Bright medical ethics

Major Pham Thi Thanh Tam was born in Thanh Tan, Thanh Liem, Ha Nam (now Thanh Lam commune, Ninh Binh province). In 1997, she graduated from Nam Dinh Medical College (now Nam Dinh Nursing University). In 1998, Army Corps 16 was established. She wrote an application and was accepted to work at the Army Corps 16 Infirmary, now Military-Civilian Hospital 16 (QDY 16).

Sticking to the nursing profession, she always believes that the medical profession is a profession of sacrifice, of "serving a hundred families", where the heart must be put first. She reminds herself to take care of patients with all her heart, considering the pain of the patient as her own pain. Regardless of day or night, hardship, she has become a powerful partner of the doctors, dedicated to serving the patients with a caring and thoughtful attitude. She follows the motto: "Patients are warmly welcomed when they come, patients are taken care of wholeheartedly when they leave, and patients are given careful instructions when they leave". During her work, she always strictly follows the "4 xin - 4 always - 5 no" - (greeting, apologizing, thanking, asking permission; always smiling, always gentle, always listening, always helping; no authoritarianism, no bullying, no causing difficulties, no trouble, no insensitive bureaucracy, no corruption, waste, group interests).

Major of the People's Army Pham Thi Thanh Tam (far right) participates in medical examination and free medicine for people in Dak Ngo commune, Tuy Duc district, Dak Nong province (now Quan Tan commune, Lam Dong province).

Ms. Nguyen Thi Tan in Binh Phuoc Ward, Dong Nai Province said: “I am very grateful to QDY 16 Hospital for allowing me to be examined and treated many times for free. The doctors and nurses here are caring and friendly like family, especially Ms. Tam who always cares, guides and takes care of me, so I feel happy.”

As Deputy Secretary of the Party Cell of the Examination Department, she always promotes a sense of responsibility, honesty, frankness, saying goes hand in hand with doing, is exemplary in activities, and strictly implements the principle of democratic centralism. During the Covid-19 pandemic, she was one of the key cadres participating in disease prevention and control, directly taking test samples, injecting vaccines, and working at the Infectious Diseases Field Hospital No. 5B (formerly Binh Duong province). During those days, she and her teammates worked regardless of hours, always present at the front line. Her and her team's bravery and dedication were awarded certificates of merit by the head of the General Department of Politics (GDC) of the Vietnam People's Army and the Chairman of the Binh Duong Provincial People's Committee.

Every year, the Hospital organizes marches to the border and remote areas to examine and provide free medicine to people. Although she is busy with many jobs and hundreds of kilometers away from home, she always enthusiastically participates. Coming to people with many difficulties and limited qualifications, in addition to her assigned professional tasks, she always works with the Women's Union in the medical examination area to organize and integrate propaganda for people to strictly follow the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's laws and policies, unite to take care of labor production to develop the family economy, voluntarily hand over weapons, explosives, and illegal support tools. At the same time, strictly comply with the Law on Marriage and Family, the Law on Drug Prevention and Control. With an emotional voice, she has helped people understand the consequences of early marriage and incestuous marriage; the plots and illegal marriage brokerage activities so that people can be more vigilant against the plots and tricks of brokers; Be alert to brokers, scammers, and those who take advantage of marriage to commit illegal activities in ethnic minority areas; prevent human diseases; raise awareness of methods of preventing online fraud, trafficking of women and children, and introducing “light work, high salary” jobs...

Over the years, she and the Examination Department and the Women's Union of the Hospital have done a good job of mass mobilization, promoting the program "The Army joins hands for community health" such as: Coordinating the organization of the Army-Civilian Tet program; visiting and giving gifts to Vietnamese Heroic Mothers, war invalids, sick soldiers, poor households, ethnic minority households treated at the hospital and on holidays and Tet, donating hundreds of millions of VND to support people in overcoming natural disasters, storms, floods, droughts, etc.

Actively participate in the movement

With almost absolute trust through congresses, in her position as President of the Women's Union at the grassroots level, she and the Union have implemented many creative models such as: "Women help each other develop family economy", "Dang Thuy Tram Hospital", "Raising piggy banks" or technical innovation initiatives to improve the quality of patient service and build the hospital's brand. Under her leadership, the women's movement at the Hospital has continuously developed. The Union has achieved the title of excellent and strong for many consecutive years, 90% of its members meet the criteria of "5 no, 3 clean" families, 92% of them achieve the title of cultural families.

Major Pham Thi Thanh Tam takes care of patients at Military Hospital 16.

In addition, she actively participated in movements, wrote scripts, choreographed and directly acted as an actress, successfully participating in many performances serving major holidays, congresses and anniversaries in the unit. She was also an indispensable actress of the Corps' art troupe in the army-wide competitions. Many members under her guidance won high prizes in the army-wide "Excellent and elegant nurses" competition.

Major Le Thi Thuy, a member of the Hospital Women's Association, said: "Participating in activities, I was always cared for, encouraged, and enthusiastically guided by comrade Tam in many skills, especially skills in organizing team activities, patient care skills, and family building skills. Activities at the hospital rarely involve full participation of members due to performing tasks, but the contents of activities as well as propaganda of the Association's tasks are always promptly announced, shared, and disseminated by the Executive Committee, especially comrade Tam, so that members know and implement them, thereby contributing to promoting the emulation movement between branches and members."

In addition to performing her professional duties well, she and the Executive Board regularly organize the consolidation of the hospital grounds such as planting shade trees, flower gardens, creating a bright, green, clean and beautiful landscape. Especially ensuring food hygiene and safety in the meals of soldiers as well as patients. In addition, every week, the Hospital's Women's Union organizes teams and groups to participate in cleaning the traffic routes and residential areas in Binh Phuoc Ward, Dong Nai Province.

The work that left many unforgettable memories for those who came to QDY 16 Hospital for treatment was the image of the "charity porridge pot" that the Hospital's Women's Association donated funds for and assigned members to prepare to help patients and their relatives who came to receive treatment to reduce their difficulties. With such practical work, for many years in a row, the Hospital's Women's Association was commended by the Chief of the General Staff and the Chief of the Army Corps.

In June 2025, she and the Women's Army Corps 16's Folk Dance Team participated in the military level, and their performance was highly appreciated by the Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army. In addition, she directly participated in the badminton competition in the 2025 Women's Army Sports Festival and was awarded a certificate of merit by the Chief of the General Staff.

Colonel Nguyen Manh Binh, Party Secretary and Political Commissar of QDY 16 Hospital commented: "As Deputy Party Secretary and leader of the unit's Women's Union, Major Pham Thi Thanh Tam is always exemplary in her work, modest in learning, sings well, dances well, has solid expertise, is disciplined, highly responsible, good at housework, takes care of office work, and has good medical ethics."

After 26 years of working, constantly contributing, always keeping the spirit of "A good doctor is like a mother" and being an inspiration to her comrades, she has been awarded many titles of emulation fighter at the grassroots level; the head of the Ministry of National Defense, the head of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People's Army, the head of the 16th Army Corps, the local Party Committee, authorities and the unit have presented more than 50 noble and respectful awards, and has been repeatedly recognized as a typical example in emulation movements. In July 2025, she was recognized as a typical and advanced union member and women's union member in studying and following Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and style at the Army Corps level for the period 2020-2025.

Article and photos: LE QUANG SANG

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/phong-su-dieu-tra/cuoc-thi-nhung-tam-guong-binh-di-ma-cao-quy-lan-thu-16/thieu-ta-qncn-pham-thi-thanh-tam-nu-dieu-duong-quan-y-tich-cuc-tan-tuy-836262