Supply falling short of demand
In Viet Nam, resident doctor training began in 1974. To date, 13 out of 34 medical and pharmaceutical universities nationwide have been licensed to offer this specialised programme. By the end of 2025, a total of 8,441 resident doctors had been trained, with an additional 1,276 expected to graduate in 2026. Two universities — Ha Noi Medical University and the University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City — have long-standing traditions in this field and account for the majority of graduates.
In hospitals, resident doctors represent a high-quality workforce, playing a core role in medical examination and treatment, emergency and intensive care, as well as participating in training, technology transfer to lower-level facilities, student supervision, and scientific research.
A key factor behind the success of the resident doctor training model in Viet Nam lies in its transparent, fair, and competitive admission process, including the selection of specialties.
The training process is rigorous, with most learning taking place not in lecture halls but in clinical settings at hospitals. Instructors closely guide, mentor, supervise and transfer knowledge, skills, and professional attitudes to trainees. Due to strict requirements in admissions, selection criteria, and training processes, the number of resident doctors admitted each year accounts for only about 4–5% of total medical graduates.
As a high-quality yet limited workforce, nearly all resident doctors are employed at central and top-tier hospitals after graduation. Currently, hospitals at all levels — including central hospitals — continue to face shortages and high demand for resident doctors.
A recent survey conducted by the University of Medicine and Pharmacy (Viet Nam National University, Ha Noi) across more than 30 central and local hospitals (including Bach Mai, E, Viet Nam National Children’s Hospital, Nghe An, Phu Tho, and Thanh Hoa) shows that demand for resident doctors in 2026 and 2027 could reach approximately 7,500 positions, with some hospitals needing up to 400.
From a local management perspective, Dr. Le Van Cuong, Director of the Thanh Hoa Department of Health, suggested increasing the proportion of resident doctors from the current 4–5% to around 10% in the future to meet demand from provincial level upwards. However, this would require financial support mechanisms for trainees and appropriate workforce distribution.
In addition to hospital demand, the Party, State, National Assembly, and Government have issued important directives emphasising the development of healthcare human resources in both quantity and quality — particularly high-quality specialised personnel and workforce development for commune-level health stations in line with the two-tier local government model.
Comprehensive reform of resident doctor training
Viet Nam is currently facing two major challenges: increasing the number of specialised doctors to meet social demand while ensuring quality for international integration. As a result, the resident doctor training model must be reformed.
Assessing the “opportunity” for reform of resident doctor training, leaders of major hospitals — including the National Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Hospital of Odonto-Stomatology, E Hospital, and National Hospital of Dermatology — agree that now is an appropriate time for reform. However, they emphasise the need for a detailed roadmap, potentially spanning decades, covering enrolment expansion, curriculum restructuring, training formats and duration, entrance and graduation examinations, lecturer standards, and clinical training conditions. Despite growing demand, maintaining input quality remains the most critical factor.
Prof. Dr., People’s Doctor Le Ngoc Thanh, Rector of the University of Medicine and Pharmacy (Viet Nam National University, Ha Noi), stated that comprehensive and synchronised reform is needed to both meet social demand and support international integration.
Thanh stated that resident doctor training must be regarded as a crucial stage for developing specialised professional expertise. He proposed establishing a national competency examination to rank candidates, serving as a basis for selecting specialties and training hospitals. This would ensure transparency and fairness while enabling more effective allocation of high-quality medical human resources. Under this proposal, undergraduate training would last six years, followed by postgraduate training of three to five years depending on the specialty.
Sharing a similar view, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Huu Tu, Rector of Ha Noi Medical University, noted that resident doctor training worldwide has undergone significant changes. He suggested defining resident training as deep specialisation lasting four to five years, alongside adjustments to admission criteria. The National Medical Council is preparing to organise a nationwide competency assessment exam by the end of 2027, which training institutions could integrate into their processes.
Prof. Dr. Nguyen Trung Kien, Rector of Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy, emphasised that reform must follow a clear roadmap but should not be delayed further if Viet Nam aims to integrate internationally. He proposed integrating competency assessments, entrance exams for specialised training, and professional licensing exams to reduce pressure on learners, optimise resources, and improve management efficiency.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Tri Thuc, Deputy Minister of Health, stated that for the first time, the title of resident doctor has been included in law. The 2025 Law on Higher Education stipulates that specialised postgraduate programmes in health fields will award degrees such as resident doctor and specialist doctor, with implementation guided and managed by the Minister of Health. This creates an urgent need to amend Decree No. 111/2017/ND-CP on practical training in health education and to issue guidelines for implementing specialised postgraduate programmes, thereby tightening quality control and avoiding uncontrolled programme expansion.
Currently, the legal framework for resident doctor training is entering a critical phase. The Ministry of Health will issue guidelines focusing on two main pillars: standardised training programmes by specialty and criteria for clinical training hospitals based on their capacity.
Prof. Dr. Nguyen Vu Quoc Huy, Rector of the University of Medicine and Pharmacy (Hue University), suggested that regulatory frameworks should establish common competency standards while allowing flexibility in implementation across specialties and institutions. Some specialties require longer training durations, similar to international models, and Viet Nam should adopt a tiered approach rather than a rigid uniform structure.
