Medical residency students in Vietnam face rising tuition costs

Medical residency students in Vietnam are facing significant financial strain due to rising tuition fees and a lack of salary during their specialized training. As universities move toward autonomy, costs for postgraduate medical programs have increased substantially.

At the University of Medicine and Pharmacy (Vietnam National University, Hanoi), tuition for the 2025–2026 academic year is nearly 75 million VND per year, totaling approximately 224 million VND for the three-year program. Other institutions show varying rates: Hanoi Medical University charges between 24.7 and 32.6 million VND per five-month semester, while the University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City has reached a ceiling of 66.5 million VND per year. Private institutions like VinUni exceed 900 million VND annually.

Residency doctors must manage high-intensity hospital shifts and clinical duties without receiving a salary, often relying entirely on family support or secondary jobs, such as tutoring, to cover expenses. Professor Le Ngoc Thanh, Rector of the University of Medicine and Pharmacy (VNU), noted that while previous generations of residents received salaries, current mechanisms have changed. He emphasized that residents should be viewed as young doctors who work and learn simultaneously in high-pressure professional environments rather than just students.