportunities for me to establish important collaborations with Professors in both Korea and Vietnam, that is a tremendous support for my career. I am also sincerely thankful to Professor Jong-Won Ha, Professor Chi Young Shim, and Professor Iksung Cho, who guided me through insightful lectures and gave me the great chance to attend conferences. I am grateful to all the doctors in the Echo Lab: Dr. Hyun-Jung Lee, Dr. Sun-Hwa Lee, Dr. Sang-Gon Yoon, and Dr. Hee-Kyung Seo, who helped me a lot and involved me in research. My thanks also go to the clinical assistant, Ms. Jihyun Hyung, nurses Ms. Jung Mi Heo, Ms. Jin Young Nam, as well as the sonographers and all staff members who treated me with such warmth and kindness. 10) What was your first impression of Korea? My first impression was of a large, modern city that is also beautifully covered with greenery. Everywhere, there are trees and benches where people can relax and connect with nature. I arrived in Korea during autumn, when the leaves had all turned yellow, creating the most breathtaking scenery I had ever seen. Moreover, in Vietnam, I worked in Da Nang, a city with a river whose name is pronounced very similarly to the Han River. This made Korea feel even more familiar, especially when I walked along the shoreline of the Han River, enjoying the cool and peaceful atmosphere, while also seeing many interesting activities taking place there. 11)What is the best memory so far during your stay here? I have lived in Korea for over three years and have become very familiar with life here. There are many similarities in daily life and culture that sometimes make me feel like I am living in Vietnam. Since my main purpose here is to study, my best memories are the opportunities I have had to learn and work at Chung-Ang University and Severance Hospital, as well as to attend conferences in different provinces of Korea. In addition, the stunning natural landscapes I have visited and the kind, lovely Korean people I have met will always remain in my heart. I have collected thousands of photos, and in the coming year, I will continue to add more, with all my effort and love. I would like to express my deepest gratitude from the bottom of my heart.

Rwanda’s First Pediatric Gastroenterologist Cultivates a New Generation Severance Hospital’s Global Medical Training Bears Fruit in Africa “There is a lot of work, many patients, and a small salary. However, teaching students and pediatric residents is very rewarding, and it is truly a blessing to see the children who receive treatment and become healthy.” These are the words of Dr. Gaspard Habimana, Rwanda’s first and only pediatric gastroenterologist. In a country of 14.3 million people, there are only about 120 pediatricians, and among them, just one who specializes in pediatric gastroenterology. From 2021 to 2022, Dr. Gaspard trained for 18 months at Severance Children’s Hospital under the guidance of Professor Koh Hong, refining his expertise in pediatric gastroenterology. Before his training, he worked as a pediatrician at a provincial hospital. Upon returning home, he joined the University Teaching Hospital of Kigali, where he now educates medical students and residents while helping to build the foundation for pediatric gastroenterology in Rwanda. Thanks to his dedication, around ten new pediatricians are trained each year, and by next year, Rwanda will see its second and third pediatric gastroenterologists complete their training. One Severance trainee has planted the seeds for a nation’s healthcare system, and those seeds are now growing into a new generation. On November 19, Dr. Gaspard will receive the 5th Avison Global Leadership Award, an honor presented to medical professionals from resource-limited countries who embody the humanitarian spirit of Dr. Oliver R. Avison, founder of Severance Hospital. Dr. Gaspard’s work stands as living proof that the spirit of Severance continues to bear fruit across the globe. Rwanda’s story is one of resilience and renewal. In less than 30 years since the tragic 1994 genocide, the nation has rebuilt itself at an astonishing pace. The capital, Kigali, is now recognized as one of the cleanest and safest cities in Africa, driven by a government committed to transparency and anti-corruption, and by a people known for diligence and civic discipline. However, challenges in healthcare persist. More than 90% of Rwanda’s population is covered by the community-based national health insurance system (Mutuelles de Santé), which the World Health Organization (WHO) and World Bank commend as a “best practice for Africa.” Yet, the country faces a critical shortage of medical specialists—only nine doctors per 100,000 people, compared to nearly 300 in South Korea. To help address this gap, Severance Hospital, in collaboration with the Rwandan Ministry of Health and the University Teaching Hospital of Kigali, will launch a training program for Rwandan doctors beginning next year. This initiative aims not only to provide medical expertise but also to develop leaders and specialized teams essential to Rwanda’s healthcare advancement. The trained physicians will return home to teach and mentor the next generation, creating a sustainable cycle of medical growth. This initiative has been made possible through the generous donation of a Severance alumnus, who contributed 300 million KRW to support the training of Rwandan doctors and the cultivation of medical specialists. The alumnus, who wished to remain anonymous, expressed, “As a senior in medicine, I wanted to be part of something meaningful.” Their generosity will help open new doors of hope for young Rwandan doctors aspiring to bring quality healthcare to their communities. The spirit of Severance—first embodied by missionary Dr. Oliver R. Avison, who believed in “raising and nurturing people”—continues today in the hospitals and classrooms of Rwanda. Severance’s mission is not merely to transfer medical skills, but to empower local doctors to care for their own people. The same energy that rebuilt Rwanda after tragedy is now transforming its healthcare system—and at the heart of this transformation stands Severance.

1) Please introduce yourself. I am Dr Thae Ko Ko from Yangon, Myanmar. Now I am 39 years old and married. My wife is Ei Mon Khine, a beautiful and smart lady, working as a country manager of Travelport company, Myanmar. We are trying to create a wonderful and peaceful family life by upgrading our strength, ability and understanding. 2) Where is your working place back in your country and what is your specialty? I work as a Junior Cardiovascular surgeon in Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, North-okkalapa Teaching and General Hospital, and Yankin Children Hospital, University of Medicine (2), Yangon, Myanmar. Now I am attending the second year of Doctor of Medical Science in Cardiovascular Surgery at University of Medicine (1), Yangon, Myanmar. I will get the degree after completing the third year. 3)How did you get to know Severance? Why did you choose Severance as your training hospital? I have known Severance Cardiovascular Hospital for 10 years ago, because one of my admirable teachers, Dr Kyu Kyu Soe (Associate Professor, Yankin Children Hospital, Yangon, Myanmar), gets her fellowship training from here. She is a Famous Pediatrician, especially in the field of Congenital Heart ICU, in Myanmar. When I worked as a resident in Yankin Children Hospital, I also participated in a lot of Congenital Heart operations as the collaboration program between Severance Hospital and Yankin Children Hospital by support of Korea Heart Foundation (KHF). And so, she recommended me to get training here. Moreover, Severance Hospital is one of the largest and famous hospitals in Asia and World. Yonsei University is also a top university in international society. So, I decided to choose Severance as my advanced training hospital. 4) How long is your training period in Korea? My training period in Korea is six months. 5) Which area did you focus on during your fellowship at Severance? I focused on Congenital Heart Surgery, especially in the interest of management for congenital heart surgery such as diagnostic workout and imaging studies, preoperative optimization, timing of surgery, intraoperative management and postoperative care and follow-up program. 6) What is the most impressive feature of Severance Hospital? There are so many impressive features of Severance Hospital. It is too difficult to choose which one is the most impressive. But I have no doubt to believe that the Severance Hospital is the one of the World’s leading centers of excellence in modern and comprehensive medical care when I see in real life as the fellow of Severance Hospital. Severance hospital is not only a leading teaching hospital that has good academic environment, full of multidisciplinary health care professionals and innovative medical technology but also provides holistic health care for patients with quality and humanized care. It is also an image of Korean healthcare history. Moreover, the proficiency and productivity of staff is amazing, despite the mega volume of patients. I see that every day in Severance Hospital, which is so impressive and inspiring. So, I realize that is one of the reasons why we see a great number of international patients seeking healthcare and why international fellows want to be trained at Severance Hospital. 7) What are the specific contents of your fellowship program at Severance? The specific contents of your fellowship program at Severance are management for complex congenital heart diseases such as diagnostic workout and imaging studies, preoperative optimization, timing of surgery, intraoperative management and postoperative care and follow-up program. During the intraoperative period, I have learned the approach to surgical field, appropriate instrumentation, techniques of suturing, caring for vital structures, and how to initiate and wean the cardiopulmonary bypass machine, and then closure of the sternotomy and wound. In postoperative periods, I have learned the postoperative strategies according to individual cases, including inotropes adjustment, patient monitoring, weaning program of ventilator, pain control, nutrition and timing of discharge from HICU and ward. 8) If you were to get the chance to come back, which field of clinical study would you like to focus on? As the nature of congenital heart surgery is long learning curve, six months study duration is just enough for learning the certain amounts of congenital heart diseases. Because I want to deepen my knowledge and skills in congenital cardiac surgery, if I have the opportunity on return, I would like to stay longer training period (more than one year) to learn, observe and participate in workflow. Because of the nature of surgery, the surgeon must get hand-on training (learning by doing) and participate in patient selection, imaging interpretation, discussion, some surgical procedure, and take duty of HICU, and perform outpatient care. Moreover, in management of complex heart surgery, the surgeon uses more than one operative technique to get complete surgical cure and outcome. So, the surgeon needs experience of acquiring heart surgery, coronary artery surgery and minimally invasive surgical techniques. If I have the opportunity next time, I would like to learn more about those fields. 9)Who are you most thankful for at Severance(who helped you the most) & why? At the beginning of the plan to study in Korea, so many people helped me a lot. Firstly, after the KHF authorities selected me as a fellow, the staff of international relationship department contacted me and gave me information and guided me to fluent the steps required to do. Even when I arrived in Korea, the administrative staff have helped me in Banking, administration to hospital, registration to cafeteria, etc. And then I met with my honorable Professor Shin Yu Rim at my first step in Severance Cardiovascular Hospital. She is my admire and idol Cardiac Surgeon in Korea. She teaches me a lot of knowledge about congenital heart surgery and shares with me a lot of her experiences and guides me on how to behave in relationships with heart team members, surgical team members and patients and relatives. After the two weeks of fellowship period, I met with my dearest and hero Professor Han Ki Park, Chief of congenital cardiac surgery, who made the completeness of my fellowship program by teaching and showing my weaknesses and how to learn in Korea. By those two professors my fellowship period is fluent and wonderful. It makes me happy, healthy and knowledgeable. From beginning to know, all congenital heart surgery team members make me save, warmth, happy, and feel like a family. Not only surgical team members, but also operation room members like Chief anesthetist and his colleagues, surgical scrubs, runners, and all staff welcome me warmly and help me a lot. From start of fellowship program, I met with senior colleague, Dr Hyun Soo Lee, he gives also me a big hand. He never hesitates to help me, share his knowledge and work together. Lastly but not least, the surgical assistant, Choi Hae Yeon, is also a good warm hearted and smart staff. She helps a lot, especially with social and psychological support. So, it is too difficult for me to choose person who is the most thankful for at Severance. But as the conclusion, I would like to special thanks to Professor Han Ki Park for his admirable kindness, honorable guidance and patience throughout my fellowship journey. He is always willing to share his experience and provide support to all of members of teams. His mentorship created an environment of learning, confidence and growth of my professional. However, I would like to thank all staff of Severance Hospital because of their support, my fellowship journey was successfully and happily completed. 10) What was your first impression of Korea? Time in Korea was one of memorial times in my life. I think I can’t mention which one is the most impressive, because everything what I saw and what I feel are beautiful, amazing and showing the prestige of Korean, their culture, history and hardworking. Among them, my first impression of Korea was how clean and well-organized everything was. The public transportation system is well-developed. The meticulous and systematic arrangements of buses and subways for public are cost effective, save time, and very comfortable. My visit to the Korea War Memorial Museum in Yongsan gives me next impression. I observed in detail the history of Korea and its people with their resilience. I was deeply impressed by their strength and determination. They get me blended well. Lastly, what I was impressed with is that the pretty senses are changed by every season, active motions, colorful dresses and beautiful smiles. 11)What is the best memory so far during your stay here? Everything I see! I face! I feel! I do! I learn! are adorable and awesome for me. The time in Wonderland Severance Hospital, beautiful Seoul and Korea is a miracle for me. Being a world-class professional, receiving training, guidance, kindness, and support from the Professors and all the staff made me incredibly pleasure and helped my growth of professional. Despite being far from Motherland, I truly felt as a native. The warming earth and atmosphere of Korea, combined with a strong sense of teamwork and dedication of Severance’s staff, gets an unforgettable passion. This strongly heartfelt and high society environment not only polished my knowledge and skills but also imprinted a lifelong memory on my career. These are all best of beautiful memories. I am sorry! I can’t choose which one is the best.