Yonsei Institute
for Global Health

Severance International Fellowship – Prime Course is a pre-training program that aims to expand clinical experience and skills for clinical research and statistics of international scholars. The course will mainly include introductory lectures about the Korean healthcare system, hospital management, and also practice sessions for research projects done in groups or individuals.
The instructors are consisted of professors at Yonsei University College of Medicine, Graduate School of Public Health and other specialists of diverse medical fields, who are professionals in various study fields : global health, health statistics, clinical research methodology, hospital business & management etc.

• Physicians who want to get permission for medical hands-on practice :This course is mandatory if you want to do hands-on practice in Korea. You have to acquire permission from the Korea Ministry of Health & Welfare to do so. Otherwise, you are only allowed to train as an observer.
• All international scholars who are interested in gaining experience and knowledge related to clinical research & statistics are welcome to apply.
• This course is only open to international physicians who reside in Korea during the whole course. Participation through Zoom or other kinds of video conference programs in your own country is not available.

• A. Requirements to get permission for hands-on medical practice
  • 1) The total training period at Severance Hospital must be longer than 6 months.
  • 2) Your clinical experience must be 3 years or longer AFTER acquiring your medical license.

• Even if you meet the above conditions, the training professor or department can limit or disapprove your hands-on practice for patient safety reasons.

• Please note that the extension of permission for hands on medical practice may be issued only one time and the total period of extension may not exceed one year including the period for which the approval was originally given.

• B. Required Documents for all applicants : All documents must be in ENGLISH
  • 1) English CV
  • 2) Copy of Medical Doctor's License (if applicable, also your Certificate of Specialty)
  • 3) Proof of Employment (Current and Past, proof that your clinical experience is 3 years or longer)
• C. Required Documents for hands-on practice applicants :
  • 1) Copy of Passport : must be valid for more than 6 months from the hands-on practice application date
  • 2) Recommendation Letter Sample Download
    It must include a signature or stamp of a government organization director from your country(Ministry of Health or the government organization that is in charge of issuing your medical license), your name, your medical license number, date of birth, period of clinical experience, and details of your training in Korea.

    The government organization must be in charge of issuing your medical license. ex) Ministry of Health, Medical Council. Hospitals run by a government is NOT applicable.

  • 3) Proof of Employment (3 years or above) : Official documents in English that proves that your clinical experience is longer than 3 years
  • 4) The following documents to provide information of the school where you achieved the primary medical degree from:
  •       1. Copy of primary medical degree certificate
  •       2. URL of the English website of the school
  •       3. Both original version and authorized English translations of:
       -Curriculum
       -Syllabus of the major courses you took
       -School regulations that includes information on admission, special courses, etc.
       -Guidebook that includes information on the school’s faculty and environment of clinical practice

A.  Scope of Medical Practice by Trainees

1) A trainee, who is approved for medical practice in Korea under Article 4 and Article 5, shall not perform medical practice by him or herself; a trainee may perform medical practice in a limited scope within a training hospital, with an informed consent from a patient and in presence of a training specialist or a cooperative training specialist designated by the training specialist.

B. Application for Severance Hands-on Practice Authoriztion

1) All physicians who practice medicine at Severance have to apply for the clinical privileges, and receive approval from the General Director of Severance Hospital.

2) The application will be submitted AFTER your hands-on practice is approved by the Ministry of Health and Welfare in Korea.

3) The hands-on practice is ONLY allowed AFTER you get the approval of the General Director of Severance Hospital.

C. Revocation

1) MOHW may revoke approval where it falls under any of the followings;

a) Where a trainee received approval by fraud or other unlawful means
b) Where a trainee performed unapproved medical practice or committed an act that is against the rules stipulated in this notification.
c) Where a trainee violated duties and terms of the internal protocol of a training hospital 

d) Where a hospital fails to observe duties stipulated in the notification

e) Where a hospital filed an application pursuant to the notification for reasons other than training