Circular No. 04/2006/TT-BYT guides the admission to four-year centralized undergraduate programs in Medicine and Pharmacy.

CIRCULAR

Guidelines for Admissions to Four-Year Concentrated Medical and Pharmaceutical Universities

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Based on the Education Law dated June 27, 2005;

Based on Decree No. 49/2003/NĐ-CP dated May 15, 2003 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Health;

To implement the Action Program of the Government issued together with Decision No. 243/2005/QĐ-TTg dated October 5, 2005 of the Prime Minister regarding the implementation of Resolution No. 46/NQ-TW dated February 23, 2005 of the Politburo on health care work in the new situation;

The Ministry of Health issues this Circular guiding admissions to four-year concentrated Medical and Pharmaceutical universities (specialized training program) as follows:

This technical regulation sets out technical requirements, testing methods, sampling procedures; management requirements; responsibilities of organizations and individuals producing, trading, and importing cigarettes.

1. Alongside regular training programs, the four-year concentrated training program for Doctors and Pharmacists (specialized training program) aims to enhance the number of Doctors and Pharmacists working at primary healthcare facilities. For this training form, the Ministry of Health advocates admissions through examinations, nominations, and targeted admissions, creating favorable conditions for Village Medical Workers currently working at Commune Health Stations, and Intermediate-Level Pharmacists currently working at district and commune-level healthcare facilities to be promoted to university level so that upon graduation, they can return to their home regions to continue working more effectively.

2. For mountainous, highland, remote areas, and particularly difficult communes, the Ministry of Health applies nomination-based training and targeted training contracts to meet the demand for healthcare personnel. Before officially starting their studies, these trainees will undergo one year of cultural and specialized training according to a program prescribed by the Ministry of Health.

3. The quota for training Doctors and Pharmacists in the four-year concentrated program is assigned by competent state agencies to each University of Medicine and Pharmacy. Provinces facing particular difficulties in healthcare human resources and having a need for targeted training must work with the Ministry of Health and universities before August each year to assess the needs and capabilities of the proposed training quota recipients. Based on the proposals from provincial People's Committees and competent authorities, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education and Training will consider and develop an admission plan.

4. Upon completion of the training program, the Universities of Medicine and Pharmacy will hand over the trainees along with their files to the provinces or the agencies nominating them for placement at primary healthcare facilities. Trainees who fail to graduate or have to stop their studies before graduation will also be returned to their home provinces or nominating agencies for resolution.

Training institutions shall not transfer files or issue certificates to trainees for self-employment purposes.

Admission areas include Region 1 (KV1), Region 2 (KV2), Rural Region 2 (KV2-NT), and Region 3 (KV3), as defined by the current regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training.

Each candidate’s examination region is determined based on the address of the workplace where the candidate is employed.

6. Other provisions:

a) Primary healthcare level refers to district and commune levels.

b) Long-term labor contracts refer to contracts with terms of one year or longer and employees who are required to contribute to compulsory social insurance, hereinafter referred to as labor contracts.

c) Contracts within the staffing plan are understood as those signed in accordance with Circular No. 08/TT-LB dated April 20, 1995 of the Joint Ministries of Health, Finance, Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, and the Government Organizational Cadre Department. Contracts within the staffing plan are considered a form of long-term labor contract.

II. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

Candidates must be Vietnamese citizens working in the appropriate specialty and educational level at healthcare facilities.

1. Eligible candidates for examination:

a) Candidates for Doctor of General Medicine

- Village Medical Workers currently working at public healthcare facilities in the following locations:

+ Units under the primary healthcare system located in Region 1;

+ Commune Health Stations, Ward Health Stations, and Town Health Stations located in Region 2 and Rural Region 2;

+ Centers for Preventive Medicine, District General Clinics, and Health Teams of County Health Centers located in Region 2 and Rural Region 2;

+ Commune Health Stations and Military Hospitals of various Ministries and Departments located in Region 1, Region 2, and Rural Region 2;

+ Leper Hospitals, Leper Treatment Zones, Mental Hospitals, Tuberculosis Hospitals, and Centers for Social Disease Prevention located in Region 1, Region 2, and Rural Region 2;

- Village Medical Workers currently working at private general clinics located in Region 1, Region 2, and Rural Region 2.

- Village Medical Workers directly caring for AIDS patients, performing autopsies, and having done so continuously for at least 24 months.

- Village Medical Workers currently working at public healthcare facilities in the following locations in Region 3:

+ Public healthcare facilities: Commune Health Stations, District General Clinics, Centers for Preventive Medicine, Health Teams of County Health Centers, Leper Hospitals, Leper Treatment Zones, Mental Hospitals, Tuberculosis Hospitals, and Centers for Social Disease Prevention; Commune Health Stations and Military Hospitals of various Ministries and Departments.

+ Non-public healthcare facilities: Private general clinics.

b) Candidates for Doctor of Traditional Medicine (YHCT)

+ Village Medical Workers specializing in Traditional Medicine currently working at public and non-public healthcare facilities located in Region 1, Region 2, and Rural Region 2.

+ Village Medical Workers specializing in Traditional Medicine who have completed military service or have worked continuously in Region 1 for at least 24 months and are currently working at public and non-public healthcare facilities located in Region 3.

c) Candidates for Bachelor of Pharmacy

+ Intermediate-Level Pharmacists currently working at public and non-public healthcare facilities located in Region 1, Region 2, and Rural Region 2.

+ Intermediate-Level Pharmacists who have completed military service or have worked continuously in Region 1 for at least 24 months and are currently working at public and non-public healthcare facilities located in Region 3.

+ Intermediate-Level Pharmacists directly involved in pharmaceutical production, compounding, vaccines, and biological products and have done so continuously for at least 24 months.

2. Candidates for Doctor of General Medicine and Bachelor of Pharmacy admitted through nomination.

Mid-level medical technicians and mid-level pharmacists must meet the requirements for candidates specified in the Joint Circular on Guidelines for Admissions to Universities, Colleges, and Secondary Vocational Schools under the Nomination System No. 04/2001/TTLT-BGD&ĐT-BTCCBCP-UBDT&MN dated February 26, 2001, issued by the Ministry of Education and Training - the Government’s Organizational Cadre Affairs Committee - the Committee for Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas (hereinafter referred to as Joint Circular No. 04/2001/TTLT-BGD&ĐT-BTCCBCP-UBDT&MN).

3. Candidates for admission to general practitioners and pharmacists through contractual training based on employment needs.

a) Medical technicians must be ethnic minorities currently employed with permanent staff positions or labor contracts at primary healthcare facilities in districts within Zone 1 or health stations in communes; if they are Kinh people, they must have permanent residence registration and have continuously worked in the aforementioned areas for at least 24 months.

b) Mid-level pharmacists must be ethnic minorities with permanent staff positions or labor contracts at healthcare facilities within Zone 1 or primary healthcare facilities within Zones 2 or 2-NT; if they are Kinh people, they must have permanent residence registration and have continuously worked in the aforementioned areas for at least 24 months.

III. ADMISSION STANDARDS

1. Political standards

Clear personal and family history, completion of assigned tasks, good moral character, compliance with all Party guidelines and State laws. Individuals undergoing disciplinary action (from reprimand onwards) are not eligible for admission.

2. Professional and educational standards

a) Professional standards

- Candidates for admission to general practitioner programs must hold a mid-level medical technician diploma from a program approved by the Ministry of Health.

- Candidates for admission to traditional medicine general practitioner programs must hold a mid-level traditional medicine technician diploma or a mid-level medical technician diploma oriented towards traditional medicine from a program approved by the Ministry of Health.

- Candidates for admission to pharmacy undergraduate programs must hold a mid-level pharmacist diploma from a program approved by the Ministry of Health.

- Candidates who have been trained in the military must hold a mid-level medical or pharmaceutical diploma from Military Medical College 1 (now Military Medical Academy) or Military Medical College 2; or a mid-level medical or pharmaceutical diploma from Military Medical Colleges under Military Regions, Military Services, Arms, General Departments and equivalent institutions issued before 1994, with a minimum study period of two years.

b) Educational standards

All candidates must have completed secondary education, supplementary education, or passed cultural subjects in their mid-level medical or pharmaceutical training programs, confirmed by the training institution.

3. Professional experience standards

The minimum professional experience requirement is two years (24 months) for individuals with permanent residence and working in Zone 1, and three years (36 months) for other candidates.

Professional experience is the continuous time spent working in the correct field of training after graduating from mid-level medical or pharmaceutical programs, calculated from the date of the competent authority's decision on recruitment as civil servants or employees, or the labor contract for work in the correct field of training in public or legally established private healthcare facilities, or the individual's permission to practice private medical or pharmaceutical work until October 31 of the year of the examination.

4. Health standards

Must have sufficient health to study according to the current regulations of the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education and Training.

IV. PRIORITY POLICIES

Admission scores will be given priority based on zones and within each zone, there are priorities for different groups according to policy.

1. Priority by zone

According to the current regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training.

2. Priority by policy

a) Priority group 1

- Labor heroes, heroes of the armed forces, national model workers.

- Ethnic minority workers currently working in Zone 1.

- War invalids, disabled veterans, those entitled to benefits similar to war invalids.

b) Priority group 2

- Those awarded orders, medals for resistance, victory, labor orders, or provincial or centrally-administered city model workers for two consecutive years.

- Children of martyrs, war invalids, disabled veterans, or those entitled to benefits similar to war invalids.

- Children of mothers honored with the title "Heroic Mothers of Vietnam," children of heroes of the People's Armed Forces, children of labor heroes.

- Children of those who were engaged in revolutionary activities before August 19, 1945.

- Children born to those involved in the resistance movement affected by chemical warfare agents (recognized by the provincial People's Committee as having deformities, disabilities, or reduced self-care abilities due to the consequences of chemical warfare agents).

- Ethnic minority workers currently working in Zone 2 or Zone 2-NT.

- Those directly caring for AIDS patients, performing autopsies, and have continuously performed these duties for at least 24 months.

- Those working at commune health stations in Zone 1, leprosy hospitals, leprosy treatment centers, mental hospitals, tuberculosis hospitals, sexually transmitted disease prevention centers, and have continuously worked there for at least 24 months up to October 31 of the year of the examination.

Each candidate can only enjoy the highest policy priority standard.

V. APPLICATION DOCUMENTS

Application documents include:

1. One application form issued by the employer sending the candidate for admission and approved by the Provincial Department of Health. Candidates working in units not under the Health Sector must have a recommendation from the management agency at the provincial level or equivalent.

2. A certified copy of the mid-level vocational diploma, secondary school diploma, or equivalent supplementary education diploma (original must be presented upon enrollment). In necessary cases, the school may require candidates to present their academic records from the mid-level health training program.

3. A certified copy of the birth certificate.

4. Certified copies of relevant documents related to work experience (originals must be presented upon enrollment):

- Decision on recruitment as civil servants or employees by the competent authority or labor contract in public healthcare facilities.

- Private medical or pharmaceutical practice certificates, confirmation of practice duration by the Department of Health (for private medical or pharmaceutical practitioners).

- Labor contracts, social insurance books (for other candidates).

Candidates working in KV3 must have a legally certified copy of the Decision on job assignment and a certificate of work time at KV1 or a certificate of completion of military service issued by the competent state agency.

Individuals directly caring for AIDS patients, performing autopsies must have a certificate of time spent directly caring for and treating AIDS patients or performing autopsies issued by the Department of Health or the managing agency at the provincial level or equivalent.

Individuals directly producing, compounding pharmaceuticals, vaccines, biological products must have a certificate of time spent directly producing, compounding pharmaceuticals, vaccines, biological products issued by the Department of Health or the managing agency at the provincial level or equivalent.

5. Certificate of preferential candidates and recruitment areas (as stipulated in Part IV) issued by the labor user agency and confirmed by the Provincial Department of Health or the competent authority.

6. A commitment from the candidate to return to work at the grassroots health sector according to the allocation of the province after completing their studies.

7. Four recent photographs not older than six months, size 4x6 (one photo affixed to the application form, stamped by the sending unit).

8. Upon enrollment, successful candidates must submit the decision to send them to study issued by the Provincial Department of Health; candidates not under the management of the Provincial Department of Health must have a decision to send them to study issued by the State management agency at the provincial level or equivalent under the Ministry, Sector or People's Committee of the province where the laborer is managed.

Candidates selected through allocation and training contracts must have a decision to send them to study issued by the Provincial People's Committee.

Other documents: As prescribed by the school.

Candidates must submit their full application files to the Admissions Board of each school within the specified deadlines set by each school.

Officials signing decisions to send people to study must bear legal responsibility for the legality of the application files of those seeking to go to study.

VI. SELECTION AND ALLOCATION

1. Selection Examination

a) Subjects

Candidates in the selection examination category must take three subjects: Mathematics, Chemistry, and Specialty.

- Mathematics and Chemistry: High School level (or equivalent supplementary education) according to the current curriculum.

- Specialty: According to the current training program for Intermediate Medical Assistants (General Medicine or Traditional Chinese Medicine) or Intermediate Pharmacists of the Ministry of Health.

b) Examination Organization

Schools organize the selection examination in accordance with the regulations of the University and College Admission Regulations currently in effect by the Ministry of Education and Training.

The date of the selection examination is determined by each school (preferably held on the same day as the regular university admission examination) and registered with the Ministry of Health (Department of Science and Training), the Ministry of Education and Training, while informing the candidates.

Departments of Health need to plan cultural and specialty training for those sent to study to ensure training quality.

The Ministry of Health encourages schools with the same examination date to organize and use common questions to save resources and ensure a standard knowledge base.

c) Admission Conditions

Candidates who meet the criteria, have a minimum score of 5 in the specialty subject and no zero scores in cultural subjects, and reach the admission score of the school will be considered for admission.

2. Contract-based Training

After one year of studying according to the program prescribed by the Ministry of Health, candidates in the contract-based training category must participate in the joint admission examination together with candidates in the selection examination category and be admitted based on separate admission standards for these categories.

3. Allocation

The selection of allocated students is carried out according to the selection procedures stipulated in Circular Joint No. 04/2001/TTLT-BGD&ĐT-BTCCBCP-UBDT&MN.

After completing one year of cultural and specialty knowledge training, allocated candidates must pass additional subject tests; if they meet the requirements, they will be admitted to formal study.

Schools must report admission scores, lists of admitted candidates, and lists of enrolled students to the Ministry of Health and fully comply with reporting regulations as prescribed by the Ministry of Education and Training.

VII. LIVING ALLOWANCE AND TUITION FEES

1. Successful students (selected through examinations and allocations) within the national budget quota must pay tuition fees in accordance with current regulations; for students in the contract-based training category, localities sign direct contracts with educational institutions.

2. During the study period, salaries and all benefits of students are handled by the sending agency according to current regulations.

3. Successful students not within the national budget quota must pay tuition fees and other fees (if applicable) in accordance with current regulations.

VIII. IMPLEMENTATION PROVISIONS

This Circular shall take effect fifteen days after its publication in the Official Gazette.

Units and localities must implement, select officials to participate in the admission examination and study according to the specified categories and standards as stipulated in this Circular.

Universities must widely inform candidates and implement admissions in accordance with current regulations to ensure training quality and social fairness.

In the implementation process, if units or localities encounter difficulties, they must report to the Ministry of Health (Department of Science and Training) for timely consideration and resolution./.