Specialist Selection

How we verify every specialist.

Five steps. Twenty-four verification criteria. Every specialist met in person — never by reputation alone.

James personally meets every specialist before they join our network
"James personally meets every specialist before they join our network."
The Standard We Hold

No shortcuts. No paid placements.

We do not list every specialist publicly. But we will show you exactly how each one passed our 5-step verification — the same standard applied to all 122 specialists in our network.

Documents reviewed. Lineage traced. Specialists interviewed in person.

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Verification Criteria · 5 Steps
Our 5-Step Specialist Verification

Five steps. Twenty-four criteria.

Each step shows the criteria reviewed before — and re-reviewed annually after — a specialist joins our network.

Specialty Board Certification
  • Specialty board certification — original document reviewed
  • Subspecialty area — maximum 3 declared specialties (we look for focus, not breadth)
Clinical Experience
  • Minimum 10 years of post-board clinical experience
  • Continuing medical education status — current
Medical Liability Insurance
  • Active medical malpractice insurance — coverage amount appropriate to procedure type
  • Written documentation reviewed and re-verified annually
How we verify: Specialists provide original documents. We hold copies on file and re-verify annually. If a specialist's insurance lapses or certifications expire, they are removed from the network until restored.
Training History
  • Where they trained — residency, fellowship institutions
  • Who they trained under — direct mentor lineage documented
  • What they specialized in during training
Surgical Evolution
  • How their practice has evolved over the years — focus areas, technique refinements
  • Personal interview about their career trajectory
Why this matters: Korean plastic surgery has distinct schools and techniques. A specialist's lineage tells us how they think — and whether their approach matches what you actually need.
Published Research
  • SCI-indexed publication record in their specialty area
Society & Conference Activity
  • Active membership in relevant medical society (KSPRS, KAFPRS, etc.)
  • Conference faculty positions or invited presentations
Teaching
  • Teaching positions, fellowship director roles, or mentoring activity
What we look for: A specialist who teaches others has been independently judged competent by peers — not just self-promoted.
In-Person Interview
  • Personal interview by James — every specialist, before joining
  • Clinical philosophy and approach to patient communication
Consultation Observation
  • How the specialist handles consultations — rushed vs thorough, listening pattern
  • Long-term patient relationship pattern (do patients return, or do they disappear?)
The unwritten test: Would James let his own sister or daughter receive surgery from this specialist? If the answer is no, we don't work with them — regardless of reputation.
Surgical Philosophy
  • Conservative vs bold — documented preference and case patterns
  • Aesthetic philosophy — natural vs transformative
Patient-Specialist Matching
  • MBTI reference for each specialist — used to match with patient personality and communication style
  • Decision-making style observation (collaborative vs directive)
Aftercare Commitment
  • Will the specialist personally see the patient after surgery — or hand off to staff?
Why MBTI: We reference each specialist's MBTI to match with patient personality and communication preference. A bold patient paired with a cautious specialist — or the reverse — rarely ends well. This is judgment work, not an algorithm.
Our Network

Four examples from our 122-specialist network.

Each verified through the same 5-step process. Identities shared privately with accepted patients.

Dr. Ryu M.H., Face Lift specialist
Dr. Ryu M.H.
Face Lift
  • Experience: 18+ years
  • Subspecialty: Deep Plane Facelift
  • Practice: Solo (1-doctor clinic)
  • Style: Surgical-first, natural results
  • Verified: All 5 steps
Dr. Park J.R., Facial Contour specialist
Dr. Park J.R.
Facial Contour
  • Experience: 22+ years
  • Subspecialty: Facial bone contouring
  • Practice: Representative Doctor
  • Style: Kind and meticulous
  • Verified: All 5 steps
Dr. Lee J.W., Liposuction specialist
Dr. Lee J.W.
Liposuction
  • Experience: 15+ years
  • Subspecialty: Liposuction only
  • Practice: Solo (1-doctor clinic)
  • Style: Focused single-specialty expertise
  • Verified: All 5 steps
Dr. Park S.H., Eye Surgery specialist
Dr. Park S.H.
Eye Surgery
  • Experience: 23+ years
  • Subspecialty: Eye revision surgery
  • Practice: One surgery per day
  • Style: Master-level revision specialist
  • Verified: All 5 steps

122 specialists across 40+ partner hospitals — all verified through the same standard. The right specialist for you is decided privately, after we understand who you are.

The Specialist Profile Brief

Beyond credentials.
How specialists are chosen.

A closer look at how we evaluate Korea's top specialists — the markers of restraint, the questions only colleagues know to ask, the quiet observations that decide.

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