The minimum score for health majors has decreased: What will the standard score be?

The decrease in the minimum score for health majors is something that universities have predicted right after the high school graduation exam results were released. Although the decrease is not deep, the standard scores certainly have a deep differentiation.

Yesterday, July 22, the Ministry of Education and Training announced the decision to determine the threshold to ensure input quality (floor score) for health training and teacher training groups. For teacher training groups, the score is equivalent to last year (except for preschool education at college level, down 0.5 points compared to last year). For health groups, the floor score is reduced by 2 points. This is also a move that Thanh Nien Newspaper as well as universities predicted right after the 2025 high school graduation exam results were released.

N RECRUITMENT SOURCE B00 IS LOWER THAN TOTAL TARGET OF HEALTH INDUSTRY

Based on the exam score data of the Ministry of Education and Training, the score range of the B00 combination is very low compared to the score ranges of other traditional combinations. This is the combination mainly used for admission to the health sector, especially for medical majors (medicine, traditional medicine, dentistry, preventive medicine). There are 3 factors that make up a very low B00 combination like this year. First of all, the exam questions of the 3 subjects that make up the B00 combination (math, chemistry, biology) are all subjects with lower average and median scores than last year. In addition, the math subject is considered difficult when most candidates scored below average. In addition, biology has the lowest number of candidates registered for the exam among the subjects that make up the 5 traditional admission combinations.

Comparison of B00 recruitment sources in 3 years

GRAPHICS: PHAM THANH HA

According to the Ministry of Education and Training, this year, 69,895 candidates nationwide took the biology exam. However, only 44,964 candidates took all three subjects of math, chemistry, and biology, meeting the requirements to participate in the B00 group; of which, 33,325 candidates scored 15 points or higher. According to the Department of Science, Technology and Training, Ministry of Health , in 2024, the health sector will recruit more than 46,000 university students. This year, the total university enrollment target for the health sector has increased to about 53,000. Thus, in general, the health sector does not have enough candidates with the B00 group to enroll. This will be an opportunity for candidates with other groups (A00, A01, D07, D01) to "flood" into the bachelor's programs of the health sector (nursing, diagnostic imaging techniques, rehabilitation techniques, ophthalmological refractive techniques, etc.).

But considering the medical majors (which are majors that mainly use B00 candidates, or combinations with students, only a few schools also use A00 candidates), we can see how serious the shortage of candidates for these majors is. Last year, the quota for medical majors was 6,000, this year it has increased to nearly 17,000. The quota for medical majors alone (the major with the highest standard score in the health sector) is about 12,000. Last year, for public schools, the lowest standard score for medical majors was nearly 25 points. According to the B00 combination score spectrum this year, at 24.75 points, only 4,498 students nationwide achieved this level (last year, 23,208 students achieved this level).

This year, the Ministry of Education and Training has set the minimum score for medicine and dentistry at 20.5 points (excluding priority points). According to the B00 combination score spectrum, the whole country has 14,690 candidates achieving this score. Meanwhile, last year, the national target for these two majors was 13,397. This year, there are no complete statistics, but it is likely that these two majors will recruit about 15,000 candidates. Thus, if we consider the raw score factor (exam score), even if all candidates with a B00 combination score of 20.5 points or higher nationwide apply for the two majors of medicine and dentistry, these two majors will still face the risk of not recruiting enough candidates.

This year, there are no complete statistics yet, but it is likely that the medical and dental sectors will recruit about 15,000 students.

Photo: Pham Huu

QUALITY FIRST

According to Associate Professor Le Dinh Tung, Vice Rector of Hanoi Medical University, a member of the advisory board advising the Ministry of Education and Training in deciding the minimum score for the health sector, the board also recognized the recruitment source issues as analyzed by Thanh Nien Newspaper. However, the issue that the board members are most concerned about is the factor of ensuring the quality of training in this sector, especially for medical professions. Due to the special nature of this profession, people working in this profession have a direct impact on human life, so all factors ensuring the quality of this sector, including admission, must meet high requirements.

Associate Professor Nguyen Duy Cuong, Principal of Thai Binh University of Medicine and Pharmacy, said that the school's viewpoint is to support the minimum level decided by the Ministry of Education and Training. The school's medical standard score this year may decrease compared to last year (last year it was 26.17 points), but the school will try not to drop too close to the minimum level. In the most unfavorable situation, Thai Binh University of Medicine and Pharmacy accepts to enroll less than its quota to maintain the quality corresponding to the school's current position.

The representative of the Ministry of Health participating in the meeting with the advisory council also expressed his views on the quality of training. With the current situation of training human resources for the health sector at universities, the health sector is not under pressure to increase the number of doctors. Basically, the training quota for doctors in the past has met the human resource needs of the sector. There are some fields with a shortage of bachelors, notably nursing.

Up to now, the cashew industry has not had a very high minimum score requirement. Last year it was 19 points, this year it is 17. Moreover, most universities recruit multiple combinations for nursing (mainly B00 and A00). Therefore, if considering the source of recruitment for this industry, consider the A00 combination (math, physics, chemistry) and not just B00 or combinations with biology. According to data from the Ministry of Education and Training, the whole country has 111,319 candidates with 17 points or more in the A00 combination. Thus, the problem of recruitment sources for the industry that needs the most growth in the health sector has been solved.

Floor score for health and education majors

Yesterday morning, the Ministry of Education and Training announced the issuance of decisions on floor scores in 2025 for health and teacher training groups.

Specifically as follows: For the health sector with a practice certificate, the quality assurance threshold for the medical and dental sectors is 20.5 points (down 2 points compared to last year); the pharmaceutical and traditional medicine sectors are 19 points ; the health sectors including: nursing, preventive medicine, midwifery, medical testing techniques, medical imaging techniques, rehabilitation techniques, dental prosthetic techniques are 17 points . Thus, all sectors in the health sector this year have decreased by 2 points.

For teacher training majors, the minimum score for university level is 19 points . For physical education, sports training, music pedagogy, and fine arts pedagogy, the minimum score is 18 points for the combination of 3 cultural subjects. Other combination of admissions are implemented according to current admission regulations.

The minimum score for admission to the college-level preschool education program is 16.5 points for the combination of 3 cultural subjects. Other combination of admissions are implemented according to current admission regulations.

The above floor scores are the 2025 high school graduation exam scores for candidates in region 3 with the minimum score (without coefficient) of all combinations of 3 exams/subjects, including candidates taking the 2018 general education program and 2006 high school.

THERE ARE STILL VERY HIGH STANDARD SCORES

However, considering the high score level (from 26.5 points and above), the recruitment source of group B00 this year is not much different from previous years (this year, 1,661 students passed, last year, 3,862). Even the higher the score level, the narrower the recruitment source gap between years. At the 27 point level, this year, 1,055 students passed, last year, 1,962 students passed. At the 27.5 point level, this year, 613 students passed, last year, 910 students passed. At the 28 point level, this year and last year are equivalent, 311 (2025) and 363 students.

Thus, for schools that had high medical standards (27 or higher) in previous years, this year it is likely that the standards will remain the same as before. At least it will only decrease by 0.5 - 1 point. Hanoi Medical University, this year for the first time has a policy of rewarding points for PhDs with IELTS certificates, with a bonus of 1 - 2 points, so the medical standards may be even higher than last year (last year the medical standards were 28.27).

According to Associate Professor Le Dinh Tung, the majors with benchmark scores of 28 points or higher last year may not have much change this year. The majors with benchmark scores of 27 - 28 last year may have some changes following a downward trend. From below 28 to 27, there will be a slight decrease. But from below 27 to 26, there will be a greater decrease. Below 26 points, especially below 25, there will be a significant decrease. However, Associate Professor Nguyen Van Khai, Principal of Hai Phong University of Medicine and Pharmacy, still affirmed that the benchmark score of his school's medical major this year will still be at a fairly good level (last year, the benchmark score of the school's medical major, B00 was 26, A00 was 25.57).

Aspirational strategies increase your chances of being accepted

At 2:00 p.m. on July 23, Thanh Nien Newspaper will organize an online television consultation program "Strategy for setting aspirations to increase the chance of being admitted". The program will take place simultaneously on the channels: thanhnien.vn , Facebook, YouTube channel, and TikTok Thanh Nien Newspaper.

* Phase 1 ( 2:10 p.m. - 3:10 p.m. ) includes experts: Dr. Vo Thanh Hai , Permanent Deputy Director of Duy Tan University; MSc. Truong Thi Ngoc Bich , Director of Information and Communication Center, University of Economics and Finance, Ho Chi Minh City; MSc. Nguyen Hoang Quan , Director of Admissions Consulting Center, Van Hien University; MSc. Truong Quang Tri , Deputy Head of Student Affairs Department, Nguyen Tat Thanh University.

* Phase 2 (3:20 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.) includes experts: Dr. Le Xuan Truong , Vice Principal of Ho Chi Minh City Open University; Master Vo Ngoc Nhon , Deputy Director of Admissions Consulting Center, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology; Master Nguyen Thi Kim Phung , Deputy Director of Admissions and Corporate Relations Center, University of Finance and Marketing; Master Chung Quoc Phong , Head of Admissions Department, Ho Chi Minh City University of Foreign Languages and Information Technology.

Bao Han

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/diem-san-khoi-nganh-suc-khoe-giam-diem-chuan-se-ra-sao-185250722222359302.htm