Experts say that waiving tuition fees for medical students is a human resource policy, but it also creates a lack of equality with other majors.
Recently, the Ministry of Health proposed that the Government consider supporting 100% of tuition fees and living expenses for medical students, similar to the current Pedagogy students.
Strategic investment in health resources
Master Duong Xuan Tung, Principal of Hanoi College of Pharmacy, supported the proposal of the Ministry of Health. According to him, Vietnam is facing a serious shortage of medical personnel, especially in remote areas.
At the same time, the enormous pressures that healthcare workers have endured during the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted the urgency of greater investment in human resources in this sector.
The principal of Hanoi College of Pharmacy said that supporting tuition and living expenses is not only an encouraging policy, but also demonstrates a strategic investment in future medical human resources. If this proposal becomes a reality, it will not only reduce the financial burden on students but also encourage many young people with the ability and passion to choose this particular industry.
The Ministry of Health proposes to support 100% of tuition fees and living expenses for medical students. (Illustration photo)
“It should be emphasized that the medical training program lasts longer than most other majors, requiring investment in time, effort and money. This is also the reason why many students, despite their love for medicine, have to give up because their families cannot afford it,” said Mr. Tung, who hopes that this support policy will be implemented, not only as a motivation but also as a commitment from the state to those who contribute to public health in the future.
Sharing the same view, Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Van Manh, Vice Principal of Hai Phong University of Medicine and Pharmacy, said that in reality, taking the entrance exam to the medical field is difficult, the study time is long, and the high tuition fees become a big barrier for many students who want to pursue it.
After graduation, students need to continue practicing their profession for 12 months, and study for at least 18-24 months before they can practice. Thus, the medical profession takes about 8-9 years from the time they enter school until they can practice. Therefore, it is necessary to support students to be able to follow the profession and improve the quality of training.
Support needs to come with commitment
Meanwhile, Dr. Le Viet Khuyen, Vice President of the Association of Vietnamese Universities and Colleges, acknowledged that the policy of exempting tuition fees for medical students is not feasible. According to him, all countries are currently following the trend of promoting socialization and reducing the state budget. Even highly developed countries still have tuition fee payment systems.
“With expensive training courses such as Medicine and Pharmacy, without contributions from social resources, it will create great pressure on the State budget. Our country's social welfare is still low, and tuition exemption is not feasible,” Mr. Khuyen emphasized.
Every field of study needs priority, but that priority should be given to the right person, for the right job. Children from poor families and those who have contributed to the country are the ones who should be exempted from tuition fees.
Experts say the policy of exempting tuition fees for medical students is not feasible. (Illustration photo)
Mr. Khuyen also said that if medical tuition is exempted, it will create unfairness to other professions. Because there are still many equally important fields of study such as information technology, semiconductor industry... that have been and are contributing greatly to the development of the country, but human resources are also seriously lacking.
On the other hand, when implementing tuition exemption, if there are no specific sanctions, it is difficult to link the rights with the responsibilities of learners.
“Medical students who are exempted from tuition fees must commit to working in the right field after graduation, following the State’s designation and assignment, and even be willing to work in disadvantaged areas. Without such a commitment, priority should only be given to those who need it, not to everyone,” said Dr. Khuyen.
This person proposed that instead of 100% tuition exemption, it should be replaced by a policy of granting scholarships to students from difficult circumstances who have good and outstanding academic ability. In addition, the school can provide loans to students to reduce the economic burden, so that they can study with peace of mind and devote themselves to their profession.
Discussing the issue of post-graduation employment commitment for medical students, MSc. Duong Xuan Tung added that 100% support for tuition and living expenses requires large financial resources. To ensure effectiveness, this policy needs to be accompanied by specific commitments from students. This helps solve the shortage of human resources in the regions, ensures state investment capital, and brings specific values to society.
“Supporting students in the Pedagogy major has achieved some success in the past, but has also met with mixed opinions about some students not sticking with the profession for long. For the medical industry, it is necessary to not only provide financial support, but also create better working conditions and improve post-graduation benefits to retain quality human resources,” Mr. Tung emphasized.
According to statistics from the Ministry of Health, there are 214 medical personnel training institutions nationwide, including 66 universities, 139 vocational training institutions, and 9 doctoral training research institutes. The Ministry of Health manages 22 schools and institutes. The number of doctors graduating in 2023 is 11,297; the number of pharmacists graduating is 8,470 and the number of nurses graduating is 18,178.
Source: https://vtcnews.vn/tranh-luan-trai-chieu-de-xuat-mien-hoc-phi-cho-sinh-vien-nganh-y-ar916523.html
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