Medical examination and treatment period at a public hospital required for obtaining the practicing certificate in Vietnam

What is medical examination and treatment period at a public hospital required for obtaining the practicing certificate in Vietnam?

Medical examination and treatment period required for obtaining the practicing certificate is defined in Article 3 of Circular 41/2011/TT-BYT as amended by Clause 3, Article 1 of Circular 41/2015/TT-BYT as prescribed as follows: 

1. Medical examination and treatment period required for obtaining the practicing certificate means a period during which a person applying for a practicing certificate directly and continuously administers medical treatment and examination after receiving his/her professional qualifications (from the time of signing the employment contract or obtaining the decision on recruitment including the probation period stated in the employment contract or signing the agreement on practice period with a medical facility ) to the date of application for the practicing certificate including the period of specialty training or postgraduate courses ( resident physicians, medical specialists 1 and medical specialists 2) in specialties that he/she applies for the practicing certificate.

In your case, you work without pay and do not sign a contract, so these 14 months are not counted in the time of medical examination and treatment period required for obtaining the practicing certificate in Vietnam.

What are conditions for issuance of a pharmacy practice certificate in Vietnam?

Pursuant to Article 13 of the 2016 Pharmacy Law, conditions for issuance of a pharmacy practice certificate are as follows:

To be issued with a pharmacy practice certificate, a person must:

1. Has any qualifications issued or recognized in Vietnam suitable for his/her position and the pharmacy business establishment. Such qualifications include:

a) Bachelor’s degree in pharmacy (hereinafter referred to as pharmacist degree);

b) Bachelor’s degree in general medicine;

c) Bachelor’s degree in traditional medicine or traditional pharmacy;

d) Bachelor’s degree in biology;

dd) Bachelor’s degree in chemistry;

e) College degree in pharmacy;

g) Associate degree in pharmacy;

h) College degree or associate degree in medicine;

i) Associate degree in traditional medicine or traditional pharmacy;

k) Basic diploma in pharmacy;

l) Certificate of traditional physician or pharmacist, certificate of hereditary remedy, or other traditional medicine qualifications issued before the effective date of this Law.

The products qualifications specified in Point 1 of this Clause required as a condition shall be specified by the Ministry of Health according to socio-economic development, the people’s need for medical examination and treatment in each area and each period.

2. Has served an apprenticeship at a pharmacy business establishment, the pharmacy of a health facility, a pharmacy training school, a pharmacy research institute, a facility specialized in testing drugs and medicinal ingredients, a pharmacy authority, or a representative office in Vietnam of a foreign trader engaged in pharmacy (hereinafter referred to as pharmacy establishment); a health facility suitable for the practitioner’s expertise as follows:

a) For a person whose pharmacy practice certificate is revoked as prescribed in Clause 9 Article 28 hereof, the apprenticeship is not required. However, he/she must take a refresher course in pharmacy;

b) For a person having a postgraduate degree suitable for the scope of practice, the apprenticeship duration may be shortened as prescribed by the Government;

c) For a person having any of the qualifications specified in Point l Clause 1 Article 13 hereof, the apprenticeship duration shall be specified by the Minister of Health.

3. Has a certificate of suitable health for pharmacy practice issued by a competent health facility.

4. Not:

a) be facing a criminal prosecution, serving a court’s sentence or ruling; be suspended from practice or doing works related to pharmacy under the court’s sentence or ruling;

b) have limited legal capacity.

5. Any person who wishes to take an examination to obtain a pharmacy practice certificate must fully satisfy the conditions specified in this Article.

Best Regards!