Vietnam: May a student who is waiting for a practicing license to be conferred practice as a medical practitioner?

Main Content

• May a student who is waiting for a practicing license to be conferred practice as a medical practitioner in Vietnam?
• What are the requirements applied to Vietnamese students to be eligible for assessment of qualification for the practice of medicine?
• What does the application for issuing a medical practicing license in Vietnam include?

May a student who is waiting for a practicing license to be conferred practice as a medical practitioner in Vietnam?

Under Clause 2, Article 19 of the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment 2023:

Conditions for an individual’s eligibility to practise medicine

1. Any individual shall be permitted to provide medical services in Vietnam when fully meeting the following requirements:

a) His/her certificate of practice of medicine remains valid;

b) He/she has obtained registration for practice of medicine, except as prescribed in clause 3 of Article 36 herein;

c) He/she satisfies language proficiency requirements in healthcare as set out in Article 21 herein;

d) He/she reaches health standards required by the Minister of Health;

dd) He/she is not any of those covered in Article 20 herein.

2. Any individual may practise as a medical practitioner without being required to satisfy the conditions specified in point a, b and c of clause 1 of this Article when:

a) he/she is a learner or student studying at a health training institution; a person who is practicing as a medical intern before being eligible for a practicing license; a person who is waiting for a practicing license to be conferred and only practice medicine under the supervision of a practitioner;

...

Thus, a student who is studying at a health training institution and waiting for a practicing license to be conferred only practice medicine under the supervision of a practitioner.

What are the requirements applied to Vietnamese students to be eligible for assessment of qualification for the practice of medicine?

Under Article 26 of the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment 2023:

Professional ranks or titles requiring practicing licenses

1. Below are professional ranks or titles requiring practicing licenses:

a) Doctors;

b) Physician assistants;

c) Nurses;

d) Midwives;

dd) Medical technicians;

e) Clinical nutritionists;

g) (Out-of-hospital) paramedics;

h) Clinical psychologists;

i) Herbalists;

k) Holders of folk remedies or therapies.

...

Under Article 24 of the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment 2023:

Assessment of qualification for practice of medicine (hereinafter referred to as qualification test)

1. Taking the qualification test shall be prerequisite for application for practicing licenses to be awarded to medical practitioners holding the titles of doctor, physician assistant, nurse, midwife, medical technician, clinical nutritionist, out-of-hospital paramedic or clinical psychologist.

2. In order to be eligible to take a qualification test, a candidate must:

a) hold an academic qualification appropriate for each professional title specified in clause 1 of this Article;

b) complete the medical internship as defined in Article 23 herein.

3. Qualification tests shall be conducted by Vietnam’s National Medical Council (VNMC) acting as a presiding body.

4. Candidates taking qualification tests shall be liable for fees, costs and expenses incurred from these tests.

5. The Government shall elaborate on this Article.

Under the above regulations, students studying at health training institutions and applying for practicing licenses to be awarded to medical practitioners holding the titles of doctor, physician assistant, nurse, midwife, medical technician, clinical nutritionist, out-of-hospital paramedic, or clinical psychologist must take the qualification test.

Vietnamese students taking the qualification test must meet the following requirements:

- Hold an academic qualification appropriate for each professional title prescribed by law;

- Have completed the medical internship under the law.

Note: Qualification tests shall be conducted by Vietnam’s National Medical Council (VNMC) acting as a presiding body.

Candidates taking qualification tests shall be liable for fees, costs and expenses incurred from these tests.

What does the application for issuing a medical practicing license in Vietnam include?

Under Article 14 of Decree 96/2023/ND-CP:

Application and procedures for issuance of practicing license for professional titles of doctor, physician assistant, nurse, midwife, medical technician, clinical nutritionist, out-of-hospital paramedic and clinical psychologist

1. An application for issuance of practicing license submitted by the person who first applies for the practicing license as prescribed in point a clause 1 Article 30 of the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment or the person mentioned in point dd clause 1 Article 13 of this Decree is composed of:

a) An application form (made using Form 08 in Appendix I enclosed herewith).

b) The original or legitimate copy of any of the following documents:

- Qualification test pass certificate (not required if such qualification test results have been shared or published on the healthcare management information system or national healthcare database);

- Practicing license which has been accredited as prescribed in Article 37 of this Decree (not required if such accreditation has been shared or published on the healthcare management information system or national healthcare database).

c) The original or legitimate copy of health check report issued by a qualified health facility (not required if such health check results have been shared or published on the healthcare management information system or national healthcare database) or the legitimate copy of the work permit which is required as prescribed by the Labor Code.

d) The medical practitioner’s CV which is made using Form 09 in Appendix I enclosed herewith (not required if the medical practitioner’s CV has been shared or published on the healthcare management information system or national healthcare database).

dd) 02 pictures of 04 x 06 cm size, taken against a white background within 06 months of submitting the application (not required if the applicant's picture has been published when following online administrative procedures).

e) for the applicant mentioned in point a clause 6 Article 10 of this Decree, legitimate copy(ies) of the following document(s) (not required if these documents have been shared or published on the healthcare management information system or national healthcare database):

- Herbalist certificate;

- Fork remedy certificate;

- Folk therapy certificate.

Thus, the application for issuance of practicing license for professional titles of doctor, physician assistant, nurse, midwife, medical technician, clinical nutritionist, out-of-hospital paramedic and clinical psychologist includes the following documents:

- An application form made using Form 08 in Appendix I enclosed with Decree 96/2023/ND-CP;

- Qualification test pass certificate;

- Practicing license which has been accredited as prescribed by law;

- The original or legitimate copy of the health check report issued by a qualified health facility;

- The medical practitioner’s CV;

- 02 pictures of 04 x 06 cm size;

- Legitimate copies of other documents as prescribed by law.