
John Sangwon Lee
Pediatrician
A Chronicle of Joy, Anger, Sorrow, and Pleasure
Preface
“We can’t make a medical doctor, but he can make one.
We can’t make a medical doctor, but he can become one if he wants to.
From birth, I was healthy in body and mind, intelligent, and a devoted son. From elementary school, I excelled academically and was well-behaved. I was a model student, and from middle school to high school and medical school, I lived a life of constant good character until I became a licensed doctor.
I earned my Medical Doctor (M.D.) degree by swearing the Hippocratic Oath (First, Do No Harm).
I was born to farming parents in a village on the tidal flats of Anmyeondo Island in Taean, South Chungcheong Province. After graduating from high school, my father encouraged me to attend teachers’ college and become a teacher. Instead, I entered Yonsei University College of Medicine and became a doctor. After serving two years as a medical doctor in a village and three years as a medical officer in the Korean Army, I returned to the United States and became a pediatrician.
I tried to return to my home country and become a doctor, but that didn’t work out. I’m still living in the United States as a pediatrician.
Even now, when I take a walk in my neighborhood, run into someone by chance at the bank, or meet a former patient’s family at the town office, they still call me “Hi, Doctor Lee.”
Even after becoming doctors, we continue to study medicine, build character, practice compassion, strictly protect patients’ personal confidentiality, and strive to preserve their precious lives and health to the fullest extent.
A doctor’s duty is to treat all patients with unconditional love, regardless of their financial status, age, wealth, education, gender, race, or religion.
When treating patients, I adhere to the 5Cs: Compassionate and Empathetic, Good Communication, Concerning, and Cure. Doctors must not only treat but also provide care.
A doctor must possess the three As. The first A stands for Ability, meaning a doctor must possess extensive medical knowledge. Furthermore, they must be Affordable (provide patients with information on the disease, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention), and always available when patients need them.
We doctors became doctors to live and breathe this kind of compassionate care.
Not just anyone can become a doctor.
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