Prof. Dang Van Phuoc proposes to change the way professors and associate professors of medicine are considered

After a not-so-smooth year with many applications and complaints about the quality of international publications to consider professors and associate professors, this year, the selection of professors and associate professors in Medicine is relatively favorable. Of the 57 candidates proposed by the College of Professors Council, 52 were approved by the Medical Professors Council, and all were trusted in the review round of the State Council of Professors.

Prof. Dang Van Phuoc, Chairman of the Council of Medical Professors, said that this year, candidates for professors and associate professors in Medicine will not be criticized for publishing scientific articles in predatory journals and magazines. even unorthodox. The reason is that from the very beginning, the Council of Medical Professors had a department that looked carefully at this issue and during the review process, if any candidate published in these journals, they would be immediately rejected. .

However, one problem that this year’s candidates for professors and associate professors in Medicine is that they have too many international publications in the last years. The Council of Medical Professors asked these candidates to explain, then reviewed and found that “acceptable”. Even the review round of the State Council of Professors is not a problem.

Prof. Phuoc said that there will be some new proposals in the examination of GS and PGS in 2022. Factors such as international integration, quality of articles, strict with fraud, all councils will tighten to go. into orbit. Candidates who intend to publish also consciously see this issue.

However, the current outstanding problem is that there is no uniformity between the 28 disciplines that consider professors and associate professors. It is not possible to require the medical profession as well as the transportation industry and even in the medical industry there is no uniformity when there are majors in which international publication is relatively favorable but there are majors in which international publication is difficult. If there is no change, the difficult majors will gradually have no candidates, leading to the fact that without associate professors, professors will not be able to have the next class.

How do you propose to change the criteria for considering PGS and medical professors?

Talking to VietNamNet, Prof. Dang Van Phuoc emphasized that it is not easy in the medical industry to publish science. There are very difficult specialties such as clinical research, which require a lot of work from the researcher. However, when research summaries are published internationally, scientific journals do not like them because they need more basic medicine, or proof of molecular biology, how to test, how to test. has scientific value and has just been published. If only clinical summary, treatment of hundreds of patients, many operations, skillful experience in surgery… it is very difficult to publish in scientific journals and is often rejected.

On the other hand, for international publication, the level of acceptance of prestigious journals is less and less. These journals delve into the molecular biology mechanisms, such as what is a good cure before surgery and after surgery, what is the follow-up 5 years, 10 years later. These requirements are getting bigger and bigger, which is the difficulty of Vietnam.

Meanwhile, there are currently a number of new studies, such as Covid-19, which only do molecular tests and clinical summaries, which are easy to publish because this is a topical issue. In addition, scientific journals have different Impact factor (IF), so publication depends on scientific trends, evidence, or news. Therefore, it is difficult to come up with a common standard for the medical profession because the requirement of “reputable international journal” seems to be very difficult for researchers such as medical examination, treatment, surgery, etc.

Prof. Dang Van Phuoc (left) awarded a diploma to a student of the Faculty of Medicine, Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: VNUHCM)

According to Professor Dang Van Phuoc, if clinical studies are to be published in prestigious international journals, they must be designed, besides clinical, must have the support of molecular biology… This is not an easy matter and is a barrier for Vietnamese researchers today.

“We support the trend of approaching the world, but it is a bit difficult for Vietnam right now. But difficult doesn’t mean impossible,” said Prof. Dang Van Phuoc. Prof. Dang Van Phuoc also acknowledged that there are some young researchers who have had good access, but cannot be equal in the medical field.

“We are also afraid that tomorrow there will be some industries that are too difficult to publish, so young researchers who have no way to publish in such prestigious international journals will hinder them.”

According to Prof. Dang Van Phuoc, the domestic journals that have been so good and valuable so far can raise the value of these journals. If researchers do not have international articles, they can publish them in domestic journals and these publications must improve and verify the quality (specialized articles) to have a way to participate in the GS review. PGS”.

“The story of the medical profession is to have professors and associate professors with degrees to continue in training. In the medical profession, in addition to being skilled, it is necessary to have qualifications for training, research and treatment. If only daily practice without study conditions, tomorrow there will be no next class. Indeed, many majors have no longer had their next class, such as psychiatry, forensics, etc., and at some point will be rare,” said Prof. Phuoc.

According to Prof. Dang Van Phuoc, this needs to be carefully studied to both ensure quality and integration, but also pave the way, so that there is a way for the next professors and PGSs to follow. Elderly people will retire and die, so it is necessary to have other classes to preside over training institutions, especially when private schools develop. teaching standards.

The Chairman of the Medical Profession Council also emphasized that the Medical Profession Council is currently almost the top in the industry, so when reviewing colleagues, they already know the qualifications, not just considering the application. Therefore, even in the medical profession, it is necessary to encourage international integration, but also encourage specialties that are difficult to publish prestigious international articles, and have conditions to participate in the assessment of PGS, because having an associate professor, until 5-10 years later, there is only 1 GS.

“The review of PGS and GS is not difficult if the researchers do not rush but try, with integrity, complete records, integrity and clarity, they will also properly accept the degrees. Integrity is not only shown through scientific publications but also an ethical issue, in medicine it is medical ethics “- Mr. Phuoc said.

Le Huyen