25/08/2026
CONTINUING COLLABORATION WITH BOND UNIVERSITY TO EXPAND CLINICAL PLACEMENT NETWORK
On August 24, Phan Chau Trinh University (PCTU) welcomed a delegation from Bond University (Australia), marking the beginning of a three-day visit and working program at PCTU from August 24 to 26.
The Bond University delegation included:
Dr. Rhea Liang – Head of the Review Team, Head of the MD Program, Bond University;
Dr. Belinda Lowe – Associate Professor, Co-Lead of Women’s Health, Director of Simulation;
A/Prof. Cindy Jones – Co-Lead of the Bachelor of Medical Science Program, International Partnerships Lead;
A/Prof. Mina Bakhit – Associate Professor, Postdoctoral Researcher in Evidence-Based Medicine.
The visit is part of Bond University’s quality assurance and curriculum review activities, as well as an assessment of the potential development of clinical placement programs at PCTU in Women’s Health (Obstetrics and Gynecology), Child Health (Pediatrics), and Surgery, with the goal of establishing these areas as Core Clinical Placements from 2027.
On the first day, the delegation toured and learned about clinical activities at the Departments of Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Pediatrics of Phan Chau Trinh University Medical Hospital. The delegation also held direct discussions with PCTU’s Clinical Instructors (CIs) to gain a deeper understanding of the clinical learning and training environment for medical students.
During the session with the Obstetrics and Gynecology CIs, discussions focused on the organization of the specialty, patient volume and case mix, subspecialties, as well as the academic and clinical supervision systems for students. In particular, the Bond University delegation explored opportunities for students to experience the full clinical environment, including antenatal clinics, obstetrics wards, delivery rooms, gynecology wards, operating rooms, and newborn care.
The clinical skills and procedures that students may observe or perform under supervision were also discussed in detail, together with assessment and feedback mechanisms such as Mini-CEX, ITA, Logbook, and direct feedback from CIs.
During the session with the Surgery CIs, the delegation focused on the department’s structure, types and volume of surgical cases, and the organization of clinical placements. One key area of interest was how students are integrated into the full patient care journey, from admission and clinical assessment to treatment, participation in surgery, postoperative monitoring, and discharge.
The two sides also discussed opportunities for students to develop surgical skills, as well as supervision, assessment, and feedback mechanisms throughout their clinical placements.
In addition to the clinical site visits, the two universities held discussions on public health research, creating opportunities for further academic and research connections between experts and faculty members from Bond University and PCTU.
As part of this visit, PCTU also organized an orientation session for six medical students from Bond University. The students will begin a six-week clinical placement at Phan Chau Trinh University Medical Hospital, rotating through Pediatrics, Surgery, and Obstetrics and Gynecology.
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