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Review
. 2022 Jul 18:27:100543.
doi: 10.1016/j.lanwpc.2022.100543. eCollection 2022 Oct.

Transforming medical education to strengthen the health professional training in Viet Nam: A case study

Tuan D Tran  1 , Phuc M Vu  1 , Hong T M Pham  1 , Luan N Au  1 , Hung P Do  1 , Hoa T T Doan  1 , Nghia Huynh  1 , Quynh T V Huynh  1 , Bao K Le  1 , Dat Q Ngo  1 , Hanh T M Nguyen  1 , Khanh D Nguyen  1 , Nghia A Nguyen  1 , Phong H Nguyen  1 , Tuan A Nguyen  1 , Thang C Tran  1 , Hoa N Chau  1 , Lan N Vuong  1 , Nu V Vu  2
Affiliations
Review

Transforming medical education to strengthen the health professional training in Viet Nam: A case study

Tuan D Tran et al. Lancet Reg Health West Pac. .

Erratum in

Abstract

The competency-based undergraduate curriculum reform at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Faculty of Medicine (UMP-FM) is detailed and reviewed in reference to the instructional and institutional reforms, and enabling actions recommended by the Lancet 2010 Commission for Health Professional Education. Key objectives are to: revise the overall 6-year curriculum to be more integrated and competency-based; reinforce students' knowledge application, problem-solving, clinical competence, self-directed learning and soft skills; develop a comprehensive and performance-based student assessment programme; and establish a comprehensive quality monitoring programme to facilitate changes and improvements. New features include early introduction to the practice of medicine, family- and community-based medicine, professionalism, interprofessional education, electives experiences, and a scholarly project. Institutional reform introduces a faculty development programme, joint planning mechanism, a "culture of critical inquiry", and a transparent faculty reward system. Lessons learnt from the curriculum reform at UMP-FM could be helpful to medical schools from low- and middle-income countries considering transitioning from a traditional to a competency-based curriculum.

Funding: This work receives no external funding.

Keywords: Clinical competence; Competency-based education; Curriculum development; Curriculum governance; Curriculum implementation; Faculty development; Health professional education; Institutional governance; Medical education reform; Organisational structure.

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Conflict of interest statement

We declare no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Application of the RIME (reporter, investigator, manager, and educator) model to curriculum reform. PE, physical examination.
Figure 2
Figure 2
New curriculum map. GI, gastro-intestinal system; HCM, Ho Chi Minh; PE, physical examination. Green box: general education; blue box: basic medical education; orange box: medical education; dark blue arrow: horizontally integrated; purple arrow: vertically integrated; continuous line: directly relevant; broken line: indirectly relevant. dark red borders: core clerkship; dark blue borders: secondary clerkship; dark yellow borders: electives.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Structure of the new faculty.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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