Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine plans to send students who have dropped out of school to Germany to take the national exam.

For students who are currently studying the Vietnamese - German Medical program, Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine offers 3 solutions, including sending students to Germany to take the M2 - Hammerexamen exam at the end of the 5th year for 3 consecutive days.

Following the termination of the Vietnam-Germany Medical Program collaboration by Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (Germany) after 12 years, Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine held a meeting with students and parents on the afternoon of October 22nd to discuss solutions.

Associate Professor Nguyen Dang Thoai, Vice Rector in charge of Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine, said that for the 2025 cohort, when students transfer to the regular medical doctor training program of Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine, from October 20, 2025, they will be able to complete the entire program without falling behind in any subjects. The tuition fees students have paid under the Vietnamese-German Medical Program (115 million VND/semester) will be calculated and refunded.

Associate Professor Nguyen Dang Thoai, Vice Rector in charge of Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine.

The school is focusing all efforts on solutions for students in the 2023 and 2024 cohorts. Based on the roadmap for the end of the cooperation between the two parties in July 2024, the school continues to discuss with its partner to ensure that these cohorts can study according to the previous program, in order to protect the rights of students and their families.

Mr. Thoai said that the school has proposed three solutions.

Firstly, negotiations will continue with Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz to develop a new curriculum, suitable for the transition, to address the needs of students in the 2023 and 2024 cohorts.

Secondly, through partnerships, negotiations will be held with the German National Institute for Medical Examinations (IMPP) to provide examination materials outside of Germany during the period 2027-2030, when these two courses conclude.

The third option is to organize the M2 exam for Vietnamese-German medical students of the 2023 and 2024 cohorts in Germany. However, this requires students to have a C1 level German language certificate, which demands significant effort from the learners. Thus, students would not only be able to take the exam at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz but also at any university in Germany. Implementing this option would lead to two possibilities: students could take the M2 exam in Germany and be accepted, or they could fail and return to Vietnam.

Upon returning to Vietnam, if students are still within the 12-year period from their enrollment (including 6 years of full-time study and a maximum of 6 extended years), they can complete the program and graduate according to the Vietnamese curriculum.

Vietnamese and German medical students were present at the dialogue.

Professor Urban, representing Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, believes that if students have to take the M2 exam in Germany, their chances of achieving a C1 level in German are quite high, because during their studies in the Vietnamese-German medical program, they have already received language training according to international standards.

However, he leaned towards the option of a new program and a partnership with Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz to address the needs of students in a new way. This would allow students to enroll in both universities: Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine and Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. Students in the 2023 and 2024 cohorts could then confidently complete their Vietnamese-German medical program.

Students who wish to complete the program

During the dialogue, students from the 2023 and 2024 cohorts of the Vietnamese-German Medical Program expressed their desire to complete the program and pursue their chosen path. Representatives from both cohorts stated that when they chose the Vietnamese-German Medical Program, they were all serious about this path. Many students passed the M1 exam and achieved the TestDaF 4 language certificate in their second year despite facing significant academic pressure. The students hoped that Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz and the IMPP Examination Institute would provide the necessary conditions for them to continue their studies and complete the program.

"Studying in Mainz, graduating to German standards, and later contributing to medicine – this is not only our dream but also the hope and belief of our families," a student representative shared.

Students also pledge to have been, are, and will always be ready to meet all the requirements of the program, both in terms of academics and discipline.

Ms. Phan Thi Diep, representing the parents of students in the 2023 cohort, stated that while the students' learning process followed the correct procedures, the students were the most severely affected when the program was canceled, as they had given up many other opportunities to pursue their studies at the Vietnam-Germany Medical School.

"We earnestly hope that the school and the leadership at all levels will continue to negotiate with the partner so that students can complete the program," Ms. Diep expressed.

Associate Professor Nguyen Dang Thoai stated that the school deeply regrets having to discontinue the Vietnamese-German Medical Program, as it represents the dedication of the school's leadership over many years and periods.

"Since 2013, 99 doctors have graduated in Germany, of which 8 have returned to Vietnam. These are well-trained, high-quality doctors," Mr. Thoai said.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/dh-y-khoa-pham-ngoc-thach-tinh-dua-sinh-vien-hoc-do-dang-sang-duc-thi-quoc-gia-2455344.html