The consultation went fine. Then you are outside holding a prescription, a receipt and a results slip, all in Korean, with no idea which one matters. Here is what each is for.
A gynecology visit in Korea usually ends the same way: you are handed several pieces of paper, all in Korean, and sent on your way. Most people photograph them, mean to look into it later, and never do.
Three of those documents matter for different reasons. Here is what each one is.
처방전 — the prescription
처방전 (cheo-bang-jeon) is the prescription. In Korea the clinic prescribes and the pharmacy dispenses, so this piece of paper is what you carry to a 약국 (yak-guk) to actually get the medication.
Two practical points catch people out:
- It has an expiry. A validity period is printed on it and it is usually short. Take it the same day where you can.
- You usually get two copies — one the pharmacy keeps, one for your records. Do not throw the second away; it is what you would show another doctor later.
Pharmacies cluster around clinics for a reason. The nearest one almost certainly stocks what that clinic prescribes most often.
The pharmacy bag
What you get back from the pharmacy is often a set of pre-packed doses rather than the original boxes — sachets or strips, each holding one dose.
The label usually shows 1일 O회 (times per day) and O일분 (days' supply), and often 식후 30분 (30 minutes after meals) or 식전 (before meals). If the packets are pre-divided by dose, the timing is already built into how they are separated.
The original boxes usually do not come with it. If you want the drug names, ask the pharmacist for the 복약안내문 — the medication information sheet — before you leave.
검사 결과지 — test results
Two words do most of the work on a results slip, and they are unfortunately similar:
| Korean | Sounds like | Means |
|---|---|---|
| 양성 | yang-seong | positive |
| 음성 | eum-seong | negative |
| 정상 | jeong-sang | normal |
| 이상 | i-sang | abnormal / a finding |
| 재검 | jae-geom | repeat test needed |
양성 and 음성 differ by one syllable and mean opposite things. If you are reading a result on your own, confirm which one you have rather than going by memory.
It is also worth saying plainly: a positive result often does not mean what people assume. A positive HPV result, for instance, is common and is not a diagnosis on its own. That gap between reading a word and understanding it is exactly what the explanation at the clinic is for — and why it is worth asking rather than searching at 2am.
진료비 영수증 and 진료비 세부내역서
These two sound similar and are not interchangeable. This is the part most worth getting right.
진료비 영수증 is the ordinary receipt. It generally shows a total and the split between covered and non-covered amounts.
진료비 세부내역서 is the itemized statement — a line-by-line breakdown of what was done and charged.
If you have private insurance, ask for 진료비 세부내역서 주세요. before you leave.
Most private indemnity policies — including the kind many employers here provide — cannot process a claim from a total alone. Going back weeks later to request the breakdown is far more trouble than one sentence at the desk on the day.
On either document you will see 급여 (covered by National Health Insurance) and 비급여 (not covered, paid in full). Those two words explain most of what you paid, and they are set out properly in our guide to gynecology costs and health insurance.
진단서 and 소견서 — only if you need them
- 진단서 (jin-dan-seo) — a medical certificate, typically needed for an employer, a school or an insurance claim
- 소견서 (so-gyeon-seo) — a doctor's opinion letter, often used when transferring care to another doctor
Neither is issued automatically, both are charged separately, and both have to be requested. If you might need one — for sick leave, or for a doctor in your home country — say so at the appointment rather than coming back for it.
Why everything is in Korean
Documents are issued in Korean because that is what pharmacies, insurers and other Korean clinics require. That is not an oversight and it is not something a clinic can simply swap out.
What a clinic set up for international patients does instead is explain the meaning in English while you are there. If you need something in English for a doctor abroad, ask — a summary can usually be arranged, though it is a separate request rather than the default.
Before you leave the room
Four things are worth having in hand:
- 처방전 — and check its validity date
- 진료비 세부내역서 — if you will claim on private insurance
- The next appointment, if there is one
- Who to contact if something changes before then
The vocabulary for the appointment itself — how to describe a symptom, what you will be asked first — is in our guide to medical Korean for a gynecology visit.
Related guides
- Medical Korean for a gynecology visit
- Gynecology costs and health insurance
- Seeing a gynecologist in Korea
Common questions
Which document do I need for an insurance claim?
진료비 세부내역서 — the itemized statement. An ordinary receipt usually shows only the total, and most private indemnity policies will not process a claim from a total alone. Ask for it at the desk before you leave.
How long is a Korean prescription valid?
A validity period is printed on the prescription, and it is usually short. Take it to a pharmacy the same day where you can, and check the date rather than assuming it will still work next week.
Can I fill a prescription at any pharmacy?
Generally yes, though a pharmacy may not stock every medication. The ones nearest a clinic usually carry what that clinic prescribes most often, which is why they cluster around hospitals.
What does 양성 mean on a test result?
양성 means positive and 음성 means negative. They look and sound similar, so it is worth confirming which one you are reading rather than guessing — and a positive result does not always mean what people assume, which is what the explanation at the clinic is for.
Do I get an English copy of my results?
Documents are generally issued in Korean because that is what pharmacies and insurers here require. At a clinic set up for international patients the meaning is explained in English at the appointment, and you can ask for an English summary if you need one for a doctor abroad.
Ask about General Gynecology
Our English-speaking team in Seoul can talk through your situation and what a visit would involve. No referral needed.
This guide is general information for foreign residents in Korea, not medical advice. Coverage, costs, and treatment depend on your individual case — please confirm details with the clinic and your insurer.