Hanoi Medical University
17-01-2007
Hanoi Medical University (HMU) is a large and oldest University in Vietnam.
The Hanoi Medical University (HMU) was established in 1902. It is the oldest and most influential medical school in Vietnam. Although it has a long tradition of producing high quality medical doctors, it is also in the forefront of modernization and development of medical education in Vietnam.
HMU has at present two main faculties in addition to the medical school; they are Public Health and Traditional Medicine. The other 74 units directly under the Board of Directors of HMU include 19 administration and support offices, 8 departments of basic science, 11 departments of basic medicine, 23 departments of clinical medicine and at least 13 projects offices and centers of specialized scientific research.
The staff at HMU number 917 at present. Of these, 524 are academic staff, including 31 professors, 68 assistant professors, 184 with PhD degree, 195 with Master degree and 90 with other postgraduate qualifications.
HMU currently offers a wide range of training programs in all levels of tertiary medical education: graduate degrees in general medicine, traditional medicine, dentistry, bachelor’s degree in public health, nursing and medical technology, specialization degree levels I and II in all clinical fields and basic medical sciences, and PhD and master degrees in public health, clinical medicine as well as basic medical sciences.
In the academic year 2004-2005, Hanoi Medical University had:
- 2124 undergraduate students, including 1706 general medical and 418 BSc students and
- 2991 postgraduate students, including 298 PhD and 1,028 master students.
The relatively high proportion of postgraduate students compared to other medical schools is one indicator of the high level of proficiency and accomplishment at HMU.
HMU is an academic institution whose aim is to excel in all training programs in order to provide high quality human resources for the health sector. HMU also has a mission to conduct high-level research in public health, clinical medicine and basic medical sciences at the national and ministry levels. At the same time HMU contributes to community health services, both primary health care and high-tech care.
HMU has ongoing collaborative activities in teaching, training, scientific research and academic services with all of the medical faculties and most of the central medical institutions and hospitals in Vietnam. HMU also cooperates with institutions and universities from other countries, such as The Netherlands, Sweden, France, USA, Russia, Germany, Australia, Japan, and neighbouring countries like Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and the Philippines. There is also a working relationship with international organizations like WHO and UNFPA and with non-governmental organizations like Medical Committee Netherlands-Vietnam, Plan International, Pathfinder International, Medicins du Monde and others in shorter or longer term projects.
All of these accomplishments and tasks, especially its role as lead faculty for the management of the two long-term projects among first four and then eight medical faculties, make HMU the obvious choice for the leading role in coordinating the Centres of Excellence Program. This role for HMU was also proposed by the Deans of the other faculties during the meeting in Hanoi in January 2006. HMU is proud to assume this responsibility and believes that it can ensure efficient and effective implementation of the project.
Over the years, the HMU has gained and retained its strengths in high quality education and training, high quality research in medicine and high quality health services. It has become a university of key importance at national level. Recently, the Ministry of Health assigned HMU to be a centre for training ‘Talented Doctors’ for the country. To respond to this new task, HMU has to continue to build on its strong points in medical education, research and health services, as well as in international cooperation and collaborations.
