Lac Hong University opens pharmacy major

Lac Hong University is an educational establishment with interdisciplinary and multi-level training programs. After 15 years of foundation and development, the university has affirmed its high quality in training. With training strategies meeting social needs, the university is planning to open a new major - pharmacy branch with the aim of providing highly qualified pharmacists for the community.

Providing pharmacists for the society

Pharmacy plays an important role in protecting health of people and developing nation’s economy. Highly qualified pharmacy workforce is important staff of medical branch in health care and protection of people.

Currently, there is a shortage of pharmacists and an unbalanced distribution between areas. There is much concentration on medicine business and distribution. Furthermore, pharmacists are mainly in big cities such as Ho Chi Minh city and Ha Noi. Therefore, other areas are seriously short of pharmacy human resources, especially those with high qualifications. To supplement more pharmacists, the only way is to focus on investment and strengthen training. The policy if the Ministry of Health is to widen pharmacy schools nationwide, especially areas which meet with difficulties in attracting workforce.

A view of new Dong Nai general hospital

Dong Nai province is in the area affected by the unbalanced distribution of pharmacists. The demand for a workforce with higher education in the pharmaceutical sector is increasing, but the number of pharmacists is lagging behind demand. The Southern area only has Ho Chi Minh city University of Medicine and Pharmacy and Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy which provide a limited number of pharmacists with a high level of education.

Before the imperative need, Lac Hong University deployed a project, prepared facilities, teaching staff, training programs. The project was then approved by the Ministry of Education and Training by the Decision No. 5845/ QD-BGDDT dated on December 28, 2012 to open pharmacy major with undergraduate level.

Training processes of the university

In order to create good conditions for potential chemists to learn and improve knowledge, Lac Hong University has prepared modern facilities, training programs and teaching staff considerately and scientifically.

For the past years, in addition to equipping facilities, laboratories, experiment tools and high qualified teaching staff who graduated from noted universities, Lac Hong University has invited Associate Professors, Doctors, experienced lecturers from Ho Chi Minh city University of Medicine and Pharmacy to ensure the quality of students after graduation.

Members of the Assessment Council of Ho Chi Minh city University of Medicine and Pharmacy

The training program for pharmacy of undergraduate level was designed and built based on the frame program of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education and Training. It was also consulted and verified by Ho Chi Minh city University of Medicine and Pharmacy. Teaching plan and timetable will be arranged by the Faculty of Pharmacy in order to ensure the logical and systematic program.

Lac Hong University’s students are reading pharmacopoeia.

Students of pharmacy will practice at laboratories equipped with modern facilities and devices. Besides, to facilitate their practice and internship,  the university has signed memoranda of understanding with medicine producing establishments, drug testing centers, hospitals, pharmaceutical sales and distribution companies at the locality and nearby cities.

Lac Hong University cooperates with Dong Nai Traditional Medicine Hospital to facilitate its students’ apprenticeship.

Potential pharmacists

Students after graduation can do many jobs related to pharmaceutical field. They can take part in managing diseases by optimizing and monitoring treatment by medicines or explaining clinical testing results through combining with doctors or other medical staff.

Being a pharmacist plays a leading and important role in advising and using medicines at hospitals, expertly operating devices in production lines at medicine producing enterprises, testing labs, in restoring and especially in managing chemist’s, in sales and distribution, instructing safe, effective and economical use of medicine for the community.

Checking medicine catalogue

In addition, pharmacists can work for medicine sales and distribution companies in city or provincial route health network.

With high demand for health science, being a pharmacist will be a right choice for those who have a passion for medicine. Bien Hoa city – Dong Nai province is developing with many dynamic industrial zones. The Long Thanh international airport project will soon be deployed. More drug producing and supplying companies are opened. Also, Dong Nai general hospital that is considered as the biggest one in Vietnam with Southeast Asian region stature has been built. The combination of these elements will be the right future of students so that they can find suitable jobs as well as develop their competence.

With 15 years of education, Lac Hong University is always a reliable unit for parents to send their children to the campus.