Circular No. 06/2008/TT-BYT guiding the admission for concurrent higher education programs at bachelor's and college levels in medicine and pharmacy

CIRCULAR

Guidelines for Admissions to Concurrent Degree Programs in University and College-Level Medicine and Pharmacy Education

Pursuant to the Education Law dated June 27, 2005;

Pursuant to Decree No. 75/2006/NĐ-CP dated August 2, 2006 of the Government detailing and guiding the implementation of certain provisions of the Education Law;

Pursuant to Decree No. 188/2007/NĐ-CP dated December 27, 2007 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Health;

The Ministry of Health hereby provides guidelines for admissions to concurrent degree programs in university and college-level medicine and pharmacy education 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.

Thông tư này quy định chi tiết khoản 4 Điều 38 Luật Thủy sản số 18/2017/QH14 đã được sửa đổi, bổ sung tại điểm c khoản 21 Điều 14 Luật số 146/2025/QH15.

These guidelines regulate the admission criteria and standards, preferential policies, application files, examination and recruitment procedures, inspection, commendation, and handling of violations in the work of admissions to concurrent degree programs in university-level medicine and pharmacy from college and vocational levels, and in college-level medicine and pharmacy from vocational level.

Thông tư này áp dụng đối với tổ chức, cá nhân có liên quan đến hoạt động kinh doanh đối tượng thủy sản nuôi chủ lực trên lãnh thổ Việt Nam.

These guidelines apply to educational institutions offering university and college-level health personnel training through part-time and full-time programs lasting four years, and healthcare staff participating in these training courses.

3. The training program for First Rank Able Seaman as stipulated in Appendix X

Utilize university and college-level medicine and pharmacy training programs from college and vocational levels through part-time and full-time programs lasting four years, which have been issued by the Ministry of Education and Training and the Ministry of Health.

4. Terms Used in These Guidelines

a) Healthcare staff refers to individuals who have been trained and possess medical or pharmaceutical expertise, currently working in the healthcare sector.

b) Health district is understood to mean health district, county, town, and city directly under province. Health commune is understood to mean health commune, ward, and town.

c) Professional tenure is the time spent working in the correct specialty and educational level after graduation from a vocational health program (for concurrent programs from vocational level), or a college health program (for concurrent programs from college level), calculated from the date of the competent authority's decision on employment as a civil servant or public service employee, labor contract, or permission to practice private medical or pharmaceutical services granted by the competent authority.

d) The reference period for calculating professional tenure and work experience is up to October 31 of the year of the examination.

đ) Recruitment areas include Region 1 (R1), Region 2 (R2), Region 2 - Rural (R2-R), and Region 3 (R3), divided according to the current regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training.

Each candidate’s examination region is determined based on the address of the agency where they are employed in the official roster, according to their labor contract, or the address where they practice private medical or pharmaceutical services. For military personnel and police officers, their examination region is determined based on the address of their military unit or their permanent residence before enlistment, whichever has a higher priority level if stationed in the same region for at least 18 months; if less than 18 months, the examination region is determined based on their permanent residence before enlistment.

II. ADMISSION CANDIDATES

1. Admission Candidates for Bachelor's and PharmD Programs

a) For candidates in R1, R2-R, and R2: They must be healthcare staff working in the correct specialty and educational level.

b) For candidates in R3: In addition to meeting the requirements for candidates in R1, R2-R, and R2 as specified in Clause a, they must also belong to one of the following categories:

- Directly caring for and treating patients with HIV/AIDS, mental illness, leprosy, tuberculosis;

- Working in forensic science, preventive healthcare;

- Engaged in pharmaceutical production, compounding, vaccine, and medical product manufacturing continuously for at least 24 months;

- Completed military service or worked continuously in R1 within the healthcare sector for at least 24 months.

2. Admission Candidates for Bachelor's and Associate Degree Programs in Health Sciences

Healthcare staff working in the correct specialty and educational level.

3. Admission Candidates for Contractual Training Based on Employment Needs

Healthcare staff working in the correct specialty and educational level in R1, R2-R, or working in health communes in R2 and having worked continuously in these regions or units for at least 24 months, who commit to returning to work in their localities or agencies after graduation, may be permitted to take the entrance exam and study under this system upon approval by the provincial People's Committee or the central ministry or agency in charge.

III. ADMISSION STANDARDS

1. Political Quality

Clear personal and family background, completion of assigned tasks, good moral character, and compliance with state policies and laws. Individuals undergoing disciplinary action from reprimand onwards are not eligible for admission.

2. Educational Level

Graduated from high school or equivalent supplementary education.

3. Professional Qualifications

a) For Bachelor's and Associate Degree Programs in Nursing and Medical Technology from Vocational Level: Must hold a vocational diploma in nursing, midwifery, or relevant technical field, trained according to the curriculum of the Ministry of Health; if graduated from a vocational medical assistant program, must also have a certificate converting to a vocational nursing diploma according to the curriculum of the Ministry of Health issued by authorized training institutions.

b) For Bachelor's Programs in Nursing and Medical Technology from College Level: Must hold a college diploma in nursing, midwifery, or relevant medical technology field, trained according to the curriculum of the Ministry of Health.

c) For Bachelor's Programs in Public Health: Must hold a vocational or college diploma in health sciences, trained according to the curriculum of the Ministry of Health.

d) For Bachelor's Programs in General Medicine: Must hold a vocational diploma in general medicine, trained according to the curriculum of the Ministry of Health.

đ) For Bachelor's Programs in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM): Must hold a vocational diploma in TCM or a vocational medical assistant diploma oriented towards TCM, trained according to the curriculum of the Ministry of Health.

e) For Bachelor's Programs in Pharmacy: Must hold a vocational diploma in pharmacy, trained according to the curriculum of the Ministry of Health.

g) Candidates who have been trained in the military: Must hold a vocational diploma in medicine or pharmacy issued by Military Secondary Medical School No. 1 (now Military Medical Academy) or Military Secondary Medical School No. 2, or a vocational diploma in medicine or pharmacy issued by Military Secondary Medical Schools under Military Regions, Military Services, Arms, and General Departments and equivalent schools established before 1994, with at least two years of study.

4. Professional Tenure

a) For bachelor-level health training from a college level and college-level health training from a secondary vocational level: Graduates of a college (for combined training from a college level) and secondary vocational (for combined training from a secondary vocational level) in a relevant specialized field must have at least 12 months of professional experience; other candidates must have at least 24 months of professional experience.

b) For university-level medical and pharmaceutical training from a secondary vocational level: Must have at least 36 months of professional experience.

5. Regarding Health

Must meet the health requirements for study as stipulated currently.

IV. PRIORITY POLICIES

Admission will be prioritized based on regions and within each region, there are priority groups under policy.

1. Regional Priority

As per the current regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training.

2. Policy Priority

a) Priority Group 1:

- Candidates belonging to Priority Group 1 according to the current university and college admission regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training.

- Individuals working in their specialized field in Region 1 and having continuously worked in this region for at least 24 months.

b) Priority Group 2:

- Candidates belonging to Priority Group 2 as per the current university and college admission regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training.

- Individuals directly caring for, treating patients with HIV/AIDS, mental illness, leprosy, tuberculosis, performing autopsies, and having continuously performed these duties for at least 24 months.

- Individuals working in their specialized field in Region 1 and having continuously worked in this region for at least 12 months.

- Individuals working in their specialized field in commune health centers, district health centers and having continuously worked in these positions for at least 24 months.

Each candidate can only enjoy one highest policy priority standard.

V. APPLICATION DOCUMENTS

1. General Application Documents

a) An application form for the examination with confirmation of agreement to participate in the examination and study from the employer's organization or health management authority at the provincial health department level or higher.

b) Legal copies of documents related to the educational process as follows:

- Graduation certificate and grade sheets of subjects in the intermediate vocational program (for combined training from intermediate vocational level), college (for combined training from college level) in a relevant specialized medical or pharmaceutical field.

- High school graduation certificate or equivalent cultural supplementary education certificate.

c) Legal copy of birth certificate.

d) Certificate of professional experience issued by the employer's organization or health management authority at the provincial health department level or higher.

đ) Certificate of admission priority group issued by the competent authority.

e) Certificate of fitness for study issued by a competent healthcare facility.

g) Four recent photographs not older than six months size 4x6 (one photo affixed to the application form, stamped over the seam).

2. Special Cases

a) Candidates from Region 3 applying for medical doctor or pharmacist training must provide one of the following additional documents:

- Legal copy of the work assignment decision, certificate confirming the time worked in Region 1;

- Certificate of completion of military service from a competent state authority.

- Legal copy of the work assignment decision, certificate confirming the time spent directly caring for, treating patients with HIV/AIDS, mental illness, leprosy, tuberculosis, working in forensic medicine, preventive healthcare, directly producing, compounding pharmaceuticals, vaccines, medical products.

b) Candidates under employment contracts for specific locations must provide the following additional documents:

- Legal copy of the work assignment decision, certificate confirming the time worked in Region 1, Region 2-Northern Highlands or commune health centers, district health centers in Region 2.

- Official letter dispatching to take part in the examination and study under this system from the People's Committee of the province or centrally governed city or the main managing ministry or sector.

- Commitment to return to the local area or organization (where dispatched to study) for work after graduation.

Candidates must submit their application forms for the examination to the school within the prescribed deadline.

VI. EXAMINATION AND ADMISSION

The organization of combined training for bachelor’s and college levels in medical and pharmaceutical fields from intermediate vocational and secondary vocational levels shall be carried out in accordance with the current university and college admission regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training and the specific provisions below:

1. Subjects

a) For bachelor’s and college-level medical and pharmaceutical training from a secondary vocational level:

Candidates must take three subjects: Mathematics, Chemistry or Biology, and a specialized subject.

b) For bachelor’s-level medical training from a college level:

Candidates must take two subjects: Basic Medical Science and a specialized subject.

The Basic Medical Science exam will be based on the content of basic subjects in the professional education section of the current college-level training program of the Ministry of Health, suitable for the intended major.

The specialized subject exam will be based on the content of specialized subjects in the current college-level (for combined training from college level), secondary vocational (for combined training from secondary vocational level) training program of the Ministry of Health, suitable for the intended major.

2. Examination Organization

a) Each year, each school may organize combined training for bachelor’s and college levels in medical and pharmaceutical fields from intermediate vocational and secondary vocational levels once according to the approved plan of that year.

b) The examination date and subjects are specified by each school and registered with the Ministry of Health (Department of Science and Training) and the Ministry of Education and Training, and simultaneously announced publicly through mass media for candidates in the recruitment area.

c) Schools may organize review classes for candidates. The review class duration and tuition fees are determined by the school in accordance with current regulations.

3. Summoning Candidates and Reporting System

a) After determining the admission score and selection criteria, schools need to recheck the entire application documents of admitted candidates; in necessary cases, they may work with the sending organizations and relevant authorities to verify the legality of the documents in the application.

b) Schools must report the admission results and list of admitted candidates to the Ministry of Health (Department of Science and Training) and fully comply with the reporting system as stipulated by the Ministry of Education and Training.

4. For candidates under employment contracts for specific locations

Candidates for contractual training according to the usage address must participate in the common admission examination together with other candidates for the competitive examination and be admitted based on separate admission scores for this category.

VII. INSPECTION, REWARD, AND VIOLATION HANDLING

The inspection, reward, and handling of violations during the process of joint undergraduate and college-level medical and pharmaceutical education from associate degree and intermediate level are carried out in accordance with the current university and college admission regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training.

VIII. IMPLEMENTATION PROVISIONS

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

The Circular No. 04/2006/TT-BYT dated March 10, 2006, guiding the admission of four-year centralized undergraduate medical and pharmaceutical programs, and the Circular No. 05/2006/TT-BYT dated March 29, 2006, guiding the admission of undergraduate and college-level nursing, medical technology, and public health programs under part-time study mode, issued by the Ministry of Health, are hereby abolished.

Units and localities shall organize the implementation, nominate cadres to participate in the admission and study in accordance with the provisions of this Circular.

Schools shall announce on mass media for candidates to be aware and implement the admission work in accordance with current regulations to ensure the quality of training and social fairness.

The Science and Training Department of the Ministry of Health shall take the lead, coordinate with relevant units of the Ministry of Education and Training and related agencies to provide specific guidance on the implementation of this Circular.

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