Students don’t have to wait until their third year to gain real-world experience

“When I arrived here, I saw a completely different approach to training. This is not how I used to think about studying Medicine.” That was the first impression of Hayden Andrew, a medical student from Brighton & Sussex Medical School (United Kingdom), before his 4-week internship at Phan Chau Trinh University (PCTU).

Right after the Orientation Day program (May 5), the group of UK students quickly recognized the fascinating differences in medical education when experiencing the learning environment here for the first time. Among them, Hayden was the most enthusiastic and visibly impressed.

What surprised Hayden the most was how early PCTU students are exposed to clinical practice. From the first year, students are trained simultaneously in both a simulation hospital and a real hospital. Hayden shared that in the United Kingdom, exposure to hospital environments typically becomes more prominent starting from the third year.

The experience became even more vivid when the group entered the simulation hospital area. The ICU space is designed like a real hospital, operating under standard treatment protocols, with each area assigned a specific role—from admission and monitoring to handling clinical situations. Hayden noticed many similarities with the training program at his home university, while also being impressed by how PCTU seamlessly integrates simulation with real-world practice from an early stage.

The journey continued at Phan Chau Trinh University Medical Hospital, where international students will begin their clinical internship in a completely new environment, in a new country. Under the close guidance of CIs, they will gradually become familiar with examination procedures and hospital operations within the real-world context of Vietnam.

The first day concluded with new perspectives on the highlights of medical education between the two countries. This experience opens opportunities for international students to better understand PCTU’s training orientation—an integrated education model where Vietnamese and international students learn, practice, and integrate together in a shared environment.

Wishing you all a fulfilling internship journey at Phan Chau Trinh University.

Some photos from the welcoming session

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