Vietnam Revisited

Surendra K. Varma, M.D.

Associate Dean For Graduate Medical Education &

Resident Affairs

Ted Hartman Endowed Chair in Medical Education

University Distinguished Professor

and Vice-Chairman of Pediatrics

Professor of Physiology and

Health Organization Management

Residency Program Director Emeritus

Department of Pediatrics

Vietnam Initiative

In 2007 the TTUHSC Delegation went to Vietnam to explore the possibility of establishing exchange program for TTUHSC faculty and students

Delegation

•Surendra K. Varma, MD, (SOM), Head

•Myrna Armstrong, RN, Ph.D., (SON)

•Steve Maxner, Ph.D., Director Vietnam Center

•Khanh Le, Associate Director, Vietnam Center

•Kamlesh Varma, MD, OB/GYN

Visits

Ho Chi Minh City

•Vietnam University School of Medicine

• Ho Chi Minh University of Medicine & Pharmacy

•Can Tho •Can Tho University of Medicine & Pharmacy

General Observations

•Unstructured curriculum

•Admission to medical school & nursing school afterGrade XII

•Language - students know very little English- faculty – language has an issue

as well

•Hospitals - crowded- patient care – less than ideal

Graduate Medical Education

General Observations

•Not a requirement to practice medicine

•Can be fully licensed after the completion of undergraduate medical education

•GME - 4-5 years of training in a specialty- Ph.D. is awarded in lieu of certification- No national standard of examinations

Visit 2010

•Surendra K. Varma, MD

•Steve Maxner, PhD

•Khanh Le

Visited Vietnam University School of Medicine

•Advised them to structure their curriculum

•Advised early exposure to clinical medicine

•No exchange program established

Vietnam RevisitedJanuary 25 – February 2, 2013

• Surendra K. Varma, MD (Associate Dean for GME & Resident Affairs, Vice-Chair of Pediatrics), Head of Delegation

• Diane Nguyen, MD (Department of Internal Medicine/Oncology)

• Tam Nguyen, MD (Department of Surgery/Otorhinolaryngology)

• Bich-Thy Ngo, MD (Department of Internal Medicine/Geriatrics)

• Richard Lampe, MD (Chair, Department of Pediatrics)

• Kerren Lampe, EdD (Psychologist), Wife of Dr. Lampe

• Ed Yeomans, MD (Chair, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology)

• Thuy Yeomans (Nurse), wife of Dr. Yeomans

• Kamlesh Varma, MD (Obstetrics & Gynecology), wife of Dr. Varma

• Stephen Maxner, PhD (Director, The Vietnam Center and Archive, TTU)

• Khanh Le (Associate Director, The Vietnam Center and Archive, TTU)

•Curriculum - More traditional

- Six years after high school- Clinical experience does not start until the beginning of fourth year

- Rotations at local hospitals

University of Medicine & PharmacyHo Chi Minh City (UMP-HCMC)

Delegates at UMP-HCMCHo Chi Minh CityJanuary 28, 2013

Meeting at UMP-HCMCHo Chi Minh CityJanuary 28, 2013

Teaching Hospital

•Very crowded with patients waiting in the hall

•There may be more than one patient on a bed

•Emergency room - not very crowded- not well organized

Patients at UMP-HCMC(Crowded with more than one person per bed)

Ho Chi Minh CityJanuary 28, 2013

Patients in Waiting AreaUMP-HCMC

Ho Chi Minh CityJanuary 28, 2013

Emergency RoomUMP-HCMC

Ho Chi Minh CityJanuary 28, 2013

Teaching Hospital

•Due to the very crowded conditions in the outpatient and hospital, the learning environment may not be very conducive

•Language may be a barrier

HCMC Children’s Hospital #2(There is HCMC Children’s Hospital #1 also)

•Facilities were better than expected

•NICU & PICU – fair facilities

•Faculty – dedicated

•Communication – a big barrier

Children’s Hospital #2Ho Chi Minh CityJanuary 29, 2013

Children’s Hospital #2Ho Chi Minh CityJanuary 29, 2013

NICU, Children’s Hospital #2Ho Chi Minh CityJanuary 29, 2013

NICU, Children’s Hospital #2Ho Chi Minh CityJanuary 29, 2013

Children’s Hospital #2Ho Chi Minh CityJanuary 29, 2013

Children’s Hospital #2Ho Chi Minh CityJanuary 29, 2013

HCMC Cancer HospitalHo Chi Minh City

• Overcrowded situation

• Lack of good facilities

• These will not be very conducive for our students/fellows/faculty learning experience

Cancer HospitalHo Chi Minh CityJanuary 29, 2013

Patients in Lobby at Cancer HospitalHo Chi Minh CityJanuary 29, 2013

Patients at Cancer HospitalHo Chi Minh CityJanuary 29, 2013

Patients at Cancer HospitalHo Chi Minh CityJanuary 29, 2013

Delegates at Cancer HospitalHo Chi Minh CityJanuary 29, 2013

University of Medicine & PharmacyHo Chi Minh City (UMP-HCMC)

•Overcrowded situation and the lack of good facilities are not very conducive for our students/residents/fellows/faculty learning experience.

Vietnam University School of MedicineHo Chi Minh City (UNU-HCMC SOM))

•I had visited this university in 2010 and I had suggested that they consider incorporating clinical exposure in early years of undergraduate medical education

•It seems that they have incorporated some exposure to clinical medicine in early part of undergraduate medical education

•The new leadership is not ready to commit any exchange program.

Delegates at VNU-HCMC Medical UniversityHo Chi Minh CityJanuary 28, 2013

Can Tho University of Medicine & Pharmacy Can Tho (CT-UMP)

•Banners displaying welcome for TTUHSC

•Physicians from UK, Australia, & USA have come here to participate in this University’s International activities

•Congenial environment

•Communication skills – fair

•Over all operation - impressive

Welcome Banner for TTUHSCCT-UMPCan Tho

January 30, 2013

Delegates at CT-UMP(TTUHSC welcome banner is at top)

Can ThoJanuary 30, 2013

•Hospital – Facilities much better than in 2007

•The inpatient service was not busy due to incoming TET (Vietnam Lunar New Year)

Labor and Delivery WingCan Tho General Hospital

Can ThoJanuary 31, 2013

Can Tho General HospitalCan Tho

•Good facilities

•Labor & delivery facilities have improved since 2007

•Newborn Nursery – very good

•MICU – the physicians appear to master multi-specialties with limited equipment and resources

•Interested in developing bone marrow transplant service

Newborn Nursery, Can Tho General HospitalCan Tho

January 31, 2013

Delegates at Can Tho General HospitalCan To

January 31, 2013

Longtuyen Rural ClinicSouth of Can Tho

•Run by midwives

•Services - Family planning- Prenatal care- delivery- prevention and early intervention of multiple diseases- facilities – very clean

List of ServicesLong Tuyen Rural Clinic

South of Can ThoJanuary 31, 2013

•We have signed MOU with Can Tho University of Medicine & Pharmacy

•We expect at least two senior students to go there in February/March 2014

Consulate of USAHo Chi Minh City

•Very eager to help in facilitating VISA etc. for Vietnam’s student & faculty

•They welcome our participation in their CDC activities

Delegates with United States General and His StaffHo Chi Minh CityJanuary 29, 2013

Summary

Delegation visited:

•Three medical schools

•One children’s hospital

•One cancer hospital

•Three general hospitals

•One rural clinic

Acknowledgements

•President Mitchell

•Dean Berk

•Michelle Ensminger

•Keino McWhinney

•Steve Maxner, PhD

•Khanh Le