Circular No. 05/2001/TT-BYT guiding the admission to four-year centralized undergraduate programs in Medicine and Pharmacy

CIRCULAR

Guidelines for Admissions to Four-Year Concentrated University Programs in Medicine and Pharmacy

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By the end of 2000, over 40% of communes and wards nationwide had doctors working at health stations. A few provinces and cities had 100% of their communes staffed with doctors. However, many provinces, especially those in mountainous areas, border regions, and remote areas, still lacked many doctors and pharmacists working at primary healthcare facilities.

To implement the plan for developing human resources to serve the cause of protecting and improving public health, in 2001, the Ministry of Health proposed continuing to admit students for training doctors and pharmacists from secondary-level medical and pharmacy technicians to meet the demand for university-level healthcare personnel working at primary healthcare facilities.

Pursuant to the Education Law, Decree No. 43/2000/NĐ-CP dated August 30, 2000 of the Government detailing and guiding the implementation of certain provisions of the Education Law, Decision No. 3704/QĐ-BGD&ĐT/ĐH dated September 28, 1999 of the Minister of Education and Training on the establishment of the Board of Programs for Higher Education in Health Sciences, and the conclusions of the Board for Building Programs for Higher Education in Health Sciences, the Ministry of Health issued the Circular guiding admissions for training doctors and pharmacists at universities of medicine and pharmacy in 2001.

I. GENERAL PROVISIONS

Starting from the academic year 2001-2002, universities of medicine and pharmacy will no longer train doctors and pharmacists under the three-year concentrated program as previously conducted but will switch to training doctors and pharmacists from secondary-level medical and pharmacy technicians under a new program, with a four-year concentrated training period.

The admissions process for training doctors and pharmacists in the four-year program shall be carried out in accordance with the general regulations of the Admissions Regulations for Universities, Colleges, and Vocational High Schools issued by the Ministry of Education and Training and the Circular on admissions issued by the Ministry of Health in 2001.

To meet the demand for doctors and pharmacists working at primary healthcare facilities, in 2001, the Ministry of Health proposed prioritizing the selection and creating favorable conditions for secondary-level medical technicians currently working at commune health stations and secondary-level pharmacy technicians currently working at district-level healthcare facilities, particularly those healthcare workers currently working in mountainous, border, and remote areas, to be trained in concentrated programs at universities of medicine and pharmacy so that after graduation, they can return to their localities to continue working.

The quota for training doctors and pharmacists in the four-year program has been assigned by competent authorities to universities of medicine and pharmacy, including quotas funded by the state budget and those not funded by the state budget. The funding for training the quotas not funded by the state budget will be collected from localities or agencies sending cadres to study through training contracts between the university and the Department of Health with training needs within the total quota assigned to the university. The Ministry of Health will uniformly manage the training quotas (both those funded by the state budget and those not funded by the state budget), without distinguishing between the programs and quality of training between the two types of training quotas mentioned above.

Regarding the provisions on admission zones (Zone 1, Zone 2, Zone 3...), these shall be implemented according to the regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training.

II. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS:

1. Eligible applicants for General Medicine Doctors:

1.1. Medical technicians currently employed in the civil service or under contracts within the staffing quota of commune health stations in Zones 1 and 2 as stipulated in Joint Circular No. 08/TT-LB dated April 20, 1995 of the Ministry of Health - Ministry of Finance - Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs - Civil Service Committee of the Government (referred to as contracts within the staffing quota).

1.2. Medical technicians currently employed in the civil service of multi-disciplinary outpatient clinics; preventive health teams, mobile health teams of districts in Zones 1 and 2.

1.3. Medical technicians currently employed in the civil service of mobile health units of provinces in Zones 1 and 2.

1.4. Medical technicians working at commune health stations and dispensaries (if any) of other Ministries and Departments located in Zones 1 and 2.

1.5. Medical technicians currently employed in the civil service of leprosy-dermatology hospitals, leprosy treatment centers, mental hospitals in Zones 1 and 2; district hospitals in highland and deep rural areas.

1.6. Medical technicians currently employed in the civil service in the field of training, at healthcare facilities as specified in items 1.1 to 1.4, mental hospitals in Zone 3, and have continuously worked in mountainous and deep rural areas for at least 36 months.

2. Eligible applicants for Traditional Medicine Doctors (TMD):

2.1. Traditional Medicine technicians or medical technicians specializing in traditional medicine (collectively referred to as traditional medicine technicians) currently employed in the civil service or under contracts within the staffing quota of commune health stations as specified in item 1.1.

2.2. Traditional Medicine technicians currently employed in the civil service in the field of training at district and provincial healthcare facilities in Zone 1 and district healthcare facilities in Zone 2.

2.3. Traditional Medicine technicians currently employed in the civil service in the field of training at commune health stations, dispensaries (if any) of other Ministries and Departments located in Zones 1 and 2.

2.4. Traditional Medicine technicians currently employed in the civil service in the field of training at healthcare facilities as specified in items 2.1 to 2.3 in Zone 3, and have continuously worked in mountainous and deep rural areas for at least 36 months.

3. Eligible applicants for Bachelor of Pharmacy:

3.1. Secondary-level pharmacy technicians currently employed in the civil service in the field of training at administrative and public welfare healthcare facilities in Zones 1 and 2.

3.2. Secondary-level pharmacy technicians currently employed in the civil service or long-term contracts in the field of training at state-owned pharmaceutical enterprises, medical equipment companies, and joint-stock companies in Zones 1 and 2.

3.3. Secondary-level pharmacy technicians currently employed in the civil service in the field of training at commune health stations, dispensaries (if any) of other Ministries and Departments located in Zones 1 and 2.

3.4. Secondary-level pharmacy technicians currently employed in the field of training at healthcare facilities as specified in items 3.1 to 3.3 in Zone 3, and have continuously worked in mountainous and deep rural areas for at least 36 months.

4. Eligible applicants for General Medicine Doctors (selected candidates):

4.1. Medical technicians currently employed in the civil service or under contracts within the staffing quota of commune health stations in highland areas (Zone 1-Highlands) and deep rural areas (Zone 1-Deep Rural).

4.2. Ethnic minority medical technicians currently employed in the civil service at district-level healthcare facilities in highland areas (Zone 1-Highlands) and deep rural areas (Zone 1-Deep Rural).

Students selected for training will be provided with cultural and specialized education for one year according to the program approved by the Ministry of Health. If they pass the assessment requirements, they will continue with the four-year concentrated Doctor program.

III. ADMISSION STANDARDS:

1. Political criteria:

The personal and family history must be clear, all assigned tasks must be completed, moral character must be good, and all policies, regulations, and laws of the State must be fully observed. Those who are currently undergoing disciplinary action (from reprimand onwards) shall not be considered for admission.

2. Standards for professional expertise and culture:

2.1. Professional expertise:

- Candidates applying for the General Medicine class must have a diploma in Medical Assistant from a program approved by the Ministry of Health.

- Candidates applying for Traditional Medicine Doctor classes must have a diploma in Traditional Medicine Assistant or定向医学助理（传统医学方向），均来自卫生部批准的课程。

- Candidates applying for Pharmacy undergraduate classes must have a diploma in Secondary School Pharmacy Assistant from a program approved by the Ministry of Health.

2.2. Culture:

- Common for all candidates: Must have a high school graduation certificate or supplementary education.

- For selected candidates: High school graduation, supplementary education, or having studied cultural subjects in the Medical Assistant training program.

3. Standards for professional experience:

There are two categories:

* Three years (36 months) of professional experience applies to the following categories:

- Medical Assistants working within the establishment or under contracts within the staffing quota of Commune Health Stations in mountainous and remote areas.

- Ethnic medical assistants working in mountainous regions and secondary school pharmacy assistants working within the establishment quota of county-level health facilities in Zone 1.

* Five years (60 months) of professional experience applies to the remaining categories.

Professional experience is calculated from the date of the recruitment decision into the establishment or contract within the staffing quota, after graduating from secondary medical or pharmaceutical education, up to October 30, 2001.

4. Health and age criteria:

4.1. Health:

Must meet the health standards as stipulated in Circular Jointly Issued by the Ministry of Health and the Vocational College and Technical Education Department No. 10/TT-LB dated August 18, 1989, and the guidance letter No. 2445/TS dated August 20, 1990 issued by the Ministry of Education and Training.

4.2. Age:

Not exceeding 45 years old for males and 40 years old for females, calculated up to October 30, 2001.

5. Living expenses and tuition fees:

5.1. Students admitted based on state budget quotas do not need to pay for training costs but must pay tuition fees according to current state regulations.

5.2. Students admitted outside of state budget quotas and those mentioned in points 1.3, 1.4, 1.6, 2.3, 2.4, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4 in Section II of this Circular must contribute part of the training costs. The contribution amount is equivalent to the annual training cost standard set by the state, where students pay tuition fees, and the remainder is contributed by the sending agency.

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

After graduation, students will return to work at the agency that sent them to study.

Students who stop studying before graduation will be returned to the sending agency for resolution.

IV. PRIORITY POLICIES:

Points will be given for priority admission based on region and within each region, there are priorities for certain groups according to policy.

1. Regional priority:

Implemented according to the "Admission Region Division Table" printed in the booklet "Important Information on University, College, and Secondary Vocational School Admissions in 2001" issued by the Ministry of Education and Training.

2. Policy priority:

2.1. Priority Group I:

- Heroes of Labor, Heroes of Armed Forces, National Model Workers.

V. APPLICATION DOCUMENTS FOR ENROLLMENT:

- War invalids holding cards, disabled veterans.

- Personnel in the establishment or under contracts within the staffing quota of Commune Health Stations in mountainous areas who have continuously worked there for 36 months or more, up to October 30, 2001.

- Personnel working in highland and remote areas continuously for 24 months or more, up to October 30, 2001.

2.2. Priority Group 2:

- Personnel receiving medals, war merit medals, victory medals, labor medals; provincial or centrally-administered city model workers for two consecutive years.

- Personnel in the establishment of commune health stations, leprosy hospitals, and leprosy treatment centers, mental hospitals who have worked for at least 36 months.

- Children of martyrs.

- Children of war invalids, disabled veterans with over 81% loss of working capacity.

- Personnel working in highland and remote areas continuously for 12 to less than 24 months, up to October 30, 2001.

Each individual can only enjoy one highest policy priority standard.

V. APPLICATION DOCUMENTS:

Application documents include:

1. One application form approved by the personnel management agency or department. Candidates working under the management of the Provincial Health Department must have approval from the Provincial Health Department. Candidates working in other Ministries, Departments, and enterprises must have approval from their personnel management agencies.

2. Photocopies of diplomas in secondary vocational education, high school, or supplementary education. Originals must be presented upon enrollment. In necessary cases, the school may require candidates to present their academic records from the secondary health education program.

3. Certified copy of birth certificate.

4. Photocopies of recruitment decisions into the establishment or contracts within the staffing quota of health facilities or employment decisions at enterprises (with notarized copies). Candidates in Zone 3 must also provide photocopies of assignment decisions and confirmation letters of working time in mountainous and remote areas. Originals must be presented upon enrollment.

5. Certificates of admission priority groups and regions (as specified in Part IV), confirmed by the personnel management agency and approved by the Provincial Health Department or the competent personnel management agency.

6. Decisions to send personnel to study signed by the Provincial Health Department, candidates not managed by the Provincial Health Department must have study dispatch decisions from their personnel management agencies. Selected candidates must have study dispatch decisions from the Provincial People's Committee (to be submitted upon enrollment).

7. A commitment from the candidate to return to the dispatching agency for work after completing studies.

8. Four 4x6 photos (one photo attached to the application form, stamped and sealed).

Other documents: As prescribed by the school.

Candidates must submit complete application documents to the admission board of the schools in their designated admission regions within the specified time.

VI. ADMISSION EXAMINATIONS

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

1.1. Mathematics and Chemistry:

Secondary school graduation or cultural supplementation according to the current program.

1.2. Specialty subject:

According to the current secondary medical assistant (general medical assistant or traditional Chinese medicine medical assistant) or secondary pharmacy training program approved by the Ministry of Health.

2. Admission examination organization:

Schools organize admission examinations in accordance with the regulations of the Admissions Regulations for universities, colleges, and vocational high schools issued by the Ministry of Education and Training.

The examination date is determined by the schools and registered with the Ministry of Health (Department of Science and Training) and the Ministry of Education and Training, while simultaneously notifying the candidates.

Content for reviewing cultural subjects: as stipulated by the Ministry of Education and Training in the document "Important Information on University Admissions...in 2001"

Departments of Health shall have plans to provide cultural and professional training for staff sent to study to ensure the quality of training.

3. Conditions for successful admission:

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

a) In terms of specialty: not less than 5 points

b) In terms of cultural subjects: no zero scores.

After organizing the admission examination, the schools need to:

- Determine the admission threshold in accordance with the spirit of prioritizing candidates from mountainous areas, remote regions, and provinces with low ratios of village doctors.

- Review all files to verify the legality of the documents in the file and report to the Ministry of Health; all cases of false declarations in the file must be handled according to the admissions regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training.

The person signing the Decision to send staff for study is responsible for the legality of the student's file.

4. Direct admission: Candidates do not need to take the examination

Schools only accept applications and summon candidates who meet the specified criteria, within the quota allocated by the Ministry of Health to the schools and localities.

Upon receipt of this Circular, units and localities shall organize its implementation, review and select staff to participate in the admission examination and study in accordance with the specified criteria and standards set out in this Circular.

Universities shall widely inform candidates and implement the admission process in accordance with current regulations to ensure the quality of training and social equity.