Which professional titles are required to have a license to practice medicine in Vietnam? In what cases is a medical practitioner suspended from practice medicine in Vietnam?
Which professional ranks or titles require a license to practice medicine in Vietnam?
Professional ranks or titles requiring a license to practice medicine are specified in Article 26 of the 2023 Law on Medical Examination and Treatment in Vietnam, including:
- Doctors;
- Physician assistants;
- Nurses;
- Midwives;
- Medical technicians;
- Clinical nutritionists;
- (Out-of-hospital) paramedics;
- Clinical psychologists;
- Herbalists;
- Holders of folk remedies or therapies.
Which professional titles are required to have a license to practice medical examination and treatment? In what cases is a medical practitioner suspended from practice medicine in Vietnam?
In what cases is a medical practitioner suspended from practice of medicine in Vietnam?
According to the provisions of Article 34 of the 2023 Law on Medical Examination and Treatment in Vietnam, cases of suspension of practice of medicine are as follows:
Suspension of practice of medicine
1. A medical practitioner shall be suspended from his/her practice of medicine if:
a) the Expert Panel defined in Article 101 herein establishes that he/she has committed an error related to his/her professional and technical expertise in healthcare to the extent of incurring the sanction of suspension of his/her practice of medicine due to the fact that such error does not cause him/her to deserve the more severe sanction of revocation or withdrawal of his/her practising license;
b) the competent authority establishes that he/she has committed a violation against professional ethics which is not so severe that the sanction of revocation or withdrawal of his/her practising license is imposed;
c) he/she is not healthy enough to practise medicine.
2. Depending on the nature and severity of an error related to professional and technical expertise in healthcare, violation of professional ethics and his/her health status, the medical practitioner may be suspended from practice of medicine for 1 to 24 months.
3. After being suspended from practising medicine, depending on the nature and severity of his/her error in professional and technical expertise in healthcare, the medical practitioner shall be required to keep up with the most updated medical knowledge according to the conclusion of the Expert Panel pursuant to Article 101 herein.
4. The Government shall elaborate on this Article.
Thus, a medical practitioner shall be suspended from his/her practice of medicine if:
- the Expert Panel defined in Article 101 herein establishes that he/she has committed an error related to his/her professional and technical expertise in healthcare to the extent of incurring the sanction of suspension of his/her practice of medicine due to the fact that such error does not cause him/her to deserve the more severe sanction of revocation or withdrawal of his/her practising license;
- the competent authority establishes that he/she has committed a violation against professional ethics which is not so severe that the sanction of revocation or withdrawal of his/her practising license is imposed;
- he/she is not healthy enough to practise medicine.
Regarding the duration of suspension from practice, depending on the nature and severity of an error related to professional and technical expertise in healthcare, violation of professional ethics and his/her health status, the medical practitioner may be suspended from practice of medicine for 1 to 24 months.
In which case is the license to practice medicine revoked?
Pursuant to Article 35 of the 2023 Law on Medical Examination and Treatment in Vietnam stipulating as follows:
Revocation or withdrawal of practising licenses
1. A practising license shall be revoked if:
a) the application package for award of that practising license fails to meet regulations;
b) there is any fraudulent document enclosed in the application package for issuance of the practising license;
c) the professional title or the scope of practice printed in that practising license is different from those stated in the application package for issuance of the practising license;
d) the medical practitioner holding the practising license has not practiced medicine for 24 consecutive months, except when he/she takes a medical training course;
d) the medical practitioner is subject to prohibition of practice of medicine as defined in clause 1,2, 3, 4 and 6 of Article 20 herein;
e) the Expert Panel defined in Article 101 herein establishes that the medical practitioner holding that practising license has committed an error related to his/her professional and technical expertise in healthcare to the extent of incurring the sanction of revocation or withdrawal of his/her practising license;
g) the Expert Panel defined in Article 101 herein establishes that the medical practitioner holding that practising license has committed an error related to his/her professional and technical expertise in healthcare for the second time to the extent of incurring the sanction of suspension of his/her practice of medicine;
h) the competent state agency establishes that the medical practitioner holding that practising license has violated professional ethics to the extent of incurring the sanction of suspension of his/her practice of medicine within the validity period of that practising license;
i) that practising license is revoked or withdrawn at the request of the medical practitioner holding it;
k) other circumstances regulated by the Government after being presented to the National Assembly’s Standing Committee.
2. After his/her practising license is revoked or withdrawn, the medical practitioner who wishes to carry on his/her practice of medicine shall be required to apply for a new practising license to be issued in accordance with point c of clause 1 of Article 30 herein, or apply for another practising license to be re-issued in accordance with point c of clause 1 of Article 31 herein.
Thus, a practising license shall be revoked if:
- the application package for award of that practising license fails to meet regulations;
- there is any fraudulent document enclosed in the application package for issuance of the practising license;
- the professional title or the scope of practice printed in that practising license is different from those stated in the application package for issuance of the practising license;
- the medical practitioner holding the practising license has not practiced medicine for 24 consecutive months, except when he/she takes a medical training course;
- the medical practitioner is subject to prohibition of practice of medicine as defined in clause 1,2, 3, 4 and 6 of Article 20 in the 2023 Law on Medical Examination and Treatment in Vietnam;
- the Expert Panel defined in Article 101 in the 2023 Law on Medical Examination and Treatment in Vietnam establishes that the medical practitioner holding that practising license has committed an error related to his/her professional and technical expertise in healthcare to the extent of incurring the sanction of revocation or withdrawal of his/her practising license;
- the Expert Panel defined in Article 101 in the 2023 Law on Medical Examination and Treatment in Vietnam establishes that the medical practitioner holding that practising license has committed an error related to his/her professional and technical expertise in healthcare for the second time to the extent of incurring the sanction of suspension of his/her practice of medicine;
- the competent state agency establishes that the medical practitioner holding that practising license has violated professional ethics to the extent of incurring the sanction of suspension of his/her practice of medicine within the validity period of that practising license;
- that practising license is revoked or withdrawn at the request of the medical practitioner holding it;
- other circumstances regulated by the Government after being presented to the National Assembly’s Standing Committee.
The 2023 Law on Medical Examination and Treatment in Vietnam takes effect from January 1, 2024.
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