“Starting over as a first-year resident alongside juniors 10 years behind him” ... Seo Dong-won’s challenge as a dual board-certified specialist in rehabilitation medicine and orthopedic surgery

[Financial News] Seo Dong-won, president of Bareun Sesang Hospital and vice president of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, met with younger students at his alma mater and spoke about the importance of pursuing one’s dreams with passion and maintaining good health.
Korea University said on the 19th that it had invited Hospital President Seo Dong-won to deliver the 13th lecture in the “Leaders Who Change the World” Lecture Series at its Anam-dong campus in Seoul on the 15th.
After graduating from Korea University’s College of Medicine and qualifying as a specialist in rehabilitation medicine, Seo trained in orthopedic surgery at Harvard Medical School in the United States. He then returned to Korea and completed orthopedic residency training starting as a first-year resident, earning specialist qualifications in both fields—a distinctive career path. He also served as team physician for the national team at the London Olympics and as chair of the Korea Football Association’s medical committee.
At the lecture, Seo said, “Without passion, there is no growth,” and urged the audience, “Since we create our own futures, we should not settle for the status quo but should dream bigger.” He cited “genuine commitment to patients” and “continuously taking on new challenges” as the driving forces behind the growth of the clinic he started in 2004 with a staff of seven into a hospital that now has 28 specialists and 430 employees.
He also offered practical health advice for general readers. Pointing out that the number of patients with text neck has reached 2.54 million amid increased smartphone use in recent years (2024 data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service), Seo stressed the importance of looking after neck and back health from a young age. He demonstrated exercises to maintain the neck’s normal C-shaped curve and strengthen the back muscles that support the spine, and advised people to seek treatment early rather than ignore any pain.
Korea University President Kim Dong-won said, “Seo’s example of using his expertise for the happiness of society and patients will be a great inspiration to students.”
The lecture was held as part of a special program inviting leaders, which Korea University is organizing for its 120th anniversary celebrations.  

[email protected] Kim Man-gi Reporter