Footprints Recruiting

"HOSPITAL" - 医院 - "Yi-Yuan". Say it as if it's one word - pronounced "yiyen".

If you don't have access to the internet and you're in a bind and need to find a doctor, best bet is to go to the nicest hotel around and ask them. Generally speaking the nicer hotels usually have staff that can speak English and dollars to donuts they know where you should go.

Most major cities have a good number of hospitals and now that foreign doctors can practise in China there many new international clinics and even hospitals with English speaking doctors who are practising western medicine.

Chinese state hospitals can be scary places - they are best described as developing rather than developed. If you need a blood transfusion or if you are giving blood do your best to get to an international clinic. The biggest fear in China now is in regard to contaminated blood stock.

***NOTE: if you've been reading through our site this will not be the first time you have read this. Footprints Recruiting STRONGLY recommends getting expat medical coverage when teaching in China. Be prepared. An accident overseas can cost you or your parents EVERYTHING.

For at least the first year or two in China, it is often true that you get sick more often than in your home country. Diarrhea can be a problem in getting used to the food and water.

Local Chinese people tend to use traditional Chinese medicines for minor ailments, but many western medicines are now available “over the counter” at local drug stores including a variety of antibiotic and antiviral drugs, steroid creams, anti-inflammatory creams, asthma medicine, and gastrointestinal drugs for diarrhoea and heartburn. Drugs for pain, fever, colds and allergies are also available.