Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy Delegation Exchanges Training and Clinical Experience with the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the National University Hospital (NUH)

On September 1st, the delegation from Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy, led by Assoc. Prof. Tran Viet An, together with representatives from various faculties, departments, and hospitals, visited the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, to exchange, learn, and share experiences in pre-clinical skills training. At the same time, the delegation also discussed directions for professional collaboration with the National University Hospital (NUH).

The Centre for Healthcare Simulation (CHS) at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, NUS, is a modern training facility equipped with advanced simulation technologies and a professional standardized patient team. It provides a safe and realistic learning environment, enabling medical and nursing students to practice skills from basic to advanced levels, and helping healthcare professionals develop competencies in diagnosis, emergency response, and managing complex clinical practices in conditions closely resembling real-life situations. As an integral part of NUS’s education and research programs, the center ensures that students are fully equipped with both professional knowledge and practical skills.

In addition, the center offers training courses and support programs for local and international faculty to enhance the effectiveness of simulation-based teaching. The delegation received valuable insights from Assoc. Prof. Suresh Pillai – Director of Simulation Programs in Emergency Medicine and Internal Medicine. Both parties agreed on future directions for collaboration in several key areas:

Strategies for developing and expanding simulation centers to ensure competency-based, integrated training.
The role of basic and advanced simulation training in integrated medical curricula.
Training workshops on applying VR and immersive interaction technologies in health sciences education.
Application of modern technologies in simulation-based teaching.
Faculty development to enhance the quality and effectiveness of simulation education.

Some photos from the visit:

Assoc. Prof. TRAN Viet An presenting souvenir gift for Assoc. Prof. Suresh Pillai – Department of Surgery, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS); Director, National Continuing Education and International Programs,

Centre for Healthcare Simulation, Department of Surgery,

Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, NUS.ore

CTUMP delegation’s site visit

CTUMP delegation visited Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine

On the same day, the delegation also visited the National University Hospital (NUH). NUH is the first university hospital in Singapore, officially operating since June 24, 1985, with its training tradition dating back to 1905 through the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS). The hospital plays a central role in NUS’s clinical training and research system. As a tertiary academic medical center, NUH has over 1,200 beds and serves more than one million patients annually, covering more than 50 medical, surgical, and dental specialties.

It is also the only non-profit public hospital in Singapore that provides care for adults, women, and children at the same location, and it maintains the country’s only pediatric kidney–liver transplant program.

The working session facilitated connections with the Department of General Surgery on bariatric surgery, the Department of Neurosurgery on brain tumor treatment, and the Department of Urology on urological oncology surgery. The visit also introduced Singapore’s medical units, surgical digitalization initiatives, specialized surgical expertise, and simulation centers in general surgery and reconstructive & aesthetic surgery.

Looking ahead, both sides agreed to establish exchange programs for doctors in surgical specialties, anesthesiology, oncology, and related fields. At the same time, the University Hospital of Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy will serve as the next treatment site for patients previously managed at NUH, thereby strengthening collaboration and positioning the hospital as a satellite facility of the National University Hospital.

Ms. Claric LIM – Head of Operations, Department of Surgery,

Department of Urology, Transplant Centre, National University of Singapore

Assoc. Prof. Lim Thiam Chye – Senior Consultant, Division of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, National University Hospital (NUH).

CTUMP delegation visited National University Hospital

This working session opened up important directions for the Center for Medical Education and Clinical Skills Training at Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy in its journey to become a leading medical simulation center in the Mekong Delta. The goal is to provide students with sufficient competencies before engaging with real patients, thereby improving training quality and ensuring patient safety. Furthermore, both sides expressed intentions to share training programs, participate in conferences and scientific seminars, and further develop pre-clinical skill training and competency-based student assessment in the future.