Recently, social media has been abuzz with information that this is the first time the Department of Human Anatomy at Hanoi Medical University has been able to choose a resident doctor for this specialty in the last three years of "Match Day" events.

Khoa, head of the department at the university, said the online information is inaccurate and has led to widespread misunderstanding. What truly matters is not the order in which specialties are chosen, but how each person builds value within their chosen field.

“Match Day” is a day when residency doctors choose their specialties, filled with excitement and joy for some and disappointment for others who may not get their top choice, but ultimately leaves beautiful memories.

“When names of resident doctors were called out, resident doctor Nguyen Dinh Tien Trung chose Human Anatomy, becoming the first doctor to pick the specialty this year. But then on social media, there were claims like ‘It’s been three years since anyone picked this field, and Professor Khoa has been waiting all this time.’ Some even joked that the two of us are ‘guarding the morgue’,” Khoa said.

“In medicine, there are three specialties that are often confused: first, Human Anatomy; second, Pathological Anatomy; and third, Forensic Medicine,” Khoa explained.

Khoa said his department has two slots, including one for Hanoi Medical University and one for its Thanh Hoa campus, and both were filled. In 2024, one resident was selected; in 2023, five; and in 2022, one. Currently, there are a total of nine residency doctors receiving specialized training.

“Anatomy studies the structure of the human body. It serves three goals: specialized medical treatment, scientific research, and teaching, not related to the morgue or having to 'guard the morgue for three years to get one student’. Many colleagues called me when they saw me suddenly becoming famous across the internet," Khoa said.

He added that, as Principal Nguyen Huu Tu of Hanoi Medical University has emphasized, residency training is equally demanding in every specialty. The journey to becoming an excellent doctor or specialist, as seen in previous generations, is never easy. Everyone must go through hardship, work tirelessly in hospital environments, and commit to effort and perseverance.

Professor Khoa himself was part of the 17th residency cohort, when there were only 20 available slots, making the competition extremely intense. Each specialty had only 1-2 slots, and candidates were not allowed to choose specialties, the university would assign them. 

Phuong Thuy