Intern report Public Health, faculty of Public Health, Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy

17^th of August until 9^th of October 2015

October 5^th, Hue, Vietnam

Hereby I provide a small report of my stay in Hue. I hope I can make other students involved in public health that are considering to do a placement, enthusiast about this institute. My name is Tobias van Haaften and I am 5^th year medical student at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. To perform the internship public health, I decided to go to Vietnam. Via the Medical Committee the Netherlands Vietnam (MCNV), I came in contact with professor Vo Van Thang, who warmly welcomed me at the faculty of Public health and the Institute for Community Health Research of the University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Hué. I had a very interesting and informative period that gave me insights in the healthcare system in Vietnam and in how healthcare is developed.  

During the internship, I had a very diverse program that provided good insight in the healthcare system in Vietnam. The program was ranging from visiting community health centres and district health bureaus to clinical departments like internal medicine and obstetrics and gynaecology. Furthermore I visited the department of traditional medicine and last but not least I participated in the 7^th Greater Mekong Sub-Regional Countries conference on Evidence Based Policy Making in Public Health and I took part in the celebration of the 10^th anniversary of the Faculty of Public Health.

To take part in the conference was the most inspiring and interesting part of the placement. To see enthusiast and ambitious professors presenting the things they achieved and the plans and ideas they have to improve the healthcare system in the East-Asian countries was impressive to me. To take part in the preparations gave insights in how these events are organized. To attend the conference and to actively participate in discussions after presentations gave insight in the factors that influence public health and in the ways to further develop it. Next to the substantive part of the conference, meeting and working together with students from 19 different countries was a very nice experience.

Next to this, I worked at the Department of Traditional Medicine at the Center Hospital in Hué. It was interesting to experience the use of Vietnamese traditional medicine in daily practice and to see that it co-exists with conventional medicine. Although I would say that one cannot use traditional medicine to cure all diseases, traditional medicine has additive value in curing long-term pain disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Furthermore, I value the use of traditional herbs at home. Because of the large knowledge of Vietnamese traditional medical drugs in community, they often prevent more extensive illness to develop.

Visiting the community healthcare centers and the district health bureau, gave me insights in how Vietnam spreads its healthcare network over the country and in how they try to supply primary care for everybody living in the country. Next to that I learned about the prevention of disease and how they try to improve the general medical knowledge of the society to improve its health status. Furthermore, visiting the clinical departments gave more insight in the way Vietnamese cope with disease and death and in the current state of healthcare. Even though the facilities and equipment are sometimes insufficient, doctors and nurses are able to deliver adequate care and to stay enthusiast and optimistic. Medical students are hard working dedicated to their education. It was of great value for me to experience this.

Over all, the period I have spent in Hué was unforgettable and very informative. The staff and students of the faculty of Public Health provided an open and attractive environment to learn about public health, about their role in the development of public health and about Vietnam. Both in and outside the university, I had a lot of fun. I would like to thank them all for the experience that they gave me.

Tobias van Haaften