Our History

The Vietnamese Medical Association of Florida (VMAF, Hội Y sĩ Việt Nam tại Florida) was founded in 1988 by alumni of the Saigon University School of Medicine to provide to its members a sense of belonging and fellowship that they could not find in other American professional organizations at that time. The majority of these physicians came to the United States as refugees after the fall of South Vietnam in 1975 to Communist invaders. With so many common ordeals and shared memories, their bond to each other was very strong.

Starting with 49 founding members, the VMAF rapidly gathered most of the Vietnamese physicians practicing in Florida. In 1992, the VMAF open its membership to all dentists and pharmacists of Florida and changed its name to “The Vietnamese Association of Physicians, Dentists and Pharmacists of Florida (VAPDPF, Hội Y Nha Dược sĩ Việt Nam tại Florida)”, as it is presently known. During the 2006-2008 administration under the leadership of Dr Nguyễn Phi Yến, there was a sense of rejuvenation. Members of the younger generations, trained in the US, entered into positions of responsibility on the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors. With the influx of new members, the Association grew and matured rapidly.  In 2022, medical professionals such as optometrists, nurse practitioners, chiropractors, and psychologists became actively involved and were vital to the Association.  Subsequently , the Association changed its name to the Vietnamese American Medical Professionals (VAMP) and welcomed all medical professionals of Vietnamese descent who have state licenses to become active members and continue the mission of the Association.

The Association now serves as a centralized forum for health care professionals, including physicians, dentists, pharmacists, and other allied health providers, who live and practice in Florida.  Although our members are Vietnamese, we also value Non-Vietnamese Honorary Members who possess an appreciation for the Vietnamese culture and traditions. The Association hosts meetings, continuing medical education (CME) courses, community health fairs, social events, and annual galas to support the bonding and fellowship among its members and to serve the central Florida community.

We invite our members and affliates, new and old, Vietnamese and non-Vietnamese, to contribute their ideas and thoughts in an effort to improve this Association. Alone we are strong…together we are stronger.