Doctors are a specific group of professionals in Vietnam as well as in most other countries around the world. Currently, on Vietnamese social networks, there is a lot of unknown information about a doctor receiving only 18,600 VND for an entire night of 8 hours to fight the epidemic at frontline hospitals in Vietnam. Why does a profession that needs to invest a lot of time, effort, and money receive such a low salary? What is the salary regime for doctors in Vietnam?
The medical profession in Vietnam can be divided into two main groups: the group of doctors working in public hospitals for the state and the group of doctors working in private hospitals built and owned by private enterprises.
Doctor working in a public health facility
Doctors who are officials in public hospitals will receive a salary based on the basic salary system in Vietnam.
According to the provisions of Article 13 of the Joint Circular 10/2015, doctors in Vietnam will be classified and have a salary coefficient as follows:
– Class I senior doctors: Salary class A3, group A3.1, salary coefficient from 6.2 to 8.0.
– Class II primary doctor: Salary grade A2, group A2.1, salary coefficient from 4.4 to 6.78.
– Class III doctor: Salary grade A1, with a salary coefficient from 2.34 to 4.98.
The salary of a doctor who is an officer will be calculated according to the salary formula for officials, civil servants, and public employees in Vietnam according to the formula: Salary = Coefficient x Base salary
Currently, the base salary in Vietnam is 1.49 million VND/per month.
Thereby, currently, doctors working in public health facilities will receive a salary of:
- Doctor: 3,486,600 VND;
- Main Doctor: 6,556,000 VND;
- Senior doctor: 9,238,000 VND.
In the near future, from January 1, 2023, or July 1, 2023, Vietnam will have an increase in base salary to 1.8 million VND/month.
Thereby, the salary of doctors as well as the group of cadres, civil servants and public employees working in the public sector will receive a significant increase.
Doctors working in the private sector
In addition to working for the state, talented doctors can also choose to join the private sector, working for businesses.
When working for businesses, the salary will not be fixed. The doctor who is an employee will have to make an agreement with the enterprise that is the employer about a specific salary.
The only condition with that salary is that it must be above the regional minimum wage specified in Decree 38/2022/ND-CP. Detail:
+ Region I: 4,680,000 VND/month.
+ Region II: 4,160,000 VND/month.
+ Region III: 3,640,000 VND/month.
+ Region IV: 3,250,000 VND/month.
Because doctors have many different specialties, there is a big difference in the average salary between doctors working in the private sector, with the highest being cardiologists and dentists. According to statistics, currently, usually doctors working in the private sector will have a salary of not less than 10 million VND for a new graduate doctor. For experienced doctors, on average, they will receive 20-40 million VND.
However, monthly salary is not the main source of income for doctors. For talented doctors, even pharmacists, renting or borrowing a license for medical facilities to gain more reputation, while the doctor himself rarely comes to work at that facility, is not rare. Normally, the price for such degree renting will range from 2-3 million VND/month for doctors with less than 5 years of experience and from 6-7 million VND/month for doctors with more than 5 years of experience.
Doctors with qualifications and outstanding achievements will certainly have an agreed salary or a rent price much higher than the common ground.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.