Circular No. 03/1999/TT-BYT on the training of medical and pharmaceutical undergraduate part-time students for the academic year 1999-2000

CIRCULAR

Guidelines for Admissions to Part-time Undergraduate Medicine and Pharmacy Programs for the 1999-2000 Academic Year

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To implement the State's plan on training medical personnel to serve health care and protection work for the people, the Ministry of Health issues this Circular guiding admissions to part-time undergraduate Medicine and Pharmacy programs for the 1999-2000 academic year.

The guidelines for admissions to part-time undergraduate Medicine and Pharmacy programs for the 1999-2000 academic year generally follow the contents of the Circular guiding admissions to part-time undergraduate Medicine and Pharmacy programs for the 1998-1999 academic year. In order to focus on training medical personnel for primary healthcare facilities, the Ministry of Health proposes that this academic year will prioritize admissions of candidates currently working at primary healthcare facilities (districts, communes, wards) to meet the demand for developing human resources for primary healthcare facilities.

To unify the content of specialized subject exams, serving as a basis for exam question formulation and grading, and to facilitate candidates' review preparation, the Ministry of Health promulgates a focused guide for reviewing specialized subjects for part-time undergraduate Doctor and Pharmacist programs for the 1999-2000 academic year accompanying this Circular.

I - ADMISSION CANDIDATES:

1. Class for part-time undergraduate Doctors specializing in Primary Healthcare:

Admission candidates: College-level Medical Assistants, High School-level Medical Assistants currently employed within the establishment of commune and ward health stations; district general clinics; teams for disease prevention and family planning at the district level; medical services in Forestry, Agricultural, and Mining Schools located in Region 1 (KV1) and Region 2 (KV2). Not admitting Medical Assistants currently employed in districts of Region 3 (KV3); district hospitals; provincial-level medical facilities in Region 2 (KV2), Region 3 (KV3), and central-level facilities (except for leprosy treatment centers).

2. Class for part-time undergraduate Doctors specializing in Traditional Medicine (TM):

Admission candidates: College-level TM Medical Assistants, High School-level TM Medical Assistants, or Medical Assistants oriented towards TM specialties (collectively referred to as TM Medical Assistants) currently employed within the establishment of healthcare facilities from the district level downwards. Not admitting TM Medical Assistants currently employed in districts of Region 3 (KV3); provincial-level facilities in Region 2 (KV2), Region 3 (KV3), and central-level facilities.

3. Class for part-time undergraduate Pharmacists:

Admission candidates are High School-level Pharmacists currently employed and within the establishment of healthcare facilities located in Region 1 (KV1) and Region 2 (KV2). Not admitting High School-level Pharmacists currently employed in Region 3 (KV3) and central-level facilities.

4. Class for selected part-time undergraduate Doctors specializing in Primary Healthcare:

Selected admission candidates: Only Medical Assistants currently employed and within the establishment of commune health stations in highland areas (KV1-VC), deep areas (KV1-VS) according to the regional division for admissions specified in the book "Important Information about University, College, and Vocational High School Admissions for 1999" issued by the Ministry of Education and Training.

Selected candidates will undergo one year of cultural education; if they meet the requirements, they will continue with the part-time undergraduate Doctor program specializing in Primary Healthcare.

II - QUOTA AND REGIONS FOR ADMISSION OF UNIVERSITIES:

1. Hanoi University of Pharmacy: 80 quotas

1.1. Class for part-time undergraduate Pharmacists trained at Hanoi University of Pharmacy: 30 quotas

Admitting candidates from northern provinces from Nghệ An province northwards

1.2. Class for part-time undergraduate Pharmacists trained at Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy: 50 quotas.

Admitting candidates from Hà Tĩnh province southwards to Khánh Hòa province and the provinces of Gia Lai, Kon Tum, and Đắk Lắk.

2. Thai Binh University of Medicine: 200 quotas

2.1. Class for part-time undergraduate Doctors specializing in Primary Healthcare: 160 quotas

Admitting candidates from the provinces of Hưng Yên, Thái Bình, Nam Định, Hà Nam, Ninh Bình, Thanh Hóa, Nghệ An, Hà Tĩnh.

2.2. Class for part-time undergraduate Doctors specializing in Traditional Medicine: 40 quotas

Admitting candidates from northern provinces from Thừa Thiên Huế province northwards.

3. Haiphong University of Medicine: 100 quotas

Class for part-time undergraduate Doctors specializing in Primary Healthcare:

Admitting candidates from the provinces of Quảng Ninh, Phú Thọ, Vĩnh Phúc, Bắc Ninh, Hà Nội, Hải Dương, and Haiphong.

4. Thai Nguyen University of Medicine and Pharmacy (part of Thai Nguyen University): 230 quotas

4.1. Class for part-time undergraduate Doctors specializing in Primary Healthcare: 200 quotas

Admitting candidates from the provinces of Thái Nguyên, Bắc Cạn, Lạng Sơn, Cao Bằng, Hà Giang, Tuyên Quang, Yên Bái, Lào Cai, and Bắc Giang.

4.2. Class for selected part-time undergraduate Doctors specializing in Primary Healthcare: 30 quotas

Admitting candidates from Hà Tĩnh province northwards (quota allocation for each province is issued together with this Circular)

5. Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy (part of Hue University): 180 quotas

5.1. Class for part-time undergraduate Doctors specializing in Primary Healthcare: 150 quotas (70 quotas funded by the state and 80 quotas funded through contracts signed by localities)

Admitting candidates from the provinces of Quảng Bình, Quảng Trị, Thừa Thiên Huế, Đà Nẵng, Quảng Nam, Quảng Ngãi, Phú Yên, Bình Định, and Khánh Hòa.

5.2. Class for selected part-time undergraduate Doctors specializing in Primary Healthcare: 30 quotas

Admitting candidates from the provinces mentioned in item 5.1 and the provinces of Gia Lai, Kon Tum, and Đắk Lắk (quota allocation for each province is issued together with this Circular).

6. University of Medicine and Pharmacy Ho Chi Minh City: 280 quotas

6.1. Class for part-time undergraduate Doctors specializing in Primary Healthcare: 150 quotas

Admitting candidates from the provinces of Ninh Thuận, Bình Thuận, Đồng Nai, Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu, Hồ Chí Minh city, Tây Ninh, Long An, Tiền Giang, Bến Tre, and Đồng Tháp.

6.2. Class for part-time undergraduate Doctors specializing in Traditional Medicine: 30 quotas

Admitting candidates from southern provinces from Đà Nẵng southwards.

6.3. Class for selected part-time undergraduate Doctors specializing in Primary Healthcare: 50 quotas

Admitting candidates from southern provinces from Ninh Thuận and Lâm Đồng southwards (quota allocation for each province is issued together with this Circular).

6.4. Class for part-time undergraduate Pharmacists: 50 quotas

Admitting candidates from southern provinces from Ninh Thuận and Lâm Đồng southwards.

7. West Highland Medical Department (part of West Highland University): 50 quotas

Class for part-time undergraduate Doctors specializing in Primary Healthcare:

Admitting candidates from the provinces of Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Đắk Lắk, and Lâm Đồng.

8. Can Tho Medical Department (part of Can Tho University): 100 quotas

Class for part-time undergraduate Doctors specializing in Primary Healthcare:

Admitting candidates from the provinces of Vĩnh Long, Trà Vinh, Sóc Trăng, An Giang, Kiên Giang, Cần Thơ, Bạc Liêu, and Cà Mau.

9. Military Medical Academy: 150 quotas

Class for part-time undergraduate Doctors specializing in Primary Healthcare:

9.1. Campus 1 of the Military Medical Academy: 90 quotas (of which 80 quotas are funded by the state and 10 quotas are funded through contracts signed by localities). Admitting candidates from the provinces of Lai Châu, Sơn La, Hòa Bình, and Hà Tây.

9.2. The second base in Ho Chi Minh City: 60 quotas, including 20 quotas for Binh Duong and Binh Phuoc provinces funded by the State, and 40 quotas for local training contracts and payment, recruiting students from the provinces of Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Long An, Kien Giang, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu.

Candidates who are health workers of Forestry, Agricultural, and Forest Farms, and health agencies of various sectors, if meeting the admission criteria and residing within the administrative boundaries of a province or city, shall take the entrance examination at schools according to the quotas and recruitment areas of that locality.

III - ADMISSION CRITERIA:

1. Political criteria:

Clear personal and family history. Completion of assigned tasks, good moral character, compliance with all policies, regulations, and laws of the State. Those under disciplinary action (from reprimand onwards) are not eligible for admission.

2. Standards for professional qualifications and education:

2.1. Professional expertise:

Candidates applying for the General Practitioner Refresher Course and the Selected General Practitioner Refresher Course must have a high school diploma in Medical Assistant or a College Diploma in Medical Assistant. The duration of high school education must be no less than 2.5 years of full-time study (regular system) or 2 years (refresher course system). The duration of college education must be no less than 4 years of full-time study (regular system) or 2 years (refresher course system).

Candidates applying for the Traditional Medicine Doctor Refresher Course must have a high school diploma in Traditional Medicine Assistant, a College Diploma in Traditional Medicine Assistant, or a Specialty-Oriented Traditional Medicine Assistant. The duration of Traditional Medicine Assistant education must be no less than 2.5 years of full-time study (regular system). The duration of specialty-oriented Traditional Medicine education must be no less than 6 months.

Candidates applying for the University Pharmacist Refresher Course must have a high school diploma in Pharmacy. The duration of high school Pharmacy education must be no less than 2.5 years of full-time study (regular system) and no less than 2 years (refresher course system).

2.2. Regarding cultural level:

Must have a general secondary education level or equivalent supplementary education.

3. Standards for professional experience:

The general professional experience for all candidates is 5 years.

For Medical Assistants currently working and on the payroll at commune health stations, mountainous, remote, and deep regions; and Pharmacy Assistants currently working and on the payroll at district health facilities in Region 1, the professional experience is 3 years.

Professional experience is calculated from the date of employment after graduation from college or high school until October 30, 1999.

4. Health and age criteria:

4.1. Health:

Must meet the health requirements for study as stipulated in Circular Jointly Issued by the Ministry of Health, Vocational High School and Technical Education, and the Ministry of Education and Training No. 10/TT-LB dated August 18, 1989, and Instructional Letter No. 2445/TS dated May 20, 1990, issued by the Ministry of Education and Training.

4.2. Age:

Not exceeding 50 years old for males and 45 years old for females, as of October 30, 1999.

5. Living expenses and tuition fees:

5.1. Admitted students must pay tuition fees according to current regulations.

Salaries and allowances (if any) for staff attending studies shall be implemented according to Circular Jointly Issued by the Ministry of Education and Training, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs No. 53/1998/TT-LT/BGD&ĐT-BTC-BLĐ-TB&XH dated August 25, 1998.

5.2. Candidates admitted based on quotas funded by the State do not need to pay training costs.

Candidates admitted outside of State-funded quotas must contribute training costs for this group according to current regulations.

5.3. After graduation, students will be returned to the agency that sent them to study for job placement serving primary healthcare.

Students who stop studying before graduation will also be returned to the agency that sent them to study.

IV - PRIORITY POLICIES:

Admission scores are given priority based on regions, and within each region, there are priorities for certain groups according to policy.

1. Regional priority:

Applied according to the division of recruitment regions printed in the booklet "Important Information on University Admissions in 1999" issued by the Ministry of Education and Training.

1.1. Region 1 (KV1):

Includes mountainous, highland, remote, and island districts and communes.

1.2. Region 2 (KV2):

Includes midland and delta provinces, counties, communes, and towns, and suburban areas of centrally-administered cities. This region is divided into two groups:

a) Candidates with permanent residence registration in wards, communes, and towns of cities not directly under central administration; in wards, communes, and towns of towns and communes in suburban areas of centrally-administered cities belong to Region 2 (KV2).

b) Candidates with permanent residence registration in communes and towns not belonging to group a above belong to Region 2-rural (KV2-NT).

1.3. Region 3 (KV3):

Includes inner-city districts of centrally-administered cities, not subject to regional priority.

2. Policy priority:

2.1. Priority Group 1:

Heroes of Labor and Heroes of Armed Forces.

Staff members from ethnic minority groups.

War invalids who have been issued cards.

Staff members currently working in highlands, deep regions, and are part of primary healthcare establishments, having continuously worked there for three years or more up to October 30, 1999. If staff members work in highlands, deep regions but have not worked continuously for three years, they can only be placed in the second priority group.

2.2. Priority Group 2:

Staff members awarded medals, war merit medals, victory medals, labor medals; provincial/city-level model workers for two consecutive years.

Staff members on the payroll of commune health stations or health facilities of Forestry Farms, Forest Farms, Leper Hospitals, having worked for three years.

The difference in points between two priority groups or adjacent regions does not exceed 3 points.

V - APPLICATION DOCUMENTS:

The application dossier includes:

One application form, with the approval of the competent authority managing cadres.

Copies of high school diplomas or equivalent supplementary education certificates and college or high school medical and pharmaceutical diplomas (notarized by the state). Originals must be presented for verification when attending classes. In necessary cases, the school may request candidates to present their transcripts from the college or high school program.

Copy of birth certificate.

Certificate of fitness for study issued by a hospital or authorized health agency.

Certificate of priority admission groups and regions (as specified in Part IV), issued by the head of the competent agency or unit managing cadres.

Decision to send staff for study by the Provincial Department of Health (to be submitted upon admission). For candidates not managed by the Provincial Department of Health: decisions made by the competent agency or unit with equivalent authority.

Two photographs measuring 4x6 (one to be affixed to the application form, stamped and overlapped)

Two envelopes with stamps and the applicant's address pre-printed.

The dossier must be placed in an envelope measuring 230x330mm, with the name, workplace, and applied program clearly marked on the outside, along with a list of enclosed documents.

The application for admission must be submitted to the Admissions Board of each school according to the designated recruitment regions.

Applicants must pay the examination fees as announced by the school in accordance with the general regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training.

Deadline for submission of applications: before April 30, 1999.

Any cases of unclear or false declarations in the application form for the purpose of taking the exam shall be handled in accordance with the recruitment regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training. The heads of agencies and units responsible for sending officials to study shall bear responsibility for the application forms for admission.

VI - ADMISSION EXAMINATIONS:

1. Subjects: Candidates must take three subjects: Mathematics, Chemistry, and Specialty Subject.

1.1. Mathematics and Chemistry:

Based on the completion of secondary education or supplementary cultural education.

1.2. Specialty subject:

Based on the current training program for mid-level medical assistants (general medical assistant or traditional Chinese medicine medical assistant) or mid-level pharmacists established by the Ministry of Health.

For applicants who are associate degree medical assistants, they only need to take one subject according to the associate degree medical assistant training program (general medical assistant or traditional Chinese medicine medical assistant).

For the specialized refresher course for primary healthcare doctors: Schools will only accept applications from candidates within the specified categories and within the quotas allocated by the Ministry of Health to the provinces, without conducting entrance examinations.

2. Entrance Examinations:

The entrance examination will be held in July 1999. The examination schedule will be determined by the schools and registered with the Ministry of Health (Science and Training Department) and the Ministry of Education and Training, and simultaneously notified to the applicants within the recruitment region of the school.

Schools may organize preparatory courses for applicants. The duration of the preparatory course and tuition fees will be set by the schools in accordance with current guidelines.

Content of the preparatory course for cultural subjects: as stipulated by the Ministry of Education and Training in the booklet "Important Information on University Recruitment in 1999".

Content of the preparatory course for specialized subjects: based on the core review guide for the examination issued by the Ministry of Health accompanying this Circular.

Schools will publicly announce the information to applicants three months prior to the examination.

Based on the above requirements, the principals of the schools are responsible for preparing appropriate examination questions and answers in accordance with the guidance provided; health departments will develop plans to enhance cultural and specialized knowledge for officials sent to study to ensure the recruitment quota allocated by the Ministry of Health.

The preparation, organization, and marking of the examination will be carried out in accordance with the current recruitment regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training.

3. Conditions for successful admission:

Candidates must meet all admission criteria and achieve the admission score set by the school, including:

In terms of specialization: not less than 5 points.

In terms of culture: no zero marks.

Upon receipt of this Circular, units and localities shall implement it, select officials to take the exam and attend studies in accordance with the specified categories and standards set forth in this Circular. Schools need to review admission applications, organize examinations, and determine successful candidates in accordance with the regulations to ensure educational quality and social equity./.