Overloaded medical practice training: Consequences of 'hot development'

HOT GROWTH

According to many experts in health training, recently, health sector recruitment and training have shown signs of rapid growth, while quality assurance conditions are still inadequate, especially in terms of practice conditions. In particular, dentistry is considered one of the "hottest" developing majors in the health sector today.

Students majoring in dentistry at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy - Vietnam National University, Hanoi practice at the school's dental clinic.

PHOTO: QUY HIEN

In a recent workshop organized by the Ministry of Health at Hanoi Medical University on the topic of organizing practical training in health sector training, when talking about the difficulties, Associate Professor Tong Minh Son, Institute of Dentistry Training, Hanoi Medical University, complained that one of the difficulties of practical training in this major is the rapid increase in the number of students. "In 2018, when I reported at a conference, there were only 12 schools nationwide (training in dentistry - PV). Now there are about 20 schools. In 2023, the country's dental enrollment target is about 1,800. By 2024, it will be about 2,400. After a year of increasing 600 targets, this is a very large increase," Associate Professor Tong Minh Son shared, then added: "We need to control the number of enrollments. In just one year, with that many targets, that is a problem."

Dr. Pham Thanh Ha, Deputy Director of the Central Hospital of Odonto-Stomatology, also expressed: "The current reality is that the number of regular students (majoring in dentistry - PV) is too large. Last year, 2,400 students were recruited. Meanwhile, the major of dentistry is very specific. In countries around the world, even the largest schools in the world, they only train about 40 - 50 students per course. Yet we have schools that enroll up to 200 - 300 students per course. From the perspective of the employer, we are extremely concerned about the quality of training. Many students who graduate can only do very simple techniques. Therefore, we suggest that in the future, when the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education and Training need to regulate enrollment quotas, they must take into account the number of students who can practice clinically...".

MANY APPLICATIONS ARE QUALIFICATE BUT ONLY ON PAPER

Mr. Nguyen Ngo Quang, Director of the Department of Science, Technology and Training (KHCN-DT), Ministry of Health, said that in reality, in the process of working with the Ministry of Education and Training to appraise the application files to open training codes in the health sector of a number of schools, the representative of the Department of Science, Technology and Training also found that there were many qualified applications but only on paper.

In response to the proposal of universities and hospitals to issue strict regulations related to the ability to ensure the organization of quality practice activities, Mr. Nguyen Ngo Quang said that when amending Decree 111 of the Government regulating the organization of practice training in health sector training, the editorial board will try to include the content of the Government requesting the Ministry of Health to specify specific and detailed conditions, such as ensuring how many practice conditions

Only students/hospital beds can open majors or train... In addition, the Ministry of Health is currently assigned to draft a training decree for specific specialized fields, with the spirit of making reasonable proposals, the ultimate goal is to ensure the quality of training human resources in the medical industry.

"The ultimate goal is how we can ensure the quality of human resource training," said Mr. Nguyen Ngo Quang, adding: "I also do not imagine that in 5-10 years, my teachers and I will retire, and we will get sick and go to the hospital. The doctors and nurses who treat and care for us will make medical mistakes. And they are all our students, so how will we explain to society then?"

Dentistry students practice. This is considered one of the hottest developing majors in the health sector today.

Photo: Pham Huu

MONITORING DEPENDS ON MINISTRY OF HEALTH

According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy, Deputy Director in charge of the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education and Training, one of the typical manifestations in health sector training is training associated with practice. For medical training, in addition to the general regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training, Decree 111 is a very important basis. Regulations on training, from developing training programs to opening new training programs, to organizing training implementation, are all associated with Decree 111.

Ms. Thuy said: "The Ministry of Education and Training's consideration of allowing training institutions to open new training programs is also linked to the criteria requirements in Decree 111. Although training institutions are autonomous, when a new health major is opened, according to the Law on Higher Education, that application needs to receive approval from the Ministry of Education and Training as well as the Ministry of Health.

Therefore, every time a dossier is sent to the Ministry of Education and Training, there must always be consensus, or in other words, there must be an inspection to ensure the standards and conditions for both practice and internship. At that time, if the Ministry of Health has any comments, the Ministry of Education and Training will consider it. The consideration is based on whether the practice and internship facilities are suitable for the development of the training program, from the program stage to the training organization, and whether they are associated with the practice and internship conditions that the Ministry of Health has commented on or not."

Ms. Thuy also added that the Ministry of Education and Training is being assigned by the Government to amend the Law on University Education. Decree 111 is related to training but also to medical examination and treatment. Therefore, in the coming time, when amending the Law on University Education, the Ministry of Education and Training will have to consult with universities that provide training in the health sector to consider both specific fields and what regulations the health sector needs to be regulated by law, in order to have a connection between Decree 11 and the Law on University Education. This is to ensure the conformity and consistency of the Law on University Education with the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment, as well as with the provisions in Decree 111.

Another issue, according to Ms. Thuy, in the context of universities being able to exercise autonomy now, the state will have to have monitoring tools. For example, what are the minimum standard conditions to ensure the quality of training in the health sector? "Therefore, we hope that the drafting committee of the revised Decree 111 will try to review so that the Ministry of Health has monitoring tools in managing training in specific fields, while still ensuring the implementation of the general requirements of the university education system," she said.

In addition, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education and Training are working together to develop training program standards. This will also play an important role when linked to the regulations in Decree 111.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/qua-tai-dao-tao-thuc-hanh-nganh-y-he-luy-cua-phat-trien-nong-185250411223839704.htm