What constitutes the competence of doctors, pharmacists, and nurses? A look at the practical training and internship environment of Health Sciences students at Dai Nam University.

Where should students study Medicine, Pharmacy, or Nursing to gain ample practical experience, early exposure to the professional environment, and the necessary skills for employment after graduation? This is a question that is increasingly important to prospective students and their parents when choosing a university.

In healthcare fields, knowledge is fundamental, but to become a good doctor, pharmacist, or nurse, students also need many hours of practice, numerous skill-building exercises, and especially real-world experiences in hospitals, pharmacies, research institutes, and businesses.

At Dai Nam University (school code DDN), health science training is structured around a continuous practical learning path: from the lecture hall to preclinical centers and laboratories; from preclinical models to hospitals, research institutes, and businesses.

The goal is not just for students to "know," but more importantly, to gradually "be able to do the job."

PRACTICAL APPLICATION THROUGHOUT MEDICAL, PHARMACEUTICAL, AND NURSING EDUCATION

Professor Hoang Duc Hanh, People's Physician, Associate Professor, and Doctor of Science - Head of the Faculty of Medicine at Dai Nam University, and former Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Health, affirmed: Training medical personnel cannot be limited to theoretical lessons.

To master a technical procedure, one must practice it repeatedly. To effectively manage a clinical situation, one needs observation, analysis, and experience. A decision concerning a patient's health, even their life, cannot be made solely from knowledge found in textbooks.

Therefore, Dai Nam University identifies Medicine, Pharmacy, and Nursing as key training fields; in which practical training is not a module at the end of the program but an integral part of the entire training journey.  

From their early years, students have access to on-campus practice centers and laboratories to gradually transform knowledge into skills, develop professional conduct, and prepare the necessary foundation before entering the real-world environment.  

PRE-CLINICAL CENTER - WHERE MEDICAL AND NURSING STUDENTS HARDEN THEIR SKILLS BEFORE ENTERING THE HOSPITAL.

For medical and nursing students, mastering preclinical skills on models is a crucial requirement before practicing directly on patients.

The preclinical center of Dai Nam University is comprehensively equipped with practice areas for Internal Medicine, Surgery, Obstetrics, and Pediatrics, along with a system of models and equipment to simulate many common clinical situations.

In a safe simulation environment, students can observe, perform, make mistakes, receive corrections, and repeat the process multiple times.

It is this repetitive process that helps learners gradually develop the necessary skills, clinical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and confidence before directly interacting with patients.

This is also one of the important steps to bridge the gap between "being taught" and "being able to do" in healthcare workforce training.

PHARMACY STUDENTS PRACTICE FROM LABORATORY TO GPP-FRIENDLY PHARMACY

With nearly 15 years of training, Pharmacy is one of the fields that has made a mark at Dai Nam University. At Dai Nam, pharmaceutical practice is not limited to laboratory experiments but extends to the entire professional activity chain.

Students gradually become familiar with the stages from research, testing, production, storage to distribution, dispensing and counseling on drug use, thereby gaining a clearer understanding of the work of a pharmacist in practice.

The Pharmacy Practice Center of Dai Nam University is equipped with a specialized practice space system, including 4 pharmaceutical chemistry practice and laboratory rooms and 10 technical practice rooms with a total area of nearly 1,000 m², meeting the regulations of the Ministry of Health for university-level pharmacist training facilities.

Beyond the laboratories, the school has also built two medicinal herb gardens based on the list of essential medicines issued by the Ministry of Health and a practical pharmacy built to GPP standards – spaces that help students directly access the specific professional activities of the pharmaceutical industry.

Here, students practice storing, dispensing, advising on medication use, and managing pharmacies, gradually developing their professional mindset and skills during their studies.

For the pharmaceutical industry, simply understanding medications is not enough. Future pharmacists need to know how to apply that knowledge to the right processes, in the right environment, and in accordance with their professional responsibilities.

WHERE DO MEDICAL AND NURSING STUDENTS FROM DAI NAM UNIVERSITY DO THEIR INTERNSHIPS?

If preclinical centers and pharmaceutical practice centers are where learners prepare their skills, then hospitals are where those skills are put to the test in real-world situations.

After completing their practical training at the school, students continue their studies and internships at the school's partner hospitals such as: Bach Mai Hospital, Viet Duc Friendship Hospital, National Children's Hospital, National Dermatology Hospital, Ha Dong General Hospital, Saint Paul General Hospital, Hanoi Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Hanoi Lung Hospital, and many other medical facilities.

At the hospital, students not only observe but also participate in relevant professional activities under the guidance of instructors and medical staff. Building upon their learned knowledge, students begin to confront real-world situations: a specific patient, a specific clinical manifestation, and a course of events that don't always match the examples in the textbook. This is where knowledge, skills, observation abilities, communication, and problem-solving skills must all be put to the test.

In particular, during the graduation internship period, Dai Nam University implements a 1-lecturer-1-student mentoring model, creating conditions for learners to receive close, personalized guidance and promptly improve any lacking skills.  

Therefore, hospitals are not only places for practical training but also environments that help students gradually develop the demeanor of a healthcare professional, learn how to communicate with patients, collaborate with colleagues, and build professional competence.  

DAI NAM PHARMACY STUDENTS UNDERGO INTERNSHIPS AT RESEARCH INSTITUTES, HOSPITALS, AND BUSINESSES

The career path of a pharmacist today is much broader than the common misconception of "studying pharmacy to sell medicine." Pharmacists can work in research, testing, manufacturing, quality control, clinical pharmacy, distribution, sales, and many other areas of the pharmaceutical industry. Therefore, the internship opportunities for Pharmacy students at Dai Nam University have also expanded to encompass this range of career paths.

Students have the opportunity to practice and intern at the Central Institute for Drug Testing, the Central Institute for Medicinal Materials, FPT Long Chau Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company, Traphaco Joint Stock Company, Lotus Pharmaceutical Technology Company Limited, Phuc Hung Pharmaceutical Company, Ha Tay Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company, etc.

In addition, there is practical experience at various hospitals such as Bach Mai Hospital, Viet Duc Friendship Hospital, National Children's Hospital, National Dermatology Hospital, Saint Paul General Hospital and Ha Dong General Hospital.

Access to diverse career environments helps students better understand what they will do after graduation, identify their strengths, and choose a suitable career path early on.

More importantly, students see the connection between the knowledge they are learning and the practical work of a pharmacist – from the research lab and production line to hospitals and pharmacies.

TRAINING IN THE HEALTHCARE SECTOR FOLLOWING THE APPROACH OF "LEARNING TO BE ABLE TO DO THE JOB"

In the healthcare field, the quality of education cannot be measured solely by the number of class hours or the amount of knowledge students retain. More importantly, it is what learners can do after training, how they can do it, and whether they are fully responsible for their work.

With the philosophy of "Dedicated to the learner," Dai Nam University builds a training ecosystem connecting lecture halls, practical training centers, hospitals, research institutes, and businesses, so that competency development takes place continuously throughout the learning process.

Each practical session helps students master a new skill. Each internship helps students gain a deeper understanding of their profession. Each interaction with patients helps students realize that beyond professional knowledge lies responsibility, caution, and compassion.

Because a good doctor needs more than just the ability to diagnose. A good nurse needs more than just the ability to perform procedures correctly. A good pharmacist needs more than just an understanding of medications. True professional competence is a combination of knowledge, skills, attitude, responsibility, adaptability, and medical ethics.

FROM “TRUE CAPABILITIES” TO “UNLEASH YOUR IDENTITY - ILLUMINATE YOUR JOURNEY”

For health science students, maturity doesn't happen after a single exam or is simply marked by a diploma. It's a whole process. From the first time putting on a lab coat and stepping into a practice room, the first time performing a technique on a model, to hospital shifts, internships in laboratories, research institutes, and businesses, or the first conversation with a patient – each experience leaves a lesson that textbooks can hardly replace.

The message "Unleash your identity - Illuminate your journey" in the 20th academic year of Dai Nam University is therefore realized through that very journey: creating conditions for each student to recognize their strengths, hone their true abilities, choose a suitable career path, and grow through real experiences.

Ultimately, what society needs from a doctor, pharmacist, or nurse is more than just a degree.

That person is capable of doing the job, has the courage to take responsibility, and possesses the compassion to care for others.

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In 2026, Dai Nam University will enroll students in three health-related fields: Medicine, Pharmacy, and Nursing.

With its on-campus practical training centers and a network of partner hospitals, research institutes, and businesses, the school aims to train doctors, pharmacists, and nurses with strong professional knowledge, proficient practical skills, professional conduct, responsibility, and medical ethics, ready to adapt to the increasingly high demands of the healthcare system and the labor market.

This is also how Dai Nam University pursues its goal of training "Real Competence - Solid Foundation for Life": so that each student, after leaving the lecture hall, not only carries a degree, but more importantly, carries the competence to enter a profession and have a long career.