The first international standard residency training program in Vietnam

- Why did you decide to join VinUni in 2017 - when the University was just a bold idea?

Pursuing the Health Sciences major, I have always cherished the dream of building a good training program for medical students, especially BSNT to contribute to changing the medical human resources, serving the community better. With my experience working in the country, I have not had the opportunity to reach that dream, because making it come true is not easy.

When I learned about VinUni with its mission of creating an excellent educational environment of international standards, training talented people to serve society, I saw my opportunity in it. With Vingroup's commitment to investing in healthcare and education, everything seemed to come together at one point, so I decided to join VinUni. Until now, this commitment remains intact, helping me step by step realize my dream.

- When VinUni joined hands with Pennsylvania - the world's leading prestigious university in medical training, how did you feel? How did UPenn support you and VinUni lecturers?

It's really great! UPenn's medical education is among the best in the world. With hundreds of years of experience, UPenn has a standard environment, worthy of learning and bringing the program to VinUni. Currently, VinUni is the first university in Vietnam to pioneer the implementation of a training program according to new competency standards specifically for medical doctors. UPenn's support, as a strategic partner of VinUni, must be said to be comprehensive and maximum, from program development, training lecturers according to standards to have enough capacity to teach according to their program, to accompanying and supporting each lecturer in a personalized way.

They also organized short-term courses for us to go to the US, directly observe the “real-life” environment of UPenn to learn from experience and improve our qualifications. UPenn professors are also willing to meet directly 1:1 to help us overcome difficulties, not only in terms of expertise but also other soft skills, helping VinUni lecturers approach UPenn’s extremely strict standards, helping us find solutions for difficult times, both in work and in life. I truly appreciate that dedication.

- So what about the Ivy League school's BSNT training method impressed you the most?

What impressed me about UPenn professors is not only their top-notch knowledge, but also the way they support students, so that BSNT can develop comprehensively from basic to advanced, step by step. They are very attentive to this.

They also give autonomy to the doctors in training. Traditionally, training doctors is “hands-on”, especially for young doctors who are inexperienced and shy. But UPenn professors are not like that! They know what doctors can do. They trust them with their work, but they always accompany and guide them closely, step by step, so that the doctors can gradually improve their skills.

Status from UPenn's "stamped" training program

- Accompanying VinUni for the past 5 years, how has your dream been gradually realized?

The biggest thing I have realized after 5 years at VinUni is that in order to be successful, in addition to your own efforts, the foundation of the organization and the support of its members are also extremely important. At VinUni, we not only have international standard training programs and facilities, but also have the opportunity to "practice" with the guidance and support of our companions from the world's leading schools.

Students who are doctors go directly to Vinmec Hospital and 108 Hospital to work and train. These are two great environments for students to practice their real profession, one place meets international standards, the other is a public hospital with a large system, helping to increase the experience for students. The school also sends students who are doctors to Austria to participate in short-term training to obtain certificates within the framework of cooperation between VinUni and the Open Medical Institute). The doctors have demonstrated good academic ability, highly appreciated by the international faculty. This can be seen as a launching pad for us to go further in terms of expertise as well as professional skills.

- How have VinUni's BSNT students "transformed" and what do you expect in the next 5-year cooperation period with UPenn?

The new BSNT training program is guaranteed by UPenn to help students gain confidence and appreciation when "practicing" in hospitals. We appreciate this because the hospital environment is very special, directly related to human life. When trust is placed, students are more motivated.

Second, VinUni BSNT students are bringing a new breath of life and creating positive changes for hospitals. Department heads said that they learned a lot from the different thinking and professional working style of VinUni BSNT students, which they then applied to their units. This team also makes a remarkable difference in attitude and soft skills, or confidence in front of people with more experience than themselves, despite their young age, all of which are gradually creating a very new image of the generation of students trained by VinUni.

In the next phase, we expect to expand our cooperation with UPenn, especially in the important area of ​​international standard accreditation that UPenn is building. When the accreditation requirements are met, the qualifications of VinUni graduates will certainly be enhanced, giving them the opportunity to advance further in their careers as well as research and improve their skills. This will be a difficult task, but with VinUni's great determination and UPenn's persistent support, we will certainly achieve the best results.

Thank you!

NGOC LINH