Many students at Tan Tao University in the southern Vietnamese province of Long An have overcome all types of challenges to achieve excellent performance and success in their education.

Walking with confidence

After six years of studying, Le Hoang Duc Toan, a medical student at Tan Tao University (TTU), is now a practicing physician at Nguyen Tri Phuong Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, as part of the '18-Month High-Quality Practice Program,' a collaboration between the two facilities. The content is almost entirely similar to the residency training curriculum for newly graduated doctors in the United States.

Toan said he and other students had always tried their best since the beginning of their study thanks to the trust and efforts of their teachers, as well as the school’s training strategy and quality commitment, in which developing English skills is one of the top priorities.

During the first two years, the university focuses on teaching its students medical English and communicative English (TOEFL) with the help of Vietnamese and U.S. teachers.

In the following years, students will have many opportunities to talk with famous American lecturers during their internship at Vietnamese hospitals.

“The teaching method of our school is the most important feature as it helps us stand out from medical students from other universities,” Toan said.

“I believe that English proficiency is the fastest way for doctors to be more confident when practicing at hospitals and prepare themselves to work in a global environment."  

For Pham Hoang Gia Nguyen, being a medical student at TTU means she has to be ready to face challenges and everything was very novel to her.

However, the challenges are necessary for students to become more independent and mature.

“What I remember the most is the teachers’ dedication to giving us knowledge and experience,” Nguyen remarked.

Nguyen has registered for a master’s degree in psychology at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities in Ho Chi Minh City to acquire more knowledge and skills for her major in psychiatry.

A learning environment with international standards

Over the past years, the School of Medicine at Tan Tao University has been striving to foster and create the best conditions for students to develop to their full potential.

According to Dr. Pham Nguyen Vinh, head of the Department of Internal Medicine at Tan Tao’s School of Medicine, the three main factors that create the success of students are teachers’ dedication, a breakthrough curriculum, and students’ diligence.

To create a breakthrough curriculum, the School of Medicine has been sending students to the best hospitals in Vietnam for their internship, such as Tam Duc, Binh Dan, Thong Nhat, Nguyen Tri Phuong, and Cho Ray Hospitals, among others.

Students are also provided with a two-month summer course in the U.S., during which they are allowed to do a clerkship at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, Memorial Hermann–Texas Medical Center at the University of Texas in Houston, St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart, Indiana, and Yonsei University, South Korea.

“In addition, Professor Thach Nguyen, vice-rector of TTU, has also helped them in their scientific reports, which are presented at seminars in foreign countries,” Dr. Vinh continued.

“These are the necessary preparations they need if they want to continue their study in the U.S.”

All students who graduated from Tan Tao University last October are now practicing at hospitals in Vietnam.

Directors of these infirmaries are very impressed by the graduates from TTU as they are active, eager to learn, and have good English skills, which is very helpful when it comes to providing healthcare for foreign patients.

Seven medical doctors from Tan Tao are now preparing for the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) in July or October this year, as well as for their interviews for residency at U.S. hospitals in 2021.

Many students at TTU are also prepping for their tests from the International Foundations of Medicine (IFOM®) with the help of many experts at the university.

Training quality is top priority

Developing the School of Medicine is one of the top priorities at TTU, with quality of training ensured to meet Vietnamese and U.S. standards. TTU is also the first to implement bilingual medical training programs in the country.

The important goal is to create a modern training environment capable of integrating with advanced medicine in the world.

According to Prof. Thach Nguyen, learning in both Vietnamese and English helps students easily acquire knowledge from advanced medicine in other countries.

All students are able to intern at the best hospitals in Vietnam, have the opportunity to practice in the U.S., and present their scientific reports at Vietnamese and international seminars.

As a result, students have the expertise and skills as a young American doctor after graduation, helping them become confident, proud, and eager to learn in countries with a leading medical sector.