"First Medicine, Second Pharmacy" is the most miserable, the happiest or the most glorious?!

Every battlefield is full of hardships; every battle has its losses and sacrifices. In the fight against Covid-19, the dedication and silent sacrifices of Vietnamese doctors, medical staff and health workers have truly touched the hearts of millions of people.

Where people run, medical staff must run!

Let me borrow the words of a head doctor to illustrate the dedication, sacrifice, and courage of the “white-shirt soldiers” on the front line of preventing and fighting the Covid-19 epidemic: “Where there is an epidemic, everyone runs away, but medical staff run in…”

Are they fearless people? No! Doctors, nurses, and caregivers are all ordinary people of flesh and blood. Everyone has only one life; everyone has a family, young children, and elderly parents that need to be cared for and supported. When faced with a dangerous epidemic, they are just like us: confused, scared... and longing for peace. However, they are different from us because when we try to "run away" from the epidemic, they do not hesitate to "run into" the epidemic; when we are allowed to stay home from work, they go to work to keep us safe. Overcoming their own fear, leaving behind all their worries, they throw themselves into the epidemic, fighting like warriors, silently, silently...

For over 3 months, the entire Vietnamese healthcare system has been under constant strain to prevent and combat the Covid-19 pandemic. On this arduous front line, doctors, medical staff, and employees have shared the same will, determination, and responsibility to fight and defeat the “Covid-19 enemy”.

Only by witnessing the work of the "white-shirt soldiers" on this silent front can one fully understand their hardships, sacrifices, and dedication. At the front line of the fight against the epidemic, doctors, medical staff, and medical staff must always be on duty 24/7, regardless of the lack of medical supplies; treating old patients, receiving new cases, and constantly consulting to come up with appropriate treatment plans for severe cases. Not only that, they also have to take on many additional tasks such as controlling body temperature, reminding people to follow recommendations for disease prevention and control, and some doctors, medical staff even carry and coordinate medical supplies and goods for treatment and disease prevention and control.

Overloaded work, working continuously without days off, and the risk of infection at any time are realities that have been and are happening at facilities treating Covid-19 patients. Here, doctors and nurses understand that they and their colleagues must be at the forefront of the battle against Covid-19; in addition to professional work, they need to be highly focused and make no mistakes to avoid cross-infection for themselves and those around them. In daily contact with patients, doctors, nurses, caregivers, and caregivers are considered F1 and must be completely isolated. Many doctors and nurses have volunteered to stay at the hospital since Tet. They can only see and talk to their relatives through the phone screen; they are speechless before the innocent questions of their children: "Why does mom/dad take so long to come home from work? When will mom/dad come home to me?"; they swallow back their tears and pain when they cannot see and say goodbye to their parents; ready to deliver babies, perform surgery on patients when needed, regardless of whether the patient is F0, F1 or F; postpone weddings... and if there is cross-infection from a patient, encourage each other that it is unfortunate.

What would life be like without doctors and nurses? How would the Covid-19 pandemic sweep through humanity without doctors and nurses? Let us pay tribute to them - the doctors, pharmacists, nurses, caregivers and other frontline workers in the fight against Covid-19 - "real-life superheroes who don't wear capes".

"First Medicine, Second Pharmacy" is the most miserable, the happiest or the most glorious?!

"First Medicine, Second Pharmacy" is a catchphrase that never goes out of style.

On the other hand, also from the Covid-19 pandemic, we understand and appreciate more the meaning of the popular saying "first Medicine, second Pharmacy" that has been passed down for decades.

Since the 70s and 80s of the last century, every high school student when choosing a career passed on to each other the saying "first Medicine, second Pharmacy". After more than half a century, that catchphrase is still present in the minds of millions of Vietnamese people. This is also a saying that has a great impact on the career choice of high school students; contributing to continuing and spreading the passion for learning and dedication to generations of medical and pharmaceutical students and personnel in the medical field.

Why is Medicine the best and Pharmacy the second best? Medicine and Pharmacy are special professions, directly related to the health and life of patients. The first admission score is always in the top; the training program is heavy, long, the assessment is more rigorous than other professions, requiring students to spend a lot of brainpower, invest a lot of time and effort. Therefore, in the eyes of everyone, those who study Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing are always talented and respectable people...

The reality of enrollment of health schools up to now also shows that the rate of candidates registering for admission to this field is always high, gathering candidates with high scores and good learning awareness.

The position of the medical and pharmaceutical industry is not only measured by the quality of input and output but also affirmed through the position and role of this industry in society. The more developed the society, the higher the demand for health care and protection. The downside of the industrialization process also brings many risks to human health, such as cancer, epidemics... and new dangerous diseases. Only healthcare can ensure human health, making life safer and better quality.

Another reason why the medical and pharmaceutical industries are highly regarded is the overloaded situation as well as the poor infrastructure in the hospital systems from central to local levels, causing the personnel working in the medical industry to be under great pressure at work. In addition to qualifications and skills, they must have love and passion for the profession in order to be able to stick with and commit to their work. In particular, if they want to surpass themselves and be worthy of the name of a physician, doctor, or pharmacist, they must study continuously. In addition to new medical and pharmaceutical knowledge that is constantly updated, doctors must know how to sympathize with patients, consider patients as their loved ones to behave best. This is what makes people highly respect and appreciate those working in the medical and pharmaceutical industries. And in any circumstance, the medical and pharmaceutical industries are still two noble industries that deserve respect...

Besides, Medicine and Pharmacy are professions with outstanding job opportunities compared to other professions in society. And no matter how the economy - politics - society changes, it does not affect too much the role and function of the health sector.