The call-out of names to choose a medical residency major unexpectedly "exploded" on social networks

The event took place yesterday afternoon, September 9th, as part of the "Match Day" program. Every year, Hanoi Medical University organizes "Match Day" on this day for new resident doctors to register for their specialties after passing the most difficult entrance exam in the medical field.

The Residency Program is the most prestigious training program in the Vietnamese medical education system, and this year marks its 50th anniversary.

Video of registration for the residency program at Hanoi Medical University (Source: University).

According to regulations, new resident doctors will take turns stepping up to the microphone, calling out their name and number based on their exam scores, and choosing their specialty displayed on the screen on the stage. The candidate with the highest score will be chosen first. Once each specialty reaches its quota, the selection process will close. Candidates at the bottom of the list must choose other specialties that still have available slots.

This year's Match Day saw a strong demand for Obstetrics and Gynecology and Plastic Surgery specialties. Of the top 20 highest-scoring new residents, 7 chose Obstetrics and Gynecology and 4 chose Plastic Surgery. Meanwhile, the Plastic Surgery quota is only 6. This means that doctors ranked 30th or lower no longer have a chance if they had previously considered this specialty.

Two doctors did not choose a specialty. This may be because the specialty they applied for had already reached its quota. Not choosing a specialty means the candidates have given up on the residency program.

In recent years, the Match Day event at Hanoi Medical University has garnered significant attention thanks to the spread of short clips on Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok. However, never before has the event had such an impact as this year.

Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Lan Hieu - Director of Hanoi Medical University Hospital - also completed his residency training and was one of 31 successful candidates selected from a total of 170 qualified doctors to take the exam.

According to him, previously the number of students admitted to the residency program was very small, but this year the quota is 426 resident doctors for all specialties out of a total of 987 candidates (both from within and outside Hanoi Medical University) who participated. The acceptance rate for the program is over 43%.

Each newly admitted doctor will be ranked from 1 to 426. The most "critical" stage is figuring out which profession they want to pursue in the future. Typically, each doctor will have a few preferences in mind for Match Day.

"The anxiety stems from the fact that each major has a specific quota, such as Obstetrics and Gynecology (15), Dentistry (15), or Cardiology (20)... Therefore, if those who ranked higher than you choose all your preferred majors, you have no other choice but to select your second choice. Even those with lower scores have to prepare their fourth and fifth choices in advance..."

"Very few students who pass the residency exam drop out. Because they regret the effort they've put in, they often choose a field they may not be passionate about. That's the drawback of this approach," Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Lan Hieu shared.

He also noted that many doctors who scored high on the entrance exam always think about the "hot" specialties of previous years, following the crowd mentality. "The consequence is that many people don't truly have a passion for it, so even if they are top scorers in the entrance exam, they don't excel after graduation and may even find it difficult to get jobs at reputable medical facilities."

"Therefore, in my opinion, it's crucial to thoroughly research your chosen specialty because it will be with you and change your entire life. Don't blindly follow trends or try to force things. Residency is a glorious path full of challenges, but it's not the only one. Listen to your heart to create a future that you choose for yourself," Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Lan Hieu advised the new resident doctors.

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