Professor, Doctor Nguyễn Đình Hối, one of Việt Nam's most influential medical educators and the founding director of the University Medical Center HCM City, died on June 29 at the age of 92. — Photo courtesy of the University Medical Center HCM City

HCM CITY — Professor, Doctor Nguyễn Đình Hối, former rector of the University of Medicine and Pharmacy at HCM City and a pioneering figure in Việt Nam's medical education system, died early on Monday at the age of 92, according to his family.

He passed away due to old age and declining health.

The news of his passing prompted an outpouring of tributes from colleagues, former students and members of the medical community, many of whom remembered him as a distinguished physician, educator and mentor whose influence shaped generations of Vietnamese doctors.

Born in the central province of Thanh Hóa in 1934, Nguyễn Đình Hối graduated from Hà Nội Medical University in 1960 and devoted more than six decades to medicine, serving as a physician, educator and administrator.

He served as rector of the University of Medicine and Pharmacy at HCM City from 1993 to 2007, helping transform it into one of Việt Nam's leading medical training institutions.

He is widely credited with pioneering the "School-Hospital" model in Việt Nam, integrating medical education, scientific research and clinical practice within a unified system.

Nguyễn Đình Hối was also the founding director of the University Medical Center HCM City. Under his leadership, the hospital developed into one of the country's leading teaching hospitals, contributing significantly to the advancement of Việt Nam's healthcare system.

Throughout his academic career, he supervised numerous doctoral, master's and specialist training programmes.

He authored or edited 15 textbooks and specialised publications, led multiple national and ministerial research projects, and published more than 70 scientific papers and reports.

He also held several key positions in Việt Nam's medical and academic communities, including chairman of the Ministry of Health's Scientific and Technical Council, chairman of the Council of Rectors of Medical and Pharmaceutical Universities, chairman of the State Professorship Council for Medicine, vice chairman of the Việt Nam Surgical Association and vice chairman of the Việt Nam Association of Gastroenterology.

In recognition of his contributions, Prof. Hối received numerous prestigious honours, including the title of People's Teacher in 1996, the Second-Class Labour Order, the Tôn Thất Tùng Award and the Science and Technology Innovation Award.

In 2025, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 24th Asian Hospital Management Conference, becoming the fourth Vietnamese physician to receive the honour.

The passing of Prof. Hối marks the loss of one of Việt Nam's most influential medical educators and healthcare leaders, whose legacy will continue through the generations of doctors and medical professionals he trained and inspired. — VNS