Hospital Korean: Departments, Symptoms, Prescriptions, and Follow-Up

Core examples: 내과, 정형외과, 증상, 진료, 검사, 처방전, 복용, 재진, 예약.

A hospital visit changes vocabulary by stage

A clinic interaction might move through these phrases:

접수하셨나요? 어느 과로 오셨어요? 증상이 언제부터 있었나요? 검사를 진행하겠습니다. 처방전을 가지고 약국에 가시면 됩니다. 일주일 뒤 재진 예약을 잡아 드릴게요.

The words change as the patient moves from reception to department to exam to prescription to follow-up.

The key principle is:

Hospital Korean is stage-based.

This article is for language literacy, not medical advice.

Hospital visit stages

Learner action: identify the stage before translating.

내과

내과

internal medicine.

Often relevant for fever, cough, stomach issues, chronic conditions, general adult medical concerns.

Related:

소화기내과 gastroenterology

호흡기내과 pulmonology/respiratory medicine

순환기내과 cardiology

정형외과

정형외과

orthopedics.

Common for bones, joints, muscles, injuries, back pain, fractures.

Related:

골절 fracture

관절 joint

허리 통증 back pain

물리치료 physical therapy

Learner action: department names are navigation terms and medical categories.

Other common departments

피부과 dermatology

이비인후과 ear-nose-throat

안과 ophthalmology

치과 dentistry

산부인과 obstetrics and gynecology

소아청소년과 pediatrics/adolescent medicine

A hospital directory may use abbreviations or combined department names.

증상

증상

symptom.

Useful symptom phrases:

열이 나요. I have a fever.

기침이 나요. I have a cough.

배가 아파요. My stomach hurts.

어지러워요. I feel dizzy.

통증이 있어요. I have pain.

Clinic staff may ask:

증상이 언제부터 있었나요? Since when have you had symptoms?

Learner action: report symptom, time, severity, and location.

진료

진료

medical consultation/care.

Related:

진료실 consultation/examination room

진료시간 clinic hours

진료비 consultation/medical fee

진료를 받다 receive medical care/consultation

Do not translate 진료 only as “treatment.” It can include seeing the doctor.

검사

검사

test/examination/inspection.

Medical contexts:

혈액검사 blood test

소변검사 urine test

엑스레이 검사 X-ray exam

검사 결과 test results

추가 검사 additional test

Learner action: 검사 may be a procedure, not diagnosis.

처방전

처방전

prescription.

Related:

약국 pharmacy

처방약 prescription medicine

처방받다 receive a prescription

처방전을 발급하다 issue a prescription

A clinic may say:

처방전을 가지고 약국에 가세요. Take the prescription to the pharmacy.

복용

복용

taking medicine, usually orally.

Related:

복용법 how to take medication

복용량 dosage

식후 after meals

하루 3회 three times a day

1회 1정 one tablet per dose

Learner action: prescription instructions are safety-critical. Confirm with pharmacist.

재진

재진

follow-up visit / return consultation.

Related:

초진 first visit/initial consultation

재진 예약 follow-up appointment

다음 내원 next clinic visit

경과 관찰 observation/follow-up monitoring

Learner action: 재진 is not a new case; it is continued care.

예약

예약

appointment/reservation.

Hospital/clinic phrases:

예약하셨나요? Do you have an appointment?

예약을 변경하고 싶어요. I would like to change my appointment.

예약 없이 방문 가능 walk-in possible

예약 필수 appointment required

Learner action: appointment rules affect access and waiting time.

Polite clinic exchange

Staff may say:

성함이 어떻게 되세요? What is your name?

이쪽으로 오세요. Please come this way.

잠시만 기다려 주세요. Please wait a moment.

수납하시고 가시면 됩니다. Please pay before leaving / You can pay and then go.

These phrases are service Korean with medical context.

Example bank walkthrough

내과

Internal medicine.

Learner action: department category.

정형외과

Orthopedics.

Learner action: bones/joints/injury department.

증상

Symptoms.

Learner action: patient report.

진료

Medical consultation/care.

Learner action: doctor visit stage.

검사

Test/exam.

Learner action: procedure/results.

처방전

Prescription.

Learner action: pharmacy document.

복용

Taking medication.

Learner action: dosage/frequency caution.

재진

Follow-up visit.

Learner action: continued care.

예약

Appointment/reservation.

Learner action: scheduling.

Hospital-Korean workflow

For a Korean hospital/clinic visit:

1. Identify stage: reception, department, exam, payment, pharmacy, follow-up.
2. Confirm appointment/reservation status.
3. Identify department.
4. Report symptoms with onset time.
5. Track 검사 instructions and results.
6. Read 처방전 and pharmacy instructions carefully.
7. Confirm 복용 amount/frequency/timing.
8. Note 재진 or follow-up date.
9. Ask for clarification on anything safety-critical.

Hospital stage phrase table

Hospital Korean changes by stage.

This makes hospital language predictable.

Symptom report template

A useful patient sentence has four parts:

증상 + 위치 + 시작 시점 + 정도

Examples:

어제부터 목이 많이 아파요. Since yesterday, my throat has hurt a lot.

오른쪽 무릎에 통증이 있어요. I have pain in my right knee.

열이 나고 기침이 있어요. I have a fever and cough.

This article should help readers build safe, simple symptom statements.

Prescription safety caution

처방전, 복용, 식후, 하루 3회, 1회 1정, and 중단 are medication-action terms. A learner should confirm dosage, frequency, timing, and duration with a doctor/pharmacist when the instruction affects medicine use.

A strong tool for this article would map vocabulary by stage.

Suggested functions:

1. Stage selector.
2. Department glossary.
3. Symptom phrase builder.
4. Test/procedure labels.
5. Prescription instruction parser.
6. Follow-up appointment card.
7. Safety-critical phrase warning.

Final rule

Hospital Korean changes as the patient moves.

내과 and 정형외과 route you. 증상 starts the medical conversation. 진료 and 검사 organize care. 처방전 and 복용 move the patient to medication. 재진 and 예약 organize follow-up.

Know the stage, then read the phrase.