From 2024: What are principles of practising as medical interns before obtaining medical practising licenses in Vietnam?

From 2024: What are principles of practising as medical interns before obtaining medical practising licenses in Vietnam?

Pursuant to Clause 2 Article 23 of the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment in 2023 (effective from 01/01/2024) stipulating principles of practising as medical interns in Vietnam as follows:

Practicing as medical interns

1. Any person applying for a practising license as a doctor, physician assistant, nurse, midwife, medical technician, clinical nutritionist, out-of-hospital paramedic or clinical psychologist shall be required to practise as a medical intern to provide medical care according to the principles specified in clause 2 of this Article, except if:

a) he/she has completed a training course in specialization;

b) he/she has been awarded a practising license issued by a competent foreign body or entity, and recognized pursuant to Article 29 herein.

2. Practising as medical interns providing healthcare shall follow the principles stated hereunder:

a) The awarded academic qualification must be relevant;

b) The objectives of medical internship must fit into the scope of operations of a medical establishment;

c) The required duration of practicing as a medical intern must be suitable for each professional title;

d) The medical establishment accepting medical interns must assign its staff as instructors to give medical internship guide, register the list of medical interns on its premises on the healthcare management information system, and give medical interns written confirmation of their medical internship;

dd) All of the assigned instructors must be medical practitioners whose professional duties are suitable for the instruction on the medical interns’ practice of medicine and must be responsible for the medical interns’ professional activities during internship, except where the medical interns intentionally violate laws;

e) Medical interns must submit to the command and guidance of their instructors, and respect patients’ rights and obligations.

3. The Government shall elaborate on this Article.

As regulations above, except people who have completed a training course in specialization or been awarded a practising license issued by a competent foreign body or entity, and recognized, practising as medical interns providing healthcare shall follow the principles as follows:

+) The awarded academic qualification must be relevant;

+) The objectives of medical internship must fit into the scope of operations of a medical establishment;

+) The required duration of practicing as a medical intern must be suitable for each professional title;

+) The medical establishment accepting medical interns must assign its staff as instructors to give medical internship guide, register the list of medical interns on its premises on the healthcare management information system, and give medical interns written confirmation of their medical internship;

+) All of the assigned instructors must be medical practitioners whose professional duties are suitable for the instruction on the medical interns’ practice of medicine and must be responsible for the medical interns’ professional activities during internship, except where the medical interns intentionally violate laws;

+) Medical interns must submit to the command and guidance of their instructors, and respect patients’ rights and obligations.

What are conditions for an individual’s eligibility to practise medicine in Vietnam?

Pursuant to Clause 1 Article 19 of the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment in 2023 (effective from 01/01/2024) stipulating conditions for an individual’s eligibility to practise medicine in Vietnam as follows:

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 practising 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;

b) as a village health worker, village midwife or health worker working at a health care agency, unit or organization that is not incorporated as a medical establishment, he/she may only practise medicine within the range of assigned duties and after completing a training course in specialties or professional skills decided by the Minister of Health;

c) he/she is one of the subjects of application of clause 1 of Article 115 herein;

d) he/she is someone else participating in the process of medical care as instructed by the Government.

3. Any foreigner or overseas Vietnamese who has obtained a practicing license issued by a competent foreign agency or organization may organize humanitarian outreach healthcare campaigns at intervals, cooperate in provision of training courses on medicine involving medical internship, or transfer professional techniques in medicine under the provisions of this Law, without the encumbrance of the conditions specified in point a and b of clause 1 of this Article.

4. Any person participating in a community-based medical emergency who is not an out-of-hospital paramedic shall not be required to satisfy the conditions specified in clause 1 of this Article.

As regulations above, conditions for an individual’s eligibility to practise medicine in Vietnam are:

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

+) He/she has obtained registration for practice of medicine, except for some cases;

+) He/she satisfies language proficiency requirements in healthcare;

+) He/she reaches health standards requirements;

+) He/she is not prohibited from practicing medicine.

Which entities are prohibited from practice of medicine in Vietnam?

Pursuant to Article 20 of the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment in 2023 (effective from 01/01/2024) stipulating medical practitioners subject to prohibition of the practice of medicine in Vietnam as follows:

- Any medical practitioner who is criminally prosecuted for any offence involving their application of professional and technical expertise in healthcare.

- Any medical practitioner who is serving a suspended sentence or non-custodial correctional sentence for any offence involving their application of professional and technical expertise in healthcare.

- Any person or individual previously serving imprisoned for an offence involving their application of professional and technical expertise in healthcare, but released on conditional parole, who is being put on probation.

- Any medical practitioner who serves a prison sentence or is incurring an administrative penalty by being forced into a compulsory reform school or detoxification center.

- Any medical practitioner who is banned from practicing medicine under a criminal judgment of the court of legal effect, or is subject to a restriction on the practice of medicine pursuant to the decision of a competent authority.

- Any medical practitioner that loses his/her capacity to perform civil acts or has impaired cognition or difficulties in behavior control, or restricted capacity to perform his/her civil acts.

Best regards!