Despite struggles in Korea, pediatrics and urology earn top global rankings
The specialized fields where Korean university hospitals were ranked among the “world's best” were endocrinology, pediatrics, and urology.
Notably, the “Big Four” hospitals -- Samsung Medical Center, Seoul National University Hospital, Asan Medical Center, and Severance Hospital -- ranked within the global top 10 in endocrinology, oncology, urology, orthopedics, neurology, and gastroenterology.
On Thursday (local time), the U.S. magazine Newsweek announced the “World's Best Specialized Hospitals 2026,” selected in collaboration with the global research firm Statista.
The rankings evaluated hospitals based on the results of an online survey of healthcare professionals worldwide (85 percent), the international accreditation of medical institutions (10 percent), and the implementation of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) (5 percent), selecting the top 100 to 300 hospitals per clinical specialty.
The survey was conducted online from May to July.
The top 300 hospitals were selected for cardiology and oncology. Pediatrics had 250, while endocrinology, gastroenterology, neurology, cardiac surgery, orthopedics, and pulmonology each had 150 institutions. Neurosurgery, urology, and obstetrics and gynecology each had 125 institutions selected as “World's Best Hospitals.”
Korean pediatrics has the most hospitals on World's Best list
Pediatrics was the field with the most Korean university hospitals selected as the world's best this year, continuing a trend from last year.
Twenty-six Korean university hospitals made the Top 250 in Pediatrics. This ranks third behind the United States (71 institutions) and Germany (29 institutions). Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH), ranked 10th globally in pediatrics last year, dropped one spot to 11th this year. However, the hospital maintained its position as the top hospital in Korea, with a significant gap over the second-ranked Asan Medical Center (AMC), ranked 58th globally.
Korean university hospitals also showed strength in endocrinology.
Nineteen Korean university hospitals were selected among the top 150 in endocrinology. This was the second-highest number after the U.S. (42 institutions), though down from last year (21 institutions). In endocrinology, AMC ranked fourth and SNUH ranked fifth, both placing within the top five.
Eleven Korean university hospitals were ranked among the world's best in urology, the second-highest number after the U.S. (45 institutions). Notably, SNUH ranked second globally in the field of urology. AMC (sixth) and Samsung Medical Center (SMC), ranked 10th, also made the global top 10.
The number of Korean university hospitals ranked among the world's best in oncology decreased to 14 from 17 last year. However, three institutions made the global top 10 in oncology. SMC maintained its third-place position globally, while AMC rose from fifth to fourth. SNUH also ranked eighth globally.
In 12 clinical specialties, American hospitals claimed the top spot in 11 fields, excluding pediatrics. The world's top pediatric hospital was Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Canada.
The U.S. also had the most hospitals ranked as the world's best in each specialty.
Notably, the Mayo Clinic in the U.S. ranked first globally in seven specialties: cardiac surgery, endocrinology, gastroenterology, neurology, neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery, and pulmonology. The Cleveland Clinic ranked first globally in cardiology and urology, while Johns Hopkins Hospital ranked first in obstetrics and gynecology. In oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) surpassed MD Anderson Cancer Center to claim the world's top spot.
Big 4 hospitals rank among world’s best in 12 specialties; AMC leads with 6
The reputations of Korea's “Big Four Hospitals” were also confirmed. The Big Four hospitals -- SMC, SNUH, AMC, and Severance -- were ranked among the world's best in all 12 clinical specialties. All four Korean university hospitals ranked within the top 150 global hospitals for cardiac surgery were also among the Big Four.
AMC ranked highest in the most specialties. It ranked first in Korea across six fields: endocrinology, orthopedics, cardiovascular surgery, cardiology, neurology, and gastroenterology. These six fields are also placed within the global top 10. Endocrinology, oncology, and gastroenterology ranked fourth globally, Urology ranked sixth, orthopedics ranked eighth, and neurology ranked sixth.
SNUH ranked first in Korea in pediatrics (the world’s 11th) and urology. Notably, urology was ranked second globally, while endocrinology (world’s fifth) and oncology (world’s eighth) were among the world's top 10. Severance Hospital ranked first in Korea in obstetrics and gynecology (world’s 56th) and neurosurgery (world’s 13th). Severance achieved its highest ranking in orthopedic surgery, placing ninth globally.
SMC ranked first in Korea in oncology and respiratory medicine (19th globally). It placed within the global top 10 in four fields: oncology (third globally), urology (10th globally), and gastroenterology (fifth globally).
The Catholic University of Korea Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, considered one of the “Big Five” hospitals, made the list of the world's best hospitals in nine specialties. Seoul St. Mary's Hospital ranked highly in endocrinology (11th globally), gastroenterology (12th globally), and urology (17th globally).