When talking about hospitals in Dallas, Parkland Memorial Hospital is always mentioned.

In fact, hospitals like Baylor, Presbyterian, and Medical City may be more familiar to the Korean community in the Dallas area.

This is mainly because most people use those hospitals if they have health insurance and a job.

However, in cases of emergencies, or if one lacks insurance or faces high medical costs, Parkland is often brought up.

Parkland is a public hospital operated by Dallas County. Established in 1894, it has over 130 years of history.

The hospital currently uses state-of-the-art facilities that opened in 2015 and is a large medical institution with 882 beds.

It is located in the heart of the Dallas medical district and also serves as a primary teaching hospital for UT Southwestern Medical School.

The reason this hospital is famous is that it is a leading Level 1 trauma center in Dallas.

It has the highest level of emergency trauma care facilities in the U.S. trauma care system.

It is one of the first hospitals that comes to mind for gunshot wounds, traffic accidents, industrial injuries, and severe burn patients.

It is known as one of the top emergency medical institutions in the U.S., handling over 240,000 visits annually between the emergency room and urgent care center.

In the Korean communities of Carrollton, Coppell, and Plano, where many Koreans live, Parkland is often mentioned when discussing emergency room use or uninsured medical consultations.

Especially among international students, visitors, early immigrant entrepreneurs, and Koreans experiencing gaps in health insurance, it is known as a practical option.

However, to be honest, it is not the mainstream hospital for Koreans. This is due to language barriers and long wait times.

Koreans with insurance often prefer private hospitals where wait times are shorter and finding Korean-speaking doctors is easier.

Nevertheless, in emergencies, the situation changes. When a serious accident or trauma occurs, saving a life takes precedence over choosing a hospital.

An essential part of discussing Parkland is its history.

It was at Parkland where President John F. Kennedy was taken immediately after his assassination in 1963.

Here, the official declaration of President Kennedy's death was made, and Texas Governor John Connally, who was injured in the same incident, also received treatment.

Two days later, the assassin Lee Harvey Oswald also died at this hospital after being shot.

Significant moments in modern American history have all been recorded at this hospital.

Interestingly, Parkland is one of the hospitals in the U.S. that handles the most births.

Over 15,000 newborns are born here each year, and it operates one of the largest obstetrics programs in the country.

In the Dallas Korean community, Parkland is not just a public hospital. It serves as a safety net, ensuring that even those without insurance or in difficult financial situations can receive at least some treatment. It is a hospital that people may not think about regularly, but its presence is felt in emergencies.

Parkland is regarded as one of the most important pillars of the Dallas healthcare system, having saved countless lives of Dallas residents.