Shincheon -- Medical Specialists from 210th Field Artillery Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division/ROK-U.S Combined Division, participated in a tour of Severance Hospital, Shincheon, South Korea, 12 May.
Along with an informational tour outlining the history of western medicine in Korea, senior and junior medics of the 'Thunder' brigade had the opportunity to view one of the biggest civilian hospitals in the Korean peninsula and conduct hands-on training in robotic surgery.
The Severance Hospital, part of the Yonsei University Health System has a large number of employees from the United States who perform patient care for civilians and Soldiers in Korea.
"We hosted the tour out of gratefulness for the United States Forces Korea (USFK) for building our first hospital at this site after the Korean War," said Dr. John A. Linton, Chairman and Director of the Department of Family Medicine, International Health Care Center. "I think it is befitting and natural to invite [Soldiers] as guests, and we [try] to pay back a small portion of the debt by treating and taking care of Soldiers who are injured in Korea."
Upon arrival at Severance Hospital, Dr. Linton and his staff guided the Soldiers into the International Health Care Center, where they learned the history of Severance Hospital and how its origins are greatly intertwined with 8th Army.
Severance Hospital was founded in 1885 by Horace N. Allen who came to serve as a missionary in Korea. The hospital was called Jejungwon until 1904 when an American businessman, Louis H. Severance, donated $15,000 to reconstruct the hospital.
In the aftermath of the Korean War, Severance Hospital was destroyed with the larger part of Seoul City. However, USFK Soldiers in the Korean peninsula used their man power to reconstruct Severance Hospital.
As the tour continued, the medics of 210th FA Bde. viewed state-of-the-art technology and received hands-on training on techniques in robotic surgery, an opportunity many Army medics never get. After viewing a short clip of robotic surgery, some Soldiers were able to practice basic surgical movements with the Da Vinci Surgical System, the main technology used in robotic surgery.
"Severance Hospital [has] excellent facilities and we were looking for unique training that fit in with our mission essential tasks," said Capt. Daniel Roman, a Senior Physician Assistant assigned to 210th FA Bde., 2nd Inf. Div. Combined. "From the history of emergency medical services to robotic surgery, I believe this visit was a great opportunity for our Soldiers."
Throughout the tour, the Soldiers and medical staff of Severance Hospital were able to share their medical knowledge with one another. Both parties took advantage of the unique opportunity by asking questions and learning about each other's medical systems.
"The purpose of this event was to compare the systems of the medical process between the military medical services and the civilian medical services," said Sgt. 1st Class Taekyung Kim, Medical Operations Noncommissioned Officer in Charge, assigned to the 210th FA Bde. "As we develop a good relationship with the Severance hospital, we can evaluate and improve each other's systems."
"We are currently planning for more joint operations with Severance Hospital to improve our relationship and the patient care capabilities of our medics," said Kim.
Social Sharing