What are the procedures for renewing medical practicing licenses in Vietnam?

What are the procedures for renewing medical practicing licenses in Vietnam? (Internet image) 

Regarding this issue, LawNet would like to answer as follows:

1. Conditions for renewal of medical practicing licenses in Vietnam 

According to Article 32 of the Law on Examination and Treatment 2023, regulations on renewal of medical practicing licenses in Vietnam are as follows:

- A practic license may be renewed if the practic license expires.

- Conditions for renewal of practicing licenses applied to those holding the professional titles as doctors, physician assistants, nurses, midwives, medical technicians, clinical nutritionists, out-of-hospital paramedics, clinical psychologists or herbalists shall be as follows:

+ Satisfy the requirements for continuously updating medical knowledge set out in Article 22 of the Law on Examination and Treatment 2023;

+ Have good health to practice medicine;

+ Be obliged to complete renewal procedures at least 60 days before the practic license expires, unless otherwise required under the Government's regulations;

+ Any of the cases prescribed in Article 20 of the Law on Examination and Treatment 2023 does not occur.

- Conditions for renewal of practicing licenses applied to those holding the professional titles as holders of folk remedies or therapies shall comprise the conditions set out in point b, c and d of clause 2 of Article 32 of the Law on Examination and Treatment 2023.

- The application package for renewal of a practic license shall be composed of the documentary evidence of conformance to the conditions specified in clause 2 or 3 of Article 32 of the Law on Examination and Treatment 2023.

- Procedures for renewal of a practic license shall be regulated hereunder:

+ The applicant submits the application package defined in clause 4 of Article 32 of the Law on Examination and Treatment 2023 to the competent licensing agency;

+ During the period from the date of receipt of all required application documents to the expiry date printed on a practic license, the competent licensing agency shall be responsible for renewing it or replying in writing to the license holder with clear reasons for rejection of renewal; where there is no written reply till the expiry date printed on the foregoing practic license, it shall be renewed as per clause 2 of Article 27 of the Law on Examination and Treatment 2023;

+ Where it is necessary to verify whether the applicant participates in medical knowledge updating programs run by a qualified foreign entity or organization, the duration of decision to renew the practic license shall be 15 days from the day on which verification results are available.

2. Procedures for renewing medical practicing licenses in Vietnam

According to Clause 2 of Article 134 of Decree 96/2023/NĐ-CP, the procedures for renewing medical practicing licenses are as follows:

- The applicant for the license renewal must submit a set of documents as prescribed and pay the fees as required by the law on fees and charges to the licensing authority at least 60 days before the expiration of the medical practicing licenses.

In cases of illness, accidents, or force majeure at the time of submitting the renewal documents, a written notice must be given to the licensing authority to postpone the submission of the renewal documents.

The medical practitioner may request multiple postponements for the renewal, but the total period of postponement shall not exceed 22 months from the date of expiration of the medical practicing licenses.

- From the date of receiving the complete documents until the expiration date stated on the medical practicing licenses, the licensing authority is responsible for carrying out the renewal or must provide a written response stating the reason for not carrying out the renewal. If there is no written response by the expiration date stated on the medical practicing licenses, the medical practicing licenses shall continue to be valid as prescribed.

- In cases where it is necessary to verify the continuous updating of medical knowledge by the medical practitioner according to a program implemented by foreign agencies or organizations, the deadline for completing the renewal procedure is 15 days from the date of verification results.

3. Documents for renewing medical practicing licenses in Vietnam

The documents for renewing medical practicing licenses for professional titles such as doctors, nurses, midwives, medical technicians, clinical nutritionists, clinical psychologists, and peripheral emergency technicians include:

- Application according to Form 08 in Appendix I issued together with Decree 96/2023/NĐ-CP.

- Valid copy of the issued medical practicing licenses (not applicable to cases where the medical practicing licenses has been connected and shared on the Health Examination and Treatment Activity Management Information System or the national health database).

- Documentation proving the continuous updating of medical knowledge in medical examination and treatment as regulated by the Minister of Health (not applicable to cases where the results of continuous updating of medical knowledge have been connected and shared on the Health Examination and Treatment Activity Management Information System or the national health database).

- Health examination certificate issued by a qualified medical facility (not applicable to cases where the assessment of capacity results has been connected and shared on the Health Examination and Treatment Activity Management Information System or the national health database) or a copy of the labor permit for cases where a labor permit is required as prescribed by the Labor Law.

(Clause 1 of Article 134 of Decree 96/2023/NĐ-CP)

Nguyen Ngoc Que Anh

>> CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE IN VIETNAMESE