More than 40 doctors, surgeons, and researchers from leading hospitals across Ho Chi Minh City gathered for the “Surgical Trials Workshop”. The event, held in collaboration with the Sydney Vietnam Institute (SVI), Gia Dinh People’s Hospital, and the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, represented a significant milestone in strengthening Vietnam’s clinical research capacity.
Prof David Beard led the workshop which featured content adapted from the 3-day BOASTiC (Bristol, Oxford and Aberdeen Surgical Trials Course), which David co-directs and has successfully run in the UK for 12 years.
In his talks, David explored the distinct nature of surgical trials compared to other medical research fields, highlighting the unique challenges and ethical considerations involved. He provided an in-depth overview of the entire clinical trial process—from defining research questions and selecting outcome measures to managing risk, ensuring ethical integrity, and disseminating findings. Drawing on his experience from ten international surgical trials, David shared valuable practical insights and lessons to help Vietnamese researchers and surgeons develop feasible, context-appropriate research initiatives.
David said: ‘We continue our journey to advance surgical evaluation in Vietnam, working closely with our valued colleagues. This workshop in Ho Chi Minh City built upon the success of our previous workshop held in Hanoi in 2024 and was very well received. We look forward to fostering new partnerships and exploring collaborative opportunities in a range of surgical interventions in the near future.’