When practicing medicine, it cannot be just an administrative procedure
In response to information related to the organization of practice to grant a practice license at Ho Chi Minh City Traditional Medicine Hospital. Thereby, there are two cases that have graduated as traditional medicine doctors, are currently hospital employees and have a practice license as traditional medicine doctors. The hospital has signed a 12-month practice contract for these doctors to participate in the practice program according to the provisions of the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment 2023 and Decree No. 96/2023/ND-CP, to meet the conditions for applying for a practice license as a traditional medicine doctor.
Through people's feedback, the Hospital admitted that at some times, the arrangement of practitioners to participate in supporting professional activities was not completely consistent with the approved practice assignment schedule. The hospital has organized a review, clarified shortcomings and committed not to recognize practice periods that are not in accordance with regulations, and at the same time arranged to fully supplement practice periods according to plan, content and duration.
A representative of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health said that current law does not prohibit people who are employees at medical examination and treatment facilities from participating in the practice program to apply for a practice license in accordance with their professional qualifications. However, the organization of practice must be strictly managed, transparent, and in accordance with regulations; absolutely do not legalize documents, do not overlap the practice period.
job title cannot replace professional ability
According to Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Thi Bay - Former Head of the Department of Medicine, Department of Traditional Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ho Chi Minh City, the core issue in the development of traditional medicine today is not the choice of Traditional Medicine or Western Medicine, but the quality of training and professional responsibility of doctors.
She emphasized that the current system has shifted to a model of regular, long-term doctor training, standardized and centralized through practice certificates. This is an important step forward to ensure that medical practitioners have a solid scientific foundation, are well-trained and under the management of the State. However, in reality, there are still many shortcomings in implementation.
According to Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Thi Bay, the 6-year training program only provides basic knowledge. The 18-month practice period to be granted a practice certificate should have been a period of professional training with guidance, supervision, and capacity assessment. However, at many facilities, this period has been transformed into "unpaid labor", lacking systematic training, lacking hands-on direction, forcing young doctors to accumulate their own experience disjointedly.
Medical training cannot stop at having enough administrative time. If the background knowledge is not solid, clinical thinking is not complete, then patients will be the ones to bear the risk," Ms. Bay frankly said.
Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Thi Bay also believes that traditional medicine doctors - especially oriented doctors combining East - West medicine - must have a comprehensive, scientific view of the human body, grasp the economics, physiology, and disease progression according to modern medicine. The difference lies only in the treatment method, not in the diagnostic approach.
She noted that combining Eastern - Western medicine is not "using both at the same time to give enough", nor is it "every little". The use of East Medicine, Western Medicine or non-medical methods must be based on in-depth understanding of pharmacology, pharma dynamics and treatment interaction. If done uncontrollably, the patient will have to bear the consequences.
From long-term teaching and practice experience, Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Thi Bay affirmed: standardizing training and practice certificates is not only a management requirement, but a safety protection fence for patients. A medical school that wants sustainable development cannot rely on individual experience or a title, but must rely on practical training, professional ethics and professional responsibility of each doctor.
