Samsung Medical Center head-turned-CEO seeks to ‘connect doctors to industry’

The bio-healthcare industry has emerged as the new growth engine but still faces a professional workforce shortage.

The birth of Mint MD, a system that connects medical professionals with companies that need their expertise, was made against that backdrop.

Mint MD is a career management platform for biotech and healthcare industry talents founded by Mint Venture Partners Chairman Song Jae-hoon, who served as the president of Samsung Medical Center and chairman of the CHA Bio Group.

"The reason the United States is the number one in biotech-healthcare sector is because it attracts talented people from all over the world,” Song said at a news conference on Wednesday. “Manpower decided everything. That's why doctors need to participate."

In Korea, doctors are so focused on clinical practice that they have little connection to the industry. If doctors can see 10,000 patients in their office in their lifetime, contributing to a new diagnostic treatment can benefit tens of millions of patients, Song noted.

"Many companies want medical professionals but can't find clinical doctors. Likewise, many medical professionals want to work with companies that are creating new diagnostics and treatments, but they don't have a way to contact them," Song said. “Mint MD was created to address such unmet demands.”

According to a demand survey conducted by the KoreaBIO on 205 biotech and healthcare companies in Korea, 91 percent wanted advice or consulting from clinical doctors, and 62 percent were willing to hire clinical doctors as employees.

They also sought expert advice on clinical experience and knowledge, clinical needs identification, research and product development, and clinical trial design.

Among the physicians looking to enter the biotech industry, there is also a growing number of retiring professors.

"There are 1,911 professors who will retire in the next five years, and they want to continue their medical careers after retirement," Chairman Song said. "We want to create opportunities for talented people in the biotech-health sector, mainly clinical doctors, to find positions in companies and hospitals."

Mint MD is composed of “Dr. Wiz,” which provides advice and consulting services from medical experts, and “Dr. Match,” a recruitment solution that connects companies and hospitals with doctors when they are looking to hire them.

In particular, “Dr. Wiz Experts,” a group of experts who provide expert opinions on various business fields and detailed advisory areas, has more than 200 professors, clinical doctors, and medical industry experts from domestic university hospitals.

Most importantly, it is a talent platform created by experts in the medical and biotech-healthcare industries. Mint MD's advisory board includes professors who have served as hospital directors and deans.

Mint MD's advisory board members include Koo Hong-hoe, former head of talent planning at Samsung Medical Center, Kim Yeon-soo, former president of Seoul National University Hospital, Kim Young-hoon, former president of KU (Korea University) Medicine, Moon Jung-il, former president of Catholic Medical Center, Yoo Kyung-ha, former president of Ewha Womans University Medical Center, Yun Hwan-jung, former president of Chungnam National University Hospital, Lee Sam-yong, former president of Chonnam National University Hospital, Jung Ho-young, former president of Kyungpook National University Hospital, and Choi Yeon-ho, former president of Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine.

Dr. Match was behind the recent move of Kim Young-hoon, former president of KU Medicine, known for his work in arrhythmias, to become the chief medical officer of Mezoo. This startup develops artificial intelligence-based electrocardiogram devices.

"This year, we aim to make Mint MD known and established throughout the industry this year. I hope that the awareness of Dr. Match will increase to the point where people will ask for it when looking for talent at the university hospital level. I expect it will take two to three years for that to happen," Chairman Song said.