WHO: National Consultant – Development of the National Procedure for Medical Practice Competency Assessment Toolkits, Viet Nam – Hanoi

Purpose of consultancy

The purpose of this consultancy is to provide high-level technical support to accelerate the establishment of a robust, standardized, and nationally credible system for medical practice competency assessment in Viet Nam. Through delivery of the defined outputs and deliverables, the consultancy will support strengthening the institutional, procedural, and operational foundations required to guide development of the four priority assessment toolkits, ensure alignment with national regulatory requirements and international good practices, and enhance quality assurance across the assessment development process.

Background

The National Medical Council (NMC) was established under Decision No. 827/QD-TTg (August 13, 2024) to independently assess the professional competence of medical practitioners in accordance with the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment 2023. This reform separates training from licensing and introduces national competency-based examinations starting from 2027.

Since its establishment in 2025, the NMC Office has made notable progress in building the necessary institutional framework. The NMC Office is currently responsible for developing four competency-based assessment toolkits (General Medicine, Dentistry, Traditional Medicine, and Preventive Medicine), establishing a standardized national procedure to guide toolkit development and exam question construction, and coordinating multiple technical subcommittees and stakeholders. While progress has been made, key gaps remain: the absence of a standardized procedure aligned with national regulations and international good practices, the need for structured coordination, monitoring, and technical review of toolkit development, and the requirement to align with WHO standards on competency-based assessment and regulation.
Since 2020, WHO has been providing strategic and technical support to the Ministry of Health and the National Medical Council to advance reforms that strengthen the quality, standardization, and international alignment of medical education in Viet Nam, including development of competency-based assessment and licensing approaches for medical practitioners. This collaboration contributes to the establishment of a high-quality medical education system that better prepares graduates for safe and effective practice, and this work forms part of WHO’s 2026–2027 workplan agreed with the Ministry of Health. In this context, accelerated technical support is therefore needed to ensure timely and quality implementation of the 2026 workplan and readiness for national examinations in 2027.

Deliverables

The consultant will employ the following methods:

• Document analysis of Vietnamese legal texts (Law on Medical Examination and Treatment 2023, Decree 96/2023/ND-CP, university exam procedures, Ministry of Health circulars, and related guidelines)
• Structured desk review to identify gaps and inconsistencies in existing regulations
• International benchmark review of relevant good practices and WHO documents
• Iterative drafting, revision, and documentation
• Structured stakeholder consultation with NMC Office, experts and others
• Monitoring and coordination of implementation progress
• Iterative drafting, validation, and reporting

Outputs and Deliverables

Output 1: Planning and regulatory analysis
Deliverable 1.1: Consolidated master plan for assessment toolkit development;
– Milestones, roles, responsibilities
– Coordination mechanisms across subcommittees
– Alignment with overall roadmap to 2030
Deliverable 1.2 Structured inventory and analysis of relevant Vietnamese regulations and guidelines related to assessment toolkit development and exam question construction, including university-level exam question construction and management procedures. The consultant will collect, catalog, and analyze all applicable legal documents, then produce a structured summary report.
Timeline: End of Jul 2026

Output 2: Procedure development and training support
Deliverable 2.1: Complete draft of the Procedure for developing a toolkit for assessing the professional competence of medical practitioners. The draft will include:
– A step-by-step process for developing competency assessment toolkits
– Defined roles and responsibilities of the NMC, subcommittees, and other stakeholders
– Quality assurance mechanisms for exam questions (e.g. item review, validation)
– Supporting templates, forms, or workflows, where applicable
Deliverable 2.2: Summary of expert and stakeholder comments, including:
– Compile comments from NMC members and experts into a structured feedback matrix
– Categorize feedback (e.g. technical, regulatory, operational)
Document:
– Revisions made in response to comments
– Justification for comments not incorporated
Deliverable 2.3: Report on training sessions and workshop for test writing, including training plans and materials
Deliverable 2.4: Develop list of trained/qualified instructors for test writing and contribute to assessment toolkit development (based on workshop and training outcomes)
Timeline: end of September 2026

Output 3: Technical review, finalization, and reporting
Deliverable 3.1: Consolidated progress review report on four toolkits
– Status against plans
– Key issues and gaps
– Practical recommendations
Deliverable 3.2: Risk analysis note
– Key implementation risks
– Mitigation measures
Deliverable 3.3: Finalized Procedure document and submission package, including:
– Final procedure
– Summary of revisions
– Brief explanatory note (if required) to support decision-making
Deliverable 3.4: Final analytical report on implementation
– Progress achieved
– Lessons learned
– Recommendations for next phase
Timeline: end of November 2026

Deliverable Acceptance Criteria

All deliverables will be reviewed by the Responsible Officer (WHO) in consultation with the NMC Office. Deliverables must meet the following criteria:

General criteria (applies to all deliverables)
• Completeness: All required components as per ToR are included
• Technical quality: Content is accurate, evidence-based, and aligned with national regulations and international good practices
• Clarity and usability: Documents are well-structured, and clearly written
• Timeliness: Submitted according to agreed timeline
• Responsiveness: Incorporates feedback from WHO and NMC Office appropriately.

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational Qualifications

Essential: At least advanced university degree health-related field (Medicine, Public Health, Dentistry, Traditional Medicine, Nursing, or Health Administration) from a recognized university.
Desirable: Additional training in medical education, competency-based assessment, or project management

Experience

Essential: At least 10 years of experience in healthcare or health administration; experience in drafting administrative documents, guidelines, or regulations in the healthcare sector
Desirable: Experience developing or managing competency-based examination systems; experience working with the Vietnamese Ministry of Health or National Medical Council

Skills/Knowledge

Essential: Good understanding of the Vietnamese healthcare system, medical training institutions, and regulatory documents; understanding of the mandate of the National Medical Council; ability to draft administrative documents and guidelines; proficiency in using office software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and conducting document searches; basic project planning skills
Strong coordination and stakeholder engagement skills
Desirable: Knowledge of competency-based assessment methodologies (blueprinting, item writing); familiarity with university-level exam question construction procedures in Vietnam; ability to monitor progress and manage risks

Languages

Essential: Fluent in Vietnamese (reading, writing, speaking) and Working proficiency in English

Location

Offsite

Travel

The consultant is not expected to travel

Remuneration and budget :

Remuneration: USD 180 (daily)
Expected duration of contract: 60 working days from 10 Jul 2026 to 31 Dec 2026

Additional Information:

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