Are an individual with a associate degree in physician assistant eligible to work as a school's medical staff in Vietnam?

Are an individual with a associate degree in physician assistant eligible to work as a school's medical staff in Vietnam?

Based on Clause 2, Article 8 of Joint Circular 13/2016/TTLT-BYT-BGDDT, the following regulations are provided:

Requirements for school’s first aid rooms and medical staff in Vietnam

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2. School's medical staff

a) School's medical staff must have professional qualifications from a associate degree in physician assistant or higher. Based on the local conditions, schools should arrange School's medical staff meeting the requirements of this Point or contract with commune health stations (hereinafter referred to as commune health stations) or medical examination and treatment facilities from the level of polyclinics upwards to take care of students' health;

b) School's medical staff must regularly update their medical professional knowledge through seminars, training sessions, and professional skill development organized by the Health Sector or the Education Sector to perform the prescribed duties;

c) School's medical staff have duties to advise and organize the implementation according to the provisions of Article 9, Article 10, and other tasks assigned by the school leadership.

As per the regulations, the requirement for School's medical staff is to have professional qualifications from a associate degree in physician assistant or higher. Therefore, an individual with a associate degree in physician assistant can work as a School's medical staff member if they meet other conditions specified in the regulations.

Are an individual with a associate degree in physician assistant eligible to work as a school's medical staff in Vietnam? (Internet image)

Which agencies provide training courses​ for school's medical staff in Vietnam?

Based on Article 15 of Joint Circular 13/2016/TTLT-BYT-BGDDT, the following regulations are provided:

Responsibilities of medical centers of districts and preventive medical centers of provinces and  Departments of Health

1. Preside and cooperate with educational management agencies to advise the local People's Committees in planning, organizing, and directing the implementation of school health tasks according to decentralization.

2. Coordinate with educational management agencies to organize training, seminars, professional skill development in school health tasks; provide professional support for School's medical staff; guide the implementation of management, care, and protection of students' health, and health education communication.

3. Organize inspections, evaluations, and supervision of school hygiene conditions, environmental sanitation, infectious disease prevention, student health care and management, and other school health tasks according to decentralization.

4. Perform statistics and report on school health activities as per regulations.

Therefore, the agencies providing professional support for School's medical staff include District Health Centers, Provincial Preventive Health Centers, and the Department of Health.

What activities should School's medical staff in Vietnam consult and organize?

Based on Point c, Clause 2, Article 8 of Joint Circular 13/2016/TTLT-BYT-BGDDT, school's medical staff consult school boards about the implementation of Article 9 and Article 10 of Joint Circular 13/2016/TTLT-BYT-BGDDT and other tasks assigned by the school board. To be specific: 

* Organize activities to manage, protect, and care for students' health

- Conduct health checks at the beginning of the school year to assess nutritional status and health: measure height and weight for children under 36 months; measure height, weight, blood pressure, heartbeat, and vision for students from 36 months and older.

- Measure height and weight, record growth charts, monitor physical development for children under 24 months once a month and for children from 24 months to 6 years old once a quarter; monitor Body Mass Index (BMI) at least twice a school year to provide advice on proper nutrition and physical activities for general students.

- Regularly monitor student health, identify vision impairments, spine curvatures, oral diseases, mental health disorders, and other diseases for timely intervention, and transfer to medical facilities following regulations, and apply appropriate learning and training policies based on health status.

- Coordinate with qualified medical facilities to organize specialized exams and treatments for students.

- Provide first aid and emergency services according to current Ministry of Health regulations.

- Advise students, teachers, parents, or guardians on issues related to illnesses, physical and mental development; guide students on self-health care; for schools with disabled students, provide consultation and support to help them integrate.

- Guide in organizing school meals ensuring proper nutrition, diverse food choices, appropriate for age and target groups for schools with boarding and semi-boarding students.

- Coordinate with local health facilities to organize vaccination campaigns for students.

- Regularly inform parents or guardians at least once a school year and as needed on students' health status. Evaluate student health status at the end of each education level to provide a basis for health monitoring in the next level.

- Maintain and record medical examination records, student health monitoring books, and general health status tracking logs.

- Regularly inspect and monitor learning conditions, school hygiene, food safety, drinking water supply, and handwashing soap. Actively implement hygiene and disease prevention measures according to Circular 46/2010/TT-BYT and other health sector guidelines.

- Implement health programs, hygiene campaigns, disease prevention activities, enhanced physical activity, reasonable nutrition, a smoke-free environment, and avoid alcohol and addictive substances.

* Organize health education and communication activities

- Compile, use health education materials appropriate for target groups and specific local conditions.

- Conduct health education communication for students and parents or guardians on disease prevention, food poisoning prevention, nutrition, physical activity, smoking harm prevention, alcohol harm prevention, school disease prevention, oral care, vision care, accident prevention, and other health education campaigns launched by the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education and Training.

- Integrate health education and disease prevention content in lessons.

- Organize for students to practice personal and environmental hygiene, disease prevention, food poisoning prevention, proper nutrition, physical activities, smoking harm prevention, alcohol harm prevention, school disease prevention, oral care, vision care, accident prevention through suitable forms and models.