1. QUT Professional Placement
Hue College of Medicine & Pharmacy
Natasha, Hana & Nicole

2. Objectives
1. To engage in cultural exchange between Hue university staff & students & QUT
students
2. To gain an understanding of the Vietnamese health care system
3. To gain experience and skills in culturally diverse qualitative research both one-
on-one interviewing and focus groups
4. To analyse the differences between the Australian and Vietnamese Public Health
tertiary education system
5. To analyse the mental health profession and health care in Vietnam
6. Gain an insight into the critique of the ACE-IQ tool and it’s relevance to
Vietnamese children

3. Methods
• One-on-one interviews with heads of health facilities and
academics
• Observations of health facilities
• Focus group with 2nd year public health students
• Cultural exchange between public health students at Hue
University of Medicine and Pharmacy and QUT
• General discussions between staff at the QUT Collaborative
Centre for Community Health Research and QUT public health
students

4. Findings

5. Health care system findings
• Noted differences between health
care systems
• Home visits
• Mental health care
• Resources
• Shortages of staff – Psychiatrists,
District Dr’s
• Public health and health education
• Family care
• Continual education of health workers

6. Interviewing skills
• Conscious of wording when using an interpreter - different
words have different meanings across cultures
• Creating a conversation
like environment

7. Comparison of Vietnamese &
Australian Health Systems
• Communicable vs non-communicable disease
Dengue fever vs Australia Obesity epidemic - 62% of
men and 45% of women were overweight or obese.
• Public vs Private
– Hospitals
– General Practiioners
– Allied health

8. Comparison of Vietnamese &
Australian Health Systems
• Community health (home visits) vs clinical settings
• Continual education
• Standards of qualifications, procedures (patient care & sign-
offs).

9. Reflective Practice
• Improved confidence in interviewing skills
• Amending guiding interview questions to be easily
translated and culturally appropriate – and future
health promotion work
• The versatility of health care as it can be adapted to
work with a limited amount of resources

10. Phu Hoi Health Station

11. Some fun stuff…
Hana’s first motorbike ride…

12. Fun stuff….
Cyclo trip to the citadel & markets

13. Fun Stuff…
Inside the Citadel

14. Thank-You!!
On behalf of us students at QUT, we would like
to thank you so much for your kindness,
valuable time, and providing us with a great
experience.
We will never forget!