Will doctors have to take a competency test to be able to practice abroad?

(Dan Tri) - According to the Minister of Health, Vietnam does not have a national exam to issue medical practice certificates like many developed countries. When countries recognize each other's degrees, Vietnamese doctors can practice abroad.

On the afternoon of June 26, at the ceremony announcing the decision to appoint members of the National Medical Council for the 2025-2030 term, Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan assessed that the establishment of the National Medical Council is very necessary.

According to the head of the health sector, in the trend of globalization and international integration, standardizing doctors' capacity and medical titles is an urgent requirement to recognize degrees and certificates among countries; creating conditions for Vietnamese doctors and medical staff to practice abroad and vice versa.

Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan (Photo: An Nhien).

"Currently, Vietnam does not have a national exam to grant medical practice certificates like many developed countries. The establishment of the National Medical Council aims to organize an exam to assess medical practice capacity according to international standards, creating an independent and objective inspection system," said the Minister of Health.

According to Ms. Lan, having an independent assessment agency will force medical training institutions to improve teaching quality and output, avoiding the situation of "mass training".

"Only those with professional qualifications and ethics will be granted a practice license. The National Medical Council will contribute to more closely controlling compliance with ethical standards, expertise and medical examination and treatment procedures," Ms. Lan assessed.

Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan congratulates members of the National Medical Council (Photo: An Nhien).

On the afternoon of June 26, 33 comrades were appointed as members of the National Medical Council. These are all leading experts in many fields, from cardiovascular, oncology, respiratory, endocrinology... who have extensive experience in management and professional activities, and have high prestige in the medical sector and at their work units.

"The National Medical Council will advise the Government and the Ministry of Health to standardize, professionalize and modernize the Vietnamese health sector, from training to practice, ensuring people's rights and integrating with international standards," the Minister of Health informed.

The Minister of Health assigned the National Medical Council to urgently develop a set of tools to assess medical examination and treatment practice capacity and a process to assess medical examination and treatment practice capacity based on science, applying high technology, ensuring objectivity, transparency, and conformity with Vietnamese practice and international development.

It is necessary to strengthen coordination with medical training institutions, medical examination and treatment facilities, and medical professional associations to move towards the goal of improving training quality, ensuring that medical students nationwide, upon graduation, must meet competency standards and be able to practice independently and safely...

In addition, the Council also has the task of enhancing scientific research, learning international experience, strongly applying information technology, digital transformation and artificial intelligence; playing an important role in improving the quality of medical human resources, making an important contribution to the cause of caring for and protecting people's health.

According to the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment, the National Medical Council will carry out the task of examining and evaluating the capacity to practice medical examination and treatment according to the roadmap from January 1, 2027 for doctors; from January 1, 2028 for physicians, nurses, midwives; from January 1, 2029 for medical technicians, clinical nutritionists, outpatient emergency workers and clinical psychologists...

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/suc-khoe/bac-si-se-phai-thi-danh-gia-nang-luc-co-the-hanh-nghe-o-nuoc-ngoai-20250626180020379.htm