Many doctors object.

The 2023 university admissions season sparked controversy when four universities announced the inclusion of Literature as a subject in the admissions criteria for medical programs. Specifically, Van Lang University (Ho Chi Minh City) in 2023 had three traditional subject combinations: A00, B00, and D08, and one new combination, D12 (Literature, Chemistry, English).

Vo Truong Toan University (Hau Giang) and Tan Tao University ( Long An ) use the B03 combination (Mathematics, Literature, Biology) in their high school graduation exam score-based admissions for the Medical program. Duy Tan University also uses four combinations for admissions to the Medical program: A16 (Mathematics, Natural Sciences, Literature), B00, D90 (Mathematics, Natural Sciences, Foreign Language), and D08.

Medical students practicing. (Illustrative photo: TP)

'Recruit students at all costs'

"Who dares to claim that doctors who are good at Literature have good medical ethics?" questioned Dr. Bui Thi Huong, a physician at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy, in response to the opinion that using Literature as a subject in medical school entrance exams helps doctors become more humane, better communicators, and improve their medical ethics.

According to Dr. Huong, including Literature in the entrance exam is unreasonable because people have two main aptitudes: excelling in natural sciences or excelling in social sciences. Those who excel in both are quite rare, especially in mass admissions. Including English and Physics in the same combination as Math-Biology or Chemistry-Biology for medical school admissions is more acceptable.

If there are concerns that future doctors and medical professionals may lack medical ethics and have poor communication skills, these skills could be integrated into university courses or included as a factor in the professional certification process. "However, these concerns are merely excuses to justify the reckless admission practices of some schools," this person stated frankly.

The inclusion of Literature as a subject in the university entrance exam combination has sparked public debate. Dr. Huynh Thanh Phat from Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy frankly stated that the addition of Literature to the medical entrance exam has no real purpose, but is simply an attempt to increase competition and attract students "at all costs." This unusual admission combination only appears in private schools or schools with poor admissions; large universities in the medical and pharmaceutical fields do not implement this illogical practice.

Many medical schools recruit and train students haphazardly, leading to a skewed admissions process for medical students. This, in turn, risks a decline in training quality and, in the long run, endangers human lives.

In countries around the world, medical school admissions are very rigorous, requiring students to have excellent knowledge of natural sciences, a love for the profession, and a genuine passion for research. During the admissions process, schools often require applicants to write an essay to assess their language and communication skills.

However, this is a secondary criterion, accounting for no more than 20% of the total score compared to other knowledge and skills sections. Therefore, schools in Vietnam should adopt this admissions model instead of including Literature as a primary subject in the admissions process.

Professor Nguyen Anh Tri, a National Assembly representative from Hanoi and former Director of the Central Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, affirmed that medical training is a crucial issue, therefore any changes to the admission plan must undergo a process of research and impact assessment.

"When including Literature as a subject in the admissions process, it must be evaluated by scientists, especially those in the medical field. Then, a legal document is needed to formalize it, rather than each school using a different admissions method, changing it every year," said Professor Nguyen Anh Tri.

Looking back at the medical training process, Professor Nguyen Anh Tri stated that the important subjects used as a basis for medical school admissions are Mathematics, Chemistry, and Biology. If there is a need for innovation in entrance examinations, it must be based on scientific evidence.

Expressing his opposition to including Literature as a subject in medical school entrance exams, Dr. Truong Huu Khanh, former Head of the Infectious Diseases and Neurology Department at Children's Hospital 1 in Ho Chi Minh City, stated that the most important qualities for medical students are accuracy and logic, in addition to a strong foundation in Biology.

Compassion and empathy are the result of a long-term education process from school, family, and society, not that those who are good at literature are more compassionate.

Many experts oppose the inclusion of Literature as a subject in medical school entrance exams. (Illustrative image)

Which unit is responsible?

On May 28th, Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thu Thuy, Director of the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education and Training, stated that in the coming period, the Ministry will conduct a comprehensive review of the admission methods of universities. If necessary, relevant training institutions will be required to report and explain issues of public concern.

However, the Director also emphasized that the role of the Ministry of Health is particularly important in the recruitment and training of medical professionals. According to the Prime Minister's decision, the Ministry of Health is responsible for developing training program standards for the medical field. These standards must ensure not only the entry requirements but also other requirements regarding quality standards and output standards for each field, group of disciplines, and training program.

The entry requirements for a training program should clearly define the minimum qualifications, competencies, and experience needed for each level, field, and training orientation to ensure successful learning and completion of the program.

When establishing entrance standards, the Ministry of Health needs to clearly define the knowledge and competency requirements for students, which could include requirements for knowledge in subjects within the admission test combination or for the entrance competency assessment test.

Meanwhile, a representative from the Department of Science, Technology and Training, Ministry of Health, stated that, from a management perspective, the Ministry of Education and Training is the focal point for higher education, including health-related training. The Ministry of Health does not manage the input or output but only sets standards as a basis for building and developing training program standards. In addition, the Ministry inspects and reviews the fulfillment of practical requirements in medical schools.

According to Mr. Long, the field of basic health is a natural science that requires logical thinking, quick analytical skills, and accurate assessment. Therefore, subjects like Mathematics, Biology, and Chemistry are very important and necessary for the health field.

Representatives from the Department of Science, Technology and Training also noted that schools need to consider the regulations of the amended Law on Medical Examination and Treatment of 2023. According to this Law, to be granted a practice license, graduating students must pass a computer-based multiple-choice test administered by the National Medical Council. Schools, in particular, need to take responsibility in student recruitment and training, ensuring that students do not waste six years of study only to graduate with inadequate knowledge and skills, failing to pass the exam.

Thus, even with both ministries speaking out, experts and the public still cannot determine who is responsible for managing the admission process of medical schools using unusual subject combinations.

The Ministry of Education and Training should regulate the subject combinations for admission to health-related majors.

The leader of a university in the medical and pharmaceutical fields stated that the current regulations for university and college entrance examinations issued by the Ministry of Education and Training stipulate a minimum quality assurance threshold (cutoff score) for the two fields of Education and Health. To ensure the quality of admissions to these two fields, the Ministry should further specify the mandatory subject combinations that universities are allowed to use for admissions. For example, the Health field should require Biology, Chemistry, and Mathematics in its entrance examinations, which would help reduce the widespread use of unusual subject combinations in admissions.

At the same time, both the Ministry of Education and Training and the Ministry of Health should coordinate to find a reasonable solution, so that students do not have to waste six years of their time experiencing things unnecessarily, and in the long run, risk their lives, this person suggested.

Source: https://vtc.vn/tuyen-sinh-nganh-y-co-mon-van-nhieu-bac-si-phan-doi-ar786000.html