1. Unit commander
Colonel, Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Toan, Director of the Southern Branch
Colonel Dr. Nguyen Le Vien, Deputy Director
Lieutenant Colonel MA. Hoang Xuan Cuong, Deputy Director
2. Tradition and function of VMMU’s southern branch:
The process of formation and development:
The Southern Branch of VMMU was established on December 15th,1961 in Duong Minh Chau war zone, Tay Ninh with the name “Medical School of Military Region”. The school offered training ambulance courses, midwives, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, and primary testers for the liberation army. In 1966, under the instructions of the Central Department and Regional Command Unit, the Medical School of Military Region was changed to the Southern Military Medical Doctor School. The school not only carried out training and scientific research tasks but also established treatment teams to participate in the campaigns in Binh Gia, Phuoc Long, Bu Dop, Dong Xoai, especially The General Offensive and General Uprising in 1968 and the Historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign. After the reunification, the Southern Military Medical Doctor School took over the Military Medical Center under the old regime. On November 15th, 1975, the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army issued the decision No. 331/QD-TM on transforming the Southern Military Medical School into the Military Medical University which also became the second campus of the University. On December 16th, 1981, the Ministry of National Defense issued the decision No. 40/QD-QP to convert the Military Medical University into the Vietnam Military Medical University and became the 2nd campus of VMMU. On March 25th, 1985, the Minister of National Defense issued the decision No. 488/QD-BQP to convert the second campus of VMMU into the Southern Branch of VMMU. On March 25th, 1985, the General Staff issued the decision No. 87/QD-TM to change Military Medical Hospital 115 of Military Region 7 to the branch of VMMU. At the end of 1993, because of the training requirement, medical research in the South, the Ministry of National Defense issued the Decision No. 833/QD-BQP on December 30th, 1993 to change the permanent station of VMMU to the Southern Military Medical Training and Research Center. Implementing the Resolution of the Politburo (term XII) on restructuring the Military school system on September 26th, 2017, the Chief of General Staff of Vietnam People’s Army signed the Decision No. 1441/QD-TM on promulgating the Organizational Structure & Staffing of VMMU, including upgrading the Southern Military Medical Training and Research Center into the Southern Branch of VMMU.
Function and Misson:
* Function: Training and scientific medical research.
* Mission:
– Recruiting students for The Southern Branch of VMMU; organizing postgraduate training courses for Specialist doctor Level 1 and 2 of the Southern region military system, clinical courses for 6- year long term students, offering oriented specialized training courses for medical students in the South and doing medical research.
– Building an increasingly clean, strong Branch Party Committee.
– Performing other tasks when assigned by VMMU.
3. Achievements in training and scientific research:
3.1. The period of The Resistance against American Imperialism
In order to promptly respond to military medical forces serving in Southern battlefield, on December 15th, 1961, Regional Command decided to establish the Southern Military Medical School to train doctors to cure the wounded, sick soldiers and people. In the early days of establishment, the staff and teachers have difficulties with textbooks, learning materials, and practical tools, etc. But with the initiative and determination in the period from 1961 to 1975, the school trained 2.593 physicians and medical, pharmaceutical staff. It was estimated that 620 doctors, over 500 officers, lecturers, and students of the University participating in treatment teams in most major campaigns in the Southern battlefield to cure thousands of wounded, sick soldiers, and people. The school completed more than 200 scientific research projects, including treating serious wounds caused by fire, blood vessel anastomosis, bone broken fractures due to fire injuries, venomous snake bites, malignant malaria, malnutrition with glucose and insulin, etc. The scientific research results were drawn from the reality on battlefield, then immediately applied in treatment to bring life and restore health to thousands of wounded, sick soldiers and people.

3.2. The Period from 1975 to Present
In May 1975, the institution took over the entire former Military Medical Center and merged it into Branch 2 of the Military Medical University, headquartered at the former address of 520 Nguyen Tri Phuong (now 84 Thanh Thai), Ward 12, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City.
In 1983, it was renamed Branch 2 of the Military Medical University.
In 1985, Branch 2 developed into a Branch of the Military Medical University.
In 1989, due to a narrower mission requirement, the Branch was transformed into a Permanent Station/Military Medical University.
In 1993, in response to the practical training mission of the military and the supply of human resources for the healthcare sector in the southern region, Tay Nguyen. The Permanent Station expanded its mission and evolved into the South Medical Military Training and Research Center/Military Medical University.
In 2017, in accordance with the Resolution of the Party Central Committee (12th term) on restructuring the military school system, the South Medical Military Training and Research Center was upgraded to the South Branch of the Military Medical University.
During this period, the institution conducted supplementary medical training for military personnel, basic medical training for the provinces of Tay Nguyen, the Southeast, the Southwest, the Vietnam Rubber Group, and the Ministry of Public Security. It also provided pre-university training for Tay Nguyen scholarship recipients and reserve officer training for the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy. It trained CK1 and CK2 for the military and the healthcare sector, and from 1975 to the present, the institution has trained 406 high-level medical staff, 218 long-term trainees from the South, 140 trainees from Cambodia, 1,760 specialized doctors, 180 basic doctors, 731 general practitioners, 574 pre-university students from Tay Nguyen, and over 600 CK1 and 300 CK2 trainees, organizing final internship sessions for 1,332 military and civilian medical trainees.
From 2014 to the present, the Branch was entrusted by the Party Committee and the Board of Directors of the Military Medical University to organize final internship sessions for long-term military and civilian medical students to improve their clinical practical skills before graduation (by December 2023, this will have involved 1,274 trainees).
In 2022, the Branch continued to be assigned the task of implementing CK1 and CK2 training for the South Regional Military District (from Da Nang onwards). To date, it has admitted two courses with 86 trainees and 18 specializations. This is a new task in line with the correct direction of the Central Military Party Committee, the Ministry of National Defense, the Party Committee, and the Board of Directors of the Military Medical University, following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Research on over 500 scientific topics at various levels has been reviewed and implemented in practical applications. Notable examples include the initial assessment of environmental conditions at some petroleum depots in the Southern Military Region and the potential lead emissions from Damine exposure and organic lead contamination. It includes assessing the health recovery, prevention, and treatment of organic lead poisoning from Damine for the military, and petroleum workers. Preliminary results of the study on the effects of Hepamarine, a product derived from the bitter herb Phyllanthus Amarus, on individuals carrying the Hepatitis B virus.
3.3. Achievements in Party Organization Building and Unit Development
Throughout the 60-year process of construction and growth, the Party Committee and the Leadership Board of the Branch, through various periods, have always been closely associated with the work of building a clean and robust Party organization along with the development of a comprehensive, strong unit. Thanks to this, they have effectively fulfilled their leadership and guidance roles at all levels. The leadership capacity of Party organizations has consistently been strengthened, playing a decisive role in the outcome of the Branch’s missions. Emphasis has always been placed on the work of Party organization building and the development of a team of Party committees and professional, multilingual, and computer-skilled personnel capable of meeting the Branch’s new challenges. The team of officers at all levels and lecturers have demonstrated the qualities and capabilities required for their assigned tasks. Officers, employees, Party members, students, and soldiers have consistently shown unwavering political resilience, trust in the Party’s leadership, strict adherence to organizational assignments, and successful completion of all assigned tasks.
Maintaining strict adherence to regulations, duty shifts, command shifts, professional duties, and patrol and guard duties; closely managing troop numbers and equipment to prevent disciplinary violations and ensure safety during training.
In addition to carrying out their professional duties, the unit also places great importance on activities such as ‘Repaying the Debt of Gratitude’ and ‘Charity and Humanitarian Work.’ These activities include paying tribute and offering flowers in gratitude to heroes and martyrs, taking care of the poor during the Lunar New Year, providing support and assistance to families of policy beneficiaries, conducting medical check-ups, giving gifts, and building solidarity and communal houses for policy beneficiaries in remote, distant, and revolutionary base areas in the provinces of Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Tay Ninh, and Ho Chi Minh City.
4. List of lecturers
No. Name Educational Qualification Academic Degree Academic Rank
1 Nguyễn Ngọc Toàn Specialist 1, 2 M.Sc., Ph.D.
2 Nguyễn Lê Viên Specialist 1, 2 Ph.D.
3 Hoàng Xuân Cường Specialist 1, 2 M.Sc.
4 Mai Đức Hùng Specialist 1, 2 M.Sc., Ph.D.
5 Nguyễn Văn Chương Specialist 1, 2
6 Nguyễn Thị Lý M.Sc.
5. Commendations
Throughout the 60 years of construction and growth, the South Branch of the Military Medical University has been honored with numerous prestigious titles and awards by the Party, the State, and the Ministry of National Defense. Among the notable ones are:
– Second Class Military Exploit Order (1986).
– Hero of the People’s Armed Forces (2010).
– Second Class Fatherland Protection Order (2011).
– Commendation from the Prime Minister (2016).
– Third Class Fatherland Protection Order (2021).
– Third Class Labor Order (2021) – State of Laos.
– Third Class Labor Order (2022).
– Ministry of National Defense Emulation Flag (2022).
– Commendation from the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City (2021).
– Commendation from the People’s Committee of Binh Duong Province (2021).
6. Contact:
– South Branch of the Military Medical University, 84 Thanh Thai Street, Ward 12, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City.
– Phone: 028.3862.7031.