Dr. Bong-hoon Shin / Veterinary Real Heart Clinic / Korea

by

Veterinarian Spotlight #21:

Dr. Bong-hoon Shin

 

We are delighted to introduce Dr. Bong-hoon Shin as our featured veterinarian for this issue. Describing himself with the key words “sincerity” and “consistency,” Dr. Shin is a veterinarian who treats his patients not with fleeting passion, but with an unwavering heart from beginning to end. He is dedicated to the field of veterinary cardiology, and through precise diagnosis and attentive care, he strives to become a trusted clinician who brings peace of mind to both pets and their owners.

 

Bio：

Education & Career

  • Current: Director, Veterinary Real Heart Clinic
  • Former: Director, NOW Animal Medical Center
  • Former: Head of Internal Medicine, VIP Animal Medical Center
  • Former: Internal Medicine Veterinarian / Resident / Intern, Haemaru Referral Animal Hospital
  • Master’s Degree in Veterinary Internal Medicine, Chungnam National University
  • Registered Medical Officer at the Naval Maritime Medical Center and Veterinary Officer, 1st Fleet of the ROK Navy
  • Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine, Konkuk University

Qualifications & Academic Activities

  • Regular Member, Korean Association of Veterinary Cardiology (KAVC)
  • Certified in Small Animal Medicine (GPcert-SAM) by ISVPS (International School of Veterinary Postgraduate Studies)
  • Completed Small Animal Internal Medicine Certification Course by Improve International
  • Excellent Presentation Award, Korean Society of Veterinary Clinical Medicine (Spring Conference)
    • Topic: Treatment of Immune-Mediated Polyarthritis with Leflunomide in a Dog
  • Case Presentation: Haemaru Referral Animal Hospital
    • Topic: A Retrospective Study of 45 Cases with Pituitary-Dependent Hyperadrenocorticism

Veterinary Real Heart Clinic, Korea

 

Q1 :  How would you introduce yourself in 3 words

The three words that best describe me are “veterinarian,” “sincerity,” and “consistency.” Becoming a veterinarian was a long-held dream, and since I am doing the work I love, I always approach every life with genuine sincerity. However, I believe that true meaning comes only when this sincerity is sustained over time. Therefore, as long as my health and knowledge allow, I hope to remain a veterinarian with “sustainable sincerity,” caring for my patients with an unwavering heart for many years to come.

 

Q2 : At what age, did you decide to become a vet?

There was no specific moment or age. Growing up in a family that always had pets, my dream naturally formed from a young age. Back then, even the concept of an animal hospital was unfamiliar, but while searching for a career related to animals, I learned about the profession of a veterinarian in middle school. My love for the companion animals I grew up with naturally led to my career choice. From the moment I learned about this field, I prepared steadily with the single goal of becoming a veterinarian.

 

Q3 : What do you like the most about being a vet?

The greatest advantage is being able to do what I love and what I am good at, after achieving my long-cherished dream. Of course, I also feel sorry when animals are in pain during treatment. However, when patients become more comfortable through sincere care and their owners are satisfied, I feel great fulfillment as a veterinarian. It is not only about treatment — communicating with pet owners and helping protect the life of their beloved companion brings a deep sense of professional satisfaction.

 

Q4 : One sentence that describes your value as a vet.

“To treat patients with sincerity and provide pet owners with proper guidance, ultimately improving their satisfaction with their pet’s life.”

Beyond simply curing diseases, my goal is to offer accurate guidance to owners so that they and their pets, especially those who require long-term care, have a trusted and dependable medical partner. Ultimately, what I value most is providing “sustainable, long-term care” that brings satisfaction to both the patient and the owner.

 

Q5 : Can you share one memorable moment in your career as a vet?

About 13 years ago, a small Shih Tzu named “Sundol,” who suffered from end-stage heart disease and frequent emergency episodes, left the deepest impression on me. Her owners devoted themselves by dropping her off at the hospital every morning on their way to work and picking her up every evening for over a year. I was able to closely monitor her condition every day and provide immediate treatment when necessary, allowing Sundol to live much longer than expected. Seeing how comfortable she became in the hospital and how she bonded with me, I deeply realized how proactive medical management can improve the quality of life for terminal patients. This experience became the decisive turning point that led me to commit myself fully to the field of cardiology. Sundol was more than just a patient—she was the one who showed me the path I should follow as a veterinarian.

 

Q6 : What is your expertise (pursuing focus)?

I focus on cardiology, centered on accurate diagnosis, medication therapy, and meticulous care. For patients with heart disease, the condition becomes the core of their overall health, and even when other illnesses occur, treatment plans must be based on the heart condition. Therefore, I don’t simply treat the heart alone, but rather take on the role of a “primary care physician,” responsible for the patient’s overall health and quality of life in the presence of heart disease. I strive to provide fundamental and thorough care, offering proper information to owners so that their pets can remain comfortable until the very end.

 

Q7 : What do you like the most about CardioBird?

The greatest strengths are its “ease of use” and “fast interpretation.” Many veterinarians are not fully familiar with ECG analysis, so they tend to avoid the test itself. CardioBird effectively fills in this gap. The testing process is simple, and the basic interpretation results are provided quickly, greatly improving clinical efficiency. By lowering the barriers to ECG testing, it is a solution that, from a veterinarian’s perspective, is hard to find a reason not to use.

 

Q8: Surely you have a dream. What do you hope to accomplish through your career or in life?

My goal is to continue practicing veterinary medicine, especially cardiology, which I love, while providing consistent satisfaction to the owners who visit our hospital. Even if it is not a glamorous success, if our care can make the lives of companion animals more comfortable and bring peace of mind to their owners, that would be more than enough for me as a veterinarian.