The event was attended by the Director of the Department of Health, the Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training of Da Nang, representatives from local hospitals and medical universities, specialists, and leading experts in the field of medicine, as well as faculty and students from the health sector of Dong A University.
Starting from the 2024-2025 academic year, the Medical and Rehabilitation Engineering programs will officially join the health sector at Dong A University, alongside existing strong programs in Nursing, Midwifery, Pharmacy, and Nutrition. According to Decision No. 2198/QĐ-BGDĐT dated August 21, 2024, the Ministry of Education and Training officially permitted Dong A University to enroll and train medical doctors at the undergraduate level. Previously, the university received approval for the Rehabilitation Engineering program under Decision No. 2005/QĐ-BGDĐT dated July 29, 2024.
Dr. Tran Thanh Thuy, Director of the Da Nang Department of Health, congratulated the university on this new development in health science education, emphasizing the importance of high-quality and specialized healthcare human resources. She stated, “The Ministry of Education and Training’s approval for Dong A University to open training programs for general practitioners and rehabilitation engineers is highly practical to meet the workforce demands for healthcare services in Da Nang and the Central Highlands.”
Additionally, she noted, “With the evaluation from the Ministry of Education and Training and the university's specific direction to align with advanced, internationally integrated training standards—such as the school-hospital model, developing experimental centers, and expanding international cooperation—the university is poised to train quality medical doctors and rehabilitation engineers. This will contribute positively to meeting future healthcare workforce standards, not only in Da Nang but also in the Central Highlands.”
She also expressed that this is an opportunity for the university and healthcare facilities to interact more closely, working together in training and utilizing healthcare human resources, thereby enhancing the healthcare services for the community.
During the program, a cooperation agreement for training medical doctors was signed between Dong A University and 199 Hospital of the Ministry of Public Security (Da Nang) and the Northern Mountain Regional General Hospital in Quang Nam. Accordingly, medical students from Dong A University will practice in specialized departments under the guidance and regular assessment of doctors at the practical facilities, following a specific pathway. Students will also practice at the Experimental Center and the Modern Pre-clinical Simulation Center, which are advanced facilities for foundational medicine and medical skills before participating in internships with patients at local hospitals.
Mr. Luong Minh Sam, Chairman of the Board of Dong A University, stated that alongside completing the school-hospital training model, the university is also promoting comprehensive cooperation with Kameda Social Medical Group (Japan) to implement a Japanese-standard international polyclinic project in Da Nang in the near future. Additionally, foreign partners, including universities and hospitals from Japan and South Korea, will send medical experts to teach at Dong A University, while medical students will have opportunities to intern at advanced healthcare facilities abroad.
The university is also preparing the necessary conditions to open additional training programs in the health sciences, such as Dentistry, Medical Technology, Public Health, and Traditional Medicine in the coming years.
According to People's Doctor, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Minh, Vice Rector and Head of the Health Sector at Dong A University, the Medical Doctor training program is structured over six years, built meticulously and updated with global medical advancements. It aims to equip students with excellent expertise and high clinical skills, preparing them to work in multinational environments. The program is benchmarked against domestic and international standards, facilitating continuous education after graduation (Medical Doctor Level 7) leading to professional certification and postgraduate training in two directions: clinical (Specialty 1, Specialty 2) and academic (Doctorate).
Along with a team of skilled instructors, the Medical program at Dong A University has invested in and operates nearly 20 standardized practice laboratories, a modern pre-clinical simulation center, and a network of clinical practice facilities with advanced specialized techniques.
During the announcement ceremony, health students at Dong A University, including the first-year medical students, also gained insights from leading experts in medical training, further strengthening their commitment to professional development and medical ethics, contributing to the mission of protecting and caring for public health.