Albin Garfield Anderson

Albin Garfield Anderson (April 13, 1882 – March 4, 1971) was an American medical missionary who served as a physician in Korea for 30 years and in Southern Rhodesia for 5 years. He founded the Swedish Methodist Hospital in 1913 in Wonju, Korea which is now the emergency room of Wonju Severance Christian Hospital.

Early life and education Anderson was born in Andover, Illinois to Alfred Anderson, a Swedish Methodist Pastor, and Augusta Johnesdotter Anderson. Anderson was heavily influenced by his father and was involved in ministry and voluntary work early on in his life. On November 16, 1910, he married Harriet Florence Peterson right before his missionary trip to Korea.

Career/Missionary Work After graduating from the School of Medicine at Northwestern University, Anderson interned at a hospital in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and was later trained at Saint Francis Hospital in Wichita, Kansas.

The Pyongyang Union Christian Hospital was created from the merger of Women's Dispensary of Extended Grace and Hall Memorial Union Hospital (where Anderson was working at) in 1923. Anderson continued to see patients and specialized in radiology. He served as the director of the hospital from 1933 to 1939.

The Swedish Methodist Hospital was later reconstructed by Florence J Murray into a larger facility known as the Wonju Christian Hospital which opened in November 1959. The Wonju Christian Hospital merged with Yonsei University and today is now known as Yonsei University Wonju Campus.

Anderson died on March 4, 1971, and several of his medical reports are recorded.