Effective July 1, 2023, Vietnam will implement a new base salary for public sector employees, including healthcare professionals, which will increase to 2.53 million VND per month. This change is expected to significantly boost the salaries of doctors, with the highest earners potentially making over 20 million VND monthly, not including additional allowances.

The new base salary represents an increase of 190,000 VND, or approximately 8%, compared to the previous rate. This adjustment serves as the foundation for calculating salaries, allowances, and various other benefits for public employees funded by the state budget. In the healthcare sector, doctors, nurses, and other public health workers will see their salaries adjusted accordingly.

Currently, doctors in public hospitals are paid based on a salary coefficient linked to their professional title. With the new base salary, the income before allowances for doctors will see a notable increase. For instance, a newly graduated doctor classified as level III with a coefficient of 2.34 will now earn around 5.92 million VND per month, an increase of nearly 445,000 VND from before. Meanwhile, a level II doctor starting at a coefficient of 4.4 will see their salary rise by approximately 836,000 VND, bringing their total to over 11.13 million VND per month.

Doctors classified as level I, usually experienced specialists, will have coefficients ranging from 6.2 to 8. With the new base salary, their monthly income will range from 15.69 million to 20.24 million VND, reflecting an increase of 1.18 to 1.52 million VND compared to previous salaries.

Additionally, a new decree issued by the government outlines specific allowances for healthcare workers, effective from July 15. This includes special allowances for lead surgeons, anesthetists, and primary acupuncturists, which can range from 100,000 to 560,000 VND per surgical procedure. Support staff involved in surgeries will also receive allowances between 60,000 and 400,000 VND, while surgical assistants will earn 40,000 to 240,000 VND.

These adjustments are expected to significantly enhance the overall income of many doctors, especially when factoring in various allowances and additional income from hospital services.