​To meet the requirements of the medical practice competency assessment exam starting in 2027, the Vietnam Military Medical University (VMMU) is urgently adjusting its training curriculum, finalizing its exam question bank, and innovating its testing and evaluation methods.

Revamping medical training to meet healthcare practice competency assessment requirements

​On June 27, in Thanh Hoa, the Vietnam Military Medical University held its 15th Annual Medical and Pharmaceutical Training Conference under the theme: “Meeting the requirements of the medical examination and treatment practice competency assessment exam: Tasks and solutions.”

​According to the roadmap set by the National Medical Council, the medical practice competency assessment exam will be officially administered starting in 2027 for practitioners before they can be granted a medical license.

​Speaking at the conference, Prof. Dr. Tran Viet Tien, Director of the Vietnam Military Medical University, stated:  “​”For medical training institutions in general and the Vietnam Military Medical University in particular, this requirement tasks us with continually and substantially adjusting our training curriculum, teaching content, pedagogical methods, clinical practice training, as well as examination and evaluation processes toward a learner competency-based approach. This is both an urgent requirement and a major driving force to elevate the quality of medical training, satisfying the mission of caring for and protecting the health of military personnel and citizens in the new era.”

Prof. Dr. Tran Viet Tien, Director of the Vietnam Military Medical University, addressing the conference.

​Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dang Tien Truong, Head of the Training Department at the Vietnam Military Medical University, said that the practice competency assessment exam has been organized in many countries around the world. When implementing the exam at the national level, all medical training institutions must adjust their training curricula. The reason is that this exam establishes a uniform competency standard for doctors, forcing training facilities to review and update their programs to ensure that learners achieve the common output standards.

​According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dang Tien Truong, the national competency assessment exam is expected to consist of 280 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) built on clinical scenarios. The exam is divided into two parts, with 140 questions each, and an average time of about 77 seconds per question.

The entire exam covers 128 essential clinical problems. This means that the training curriculum cannot omit any content from this list, and learners must also be fully prepared to meet all assessed areas.

​Reporting the initial results in building the exam bank, as well as exam regulations and rules aligned with the requirements of the medical examination and treatment practice competency assessment exam, Dr. Nguyen Anh Tuan, Head of the Testing Department at the Vietnam Military Medical University, stated that to date, the University is managing 112,517 exam questions, including both multiple-choice and essay questions. In the first 6 months of 2026 alone, the University added 677 multiple-choice questions to its training programs.

The conference “Meeting the requirements of the medical examination and treatment practice competency assessment exam: Tasks and solutions” hosted by the Vietnam Military Medical University.

​”The university’s medical doctor training curriculum basically meets the training requirements according to the list of 128 core professional problems of the National Medical Council. The university has proactively built a scenario-based multiple-choice question bank, adjusted the teaching content of clinical departments, and increased practical training time in several key modules to meet the requirements of the practice competency assessment.

​The university continues to improve its regulatory system, standardize the question bank, and innovate assessment methods to meet the requirements of the medical examination and treatment practice competency assessment exam starting from 2027,” said Dr. Nguyen Anh Tuan.

Vietnam Military Medical University thoroughly prepares for the medical examination and treatment practice competency assessment exam starting from 2027

Concluding the conference, Prof. Dr. Tran Viet Tien, Director of the Vietnam Military Medical University, outlined four main tasks to best prepare for the medical examination and treatment practice competency assessment exam starting from 2027. First, urgently review and adjust the training curriculum. Departments must complete the review and adjustment of teaching content and programs before September 2026, ensuring they meet the requirements of the Ministry of National Defence, the specific characteristics of military medicine, and the National Medical Council’s exam.

The conference featured reports, presentations, and training sessions, providing guidance on assessing the quality of the MCQ question bank and regulations for conducting computer-based MCQ examinations.

Second, finalizing the question bank and innovating assessment methods. The Training Department and academic departments will develop a clinical scenario-based multiple-choice question (MCQ) bank, finalize the exam matrix, and apply it to the specialized theoretical graduation examination for the 55th cohort of military medical doctor training.

​Third, creating an active learning environment for cadets and students by strengthening regular monitoring, supervision, and evaluation; maximizing the role of management units and lecturers to foster a habit of self-study, active, and continuous learning among cadets and students.

​Fourth, fully preparing conditions to implement the new examination. The University will organize mock exams starting from September 2026 for cadets and students to familiarize themselves with the question formats and testing methods; while simultaneously finalizing infrastructure to best serve upcoming learning and examination requirements.

According to the roadmap, the first examination in December 2027 will apply to four groups of titles: general practitioners, preventive medicine doctors, traditional medicine doctors, and odonto-stomatologists.

​Specifically, the timeline is set for 2027 for the title of medical doctor; 2028 for physician assistants, nurses, and midwives; and 2029 for medical technicians, clinical nutritionists, out-of-hospital emergency care providers, and clinical psychologists.

TAO NGA

TRANSLATOR: NGUYEN NGOC ANH