The 'chase' of the 2 hottest residency medical specialties

The developments of the Match Day 2025 event of Hanoi Medical University show that there is a 'chase' in the attractiveness of the two specialties of obstetrics and gynecology and plastic surgery.

This afternoon, September 9th, Hanoi Medical University organized Match Day 2025 (specialty selection) for new doctors who have met the requirements after the entrance exam for the 50th cohort of resident doctors.

Based on the choices of the top-scoring doctors in the exam, obstetrics and gynecology, plastic surgery, anesthesiology and resuscitation, oncology, etc., are the most in-demand fields.

New doctor Vu Ngoc Duy, top scorer in the K50 residency entrance exam at Hanoi Medical University, has chosen obstetrics and gynecology as his specialty.

PHOTO: HUU LINH

Interestingly, the choices of the highest-scoring candidates in this year's Match Day show that the two specialties of obstetrics and gynecology and plastic surgery are fiercely competitive for the top spot in terms of attractiveness.

The first person allowed to make a choice, newly admitted doctor Vu Ngoc Duy (top scorer in the K50 residency entrance exam at Hanoi Medical University), chose obstetrics and gynecology. The next person, newly admitted doctor Hoang Mai Phuong (second highest scorer), chose plastic surgery.

The third candidate, who also had the third highest score in the K50 residency exam, newly graduated doctor Nguyen Thu Thuy, chose obstetrics and gynecology as her specialty. The fourth candidate, newly graduated doctor Dinh Duy Khuong, chose plastic surgery as his specialty.

These two majors quickly sold out within the first few rounds of applications. With only 6 slots available, the plastic surgery major reached its quota by the 26th applicant. Similarly, the obstetrics and gynecology major, with 13 slots, was also full by the 33rd applicant.

Which industries are "hot"?

Besides the two aforementioned majors, several other majors are also considered "hot" majors, having filled all their quotas among the top 100 highest-scoring candidates: Anesthesia and Resuscitation (8 quotas, filled by candidate number 51); Oncology (15 quotas, filled by candidate number 71).

Besides the four majors mentioned above, there are three other specializations that were also chosen by many students in the group of 50 high-scoring candidates: diagnostic imaging, internal cardiology, and pediatrics.

Several other majors were also considered attractive, but received "later" applications: surgery (starting with candidate number 58), internal medicine (starting with candidate number 92), and dermatology (starting with candidate number 102). In this list, dermatology was a "phenomenon" 5-7 years ago, as it was chosen by many of the highest-scoring candidates (groups of 20 and 50).

However, some less attractive majors are still chosen by high-scoring candidates (in the top 150): emergency resuscitation, neurology, psychiatry, nuclear medicine, pathology... These non-trendy choices often stem from the students' deep love for the profession.

Match Day is a "matchmaking" activity that involves directly pairing people with professions. In 2025, Hanoi Medical University will recruit 426 students for 37 specialties (including 396 places in 35 medical specialties). To prepare for Match Day, the university organized a residency entrance exam with 952 candidates participating. The results showed that 690 candidates met the requirements to register for a specialty.

At Match Day, candidates will submit their preferences one at a time, starting with the candidate with the highest score. The number of places available for each major is limited, with some majors having 2-3 places and others having 30-40. Therefore, the higher the candidate's score, the greater their chance of being accepted into their desired program.

Match Day is not just a specialization registration day; it's also considered a coming-of-age ceremony, where new resident doctors take their first steps on the path to building a career in medical practice.

According to regulations from the Ministry of Health , the residency exam is only for university graduates in the same year, and candidates can only participate once at a single university (candidates may take the residency exam organized by another university in the same year they graduate). Because candidates do not have the opportunity to retake the exam, medical students consider it a special exam.

In Vietnam, there are many medical residency training schools, but Hanoi Medical University is considered the oldest and most prestigious institution for residency training.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/cuoc-ruot-duoi-cua-2-chuyen-nganh-bac-si-noi-tru-hot-nhat-185250909211848743.htm