The Ministry of Health is seeking opinions on a draft circular on training resident doctors and specialist doctors, expected to take effect from January 1, 2027.
According to the proposal, from 2027, there will be no more training for specialist doctors I and II according to the current system.
Instead, there is a unified specialist doctor program, lasting three years for some specialties and four years for surgery.
In other words, this is a change in the way of organizing training and granting diplomas, not abolishing the training of specialist doctors or eliminating the existing staff.
This reform direction aims to create a more unified basis for programs, training standards and organization of specialized training in the health sector.
The program is built according to each major, associated with professional competence and practical conditions, which will help standardize quality.
A specialist doctor needs to be evaluated by their ability to examine, diagnose, treat and handle situations, not just based on study time or the title of the degree.
However, changing a system that has existed for many years cannot just stop at renaming and prolonging study time.
First of all, it is necessary to ensure the rights of those who have graduated from major I, major II, those who have enrolled, are studying according to the old system, and at the same time clarify the transition mechanism so as not to create gaps in degrees, recruitment and practice.
It is necessary to clarify the use of old diplomas in recruitment, appointment, salary ranking and the relationship between specialized diplomas and the conditions and scope of practice according to the law on medical examination and treatment.
It is impossible to let doctors re-study just to maintain recognized rights.
One issue that needs to be considered is the ability to access specialized training programs when the study time is longer. Longer training time means greater opportunity costs for learners and medical facilities, the human resource problem needs to be calculated immediately in policy design.
If the training model requires learners to spend most of their time on intensive training without adequate salary or living support, it can increase opportunity costs and become a factor for a part of doctors to consider continuing to study a specialty.
Hospitals, especially in places lacking human resources, will also have to carefully consider sending doctors for long-term training. The policy sets a goal to improve quality, so it may slow down the addition of specialist doctors to places that need them most.
Therefore, in addition to unified output standards, flexible training forms, practical rotation mechanisms and sufficient financial policies are needed for doctors to feel secure in studying. The determination of training targets also needs to be linked to forecasting human resource needs according to each specialty, each region and each healthcare level.
Specialist doctors are the decisive force in the depth of treatment of the health system, and also play a role in training, technology transfer and capacity building for lower levels.
Reforming the training of specialist doctors is necessary, but the ultimate measure must be that the quality of doctors is improved, learners' rights are guaranteed, and patients everywhere have the opportunity to access specialist doctors to ensure better medical examination and treatment.
