The Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Saigon was established in 1947 in Saigon as a division of the Indochina School of Medicine in Hanoi. In 1961, it was divided into the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Pharmacy of Saigon. Then the Faculty of Dentistry was founded in 1964. Whereas, in the Resistance zone of the South-East of Vietnam the training of medical staff was provided by the College of Medicine established in 1965.
Ho Chi Minh City was founded in 1976 as an integration of the above mentioned schools and was composed of three faculties: the Faculty of Medicine, the Faculty of Pharmacy and the Faculty of Odonto- Stomatology. In 1994, the Faculty of Fundamental Sciences was established in order to provide the teaching of basic sciences to students of the three faculties during their first semesters of training.
In 1998, the University was expanded to include the Medical School of Medicine. Then Tue Tinh National Medical School II and Department of Traditional Medicine of the Faculty of Medicine merged together to become the Faculty of Traditional Medicine.
In 1999, the Faculty of Public Health was established, from the merger of the Public Health Department of the Faculty of Medicine and the Division of Health and Organization of the Ho Chi Minh City Institute of Hygiene and Public Health.
In 2000, the University opened its own medical center of 250 beds doted with modern medical equipment and highly qualified staff. This medical center was soon followed by four others, the total amount of beds of the University Medical Center was 500.Therefore, since 2000, the University was composed of the seven faculties mentioned above and one University Medical Center.
In 2005, the university was recognized as one of the two strategic medical training institutions of the country. The University offers the most comprehensive array of training for health professionals from undergraduate to graduate level. The University Hospital is with 650 beds and modern teaching and research facilities.
Besides scholastic training, the university offers an array of activities for the arts and sports to promote the moral qualities required for health professionals. The Youth Union and the Student Association have successfully appealed the students to participate in many meaningful social activities, sports and cultural events such as the “Green Summer”. These have raised the awareness of environmental protection, the necessity of stopping the disease in the population, the role of social campaign in family planning, against drug-addiction and HIV / AIDS.
The Faculty of Medicine and Odonto-Stomatology share the main campus of the university, which is in the center of the fifth district of Ho Chi Minh City. The other faculties are located in the first, third, fifth, and Phu Nhuan districts of the city, which are also very convenient for transportation and living. With the increase in the number of students (more than 10,000), the expansion of our facilities is out of town.
The skills-lab was set up and put into operation since March 2000 in order to provide and enhance preclinical skill training for students in regard to examination, operation, testing and communication. Its other mission is to develop a curriculum for simulation training and teaching materials with a description of the standard of study and management for common problems encountered in practice.
Dormitory has greenery area, sport area to help students taking physical exercises after their school time. 02 were ground floor, 01 office hall, 01 meeting hall, 01 outdoor stage, 01 reading room, 01 computer room, 01 dining room, 01 coffee house, 01 stationery counter, 01 photocopy room , 01 health care room.
Students as well as programs for Lunar New Year, Teacher’s Day as well as football, volleyball, badminton, ping-pong, chess competitions. Leaders regularly contact with agencies, unions, companies and individuals to sponsor scholarships for good students with difficult living conditions.