Vietnam Ministry of Health Recognition Process for Doctors Trained Overseas

Two government bodies, two separate checks

Coming home to practice medicine after studying abroad means clearing two different government checks, not one. The Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) looks at your degree itself and confirms it matches a Vietnamese medical qualification. The Ministry of Health (MOH) looks at your ability to treat patients and issues the license that lets you work in a hospital or clinic.

These processes run separately. A degree equivalency letter from MOET does not substitute for a MOH practicing license. You need both before working as a doctor in a Vietnamese health facility.

The legal basis: the 2023 Law on Medical Examination and Treatment

Vietnam's Law on Medical Examination and Treatment (Law No. 15/2023/QH15) took effect on January 1, 2024, replacing the older 2009 law. It sets out the conditions for recognizing a foreign-issued medical qualification or practicing license in Vietnam.

Under this law, Vietnam recognizes a foreign practicing license if it was issued under an international treaty or agreement Vietnam signed, the Ministry of Health evaluated and confirmed it valid, and it shows a professional title equivalent to a Vietnamese doctor title, according to Vietnam Law Magazine .

What goes in your dossier

To apply for recognition, prepare a dossier for the Ministry of Health that includes:

• A written request for recognition of your foreign practicing license or qualification.

• A valid copy of your foreign practicing license, if you already hold one from the country where you trained.

• Your degree certificate and full academic transcript from the medical school.

• Proof of clinical training completed during your program, such as internship or residency records.

• Evidence of language proficiency, since you need enough Vietnamese ability to communicate with patients and record clinical notes, unless your role specifically permits another working language.

Processing time

For a complete dossier under a recognized treaty route, the Ministry of Health issues a decision within 30 days of receiving all required documents. If verifying your overseas training is needed, the 30-day clock runs from when verification results are issued, so cases needing extra verification, such as confirming your program's accreditation status or contacting the issuing school directly, take longer.

If you never held a foreign practicing license

Many Vietnamese students who study medicine abroad come home right after graduation, before registering to practice in the country where they studied. In that situation you apply with a degree only, not a foreign license, and the Ministry of Health treats your file differently from someone transferring an existing foreign license.

Expect the ministry to examine your school's accreditation, the structure and length of your clinical rotations, and whether your training matches what a Vietnamese medical degree covers. Some applicants in this situation complete a period of supervised practice at a Vietnamese teaching hospital before the ministry issues a full practicing license. Confirm the exact requirements for your degree and country directly with the Ministry of Health, since the process depends on your program.

The MOET degree equivalency track

Separately from your practicing license, some situations call for MOET to confirm your foreign degree matches a Vietnamese qualification, for example if you plan to enter a public sector job requiring a formally recognized degree on file, or continue postgraduate medical training in Vietnam. This is a document-based comparison of your program length, curriculum, and accreditation against Vietnamese medical education standards, and it runs on its own timeline, separate from the MOH practicing license file.

Steps to take before you apply

1. Keep your original degree certificate, transcripts, and any foreign practicing license safe, and get certified copies made early.

2. Ask your medical school for detailed records of clinical rotations and hours, since Vietnamese authorities check this closely.

3. Start Vietnamese language preparation while still abroad if your clinical training was in another language.

4. Contact the Ministry of Health's licensing department before finishing your program to understand which category your case falls into.

Where to submit your dossier

Send your dossier to the Ministry of Health's licensing department, either directly or through the provincial Department of Health where you plan to work, depending on the facility and role you are applying for. Confirm the correct submission channel with the ministry before mailing or submitting documents, since routing errors add weeks to your processing time.

After you get your license

A recognized practicing license lets you register to work at a specific health facility, but registration with your employer is a separate step after MOH issues your license. Public hospitals typically process your onboarding once you present your license and complete their internal credentialing, while private clinics run their own hiring checks on top of the government approval.

Why this matters for your career timeline

Public and private hospitals in Vietnam will not hire a doctor without a valid practicing license. Using a foreign degree without recognition delays your first job by months. Start dossier preparation before your final year abroad ends, so the gap between graduation and your first paid clinical role stays short.