Van-Tam was born and grew up in Boston, Lincolnshire. He is of Vietnamese descent. He attended Boston Grammar School where his father, Paul Nguyen Van-Tam, was a teacher of mathematics. He graduated in Medicine from the University of Nottingham in 1987. He was awarded bachelor's degrees in medical sciences BMedSci (Hons) in 1985 and in Medicine and Surgery BM BS in 1987. He was awarded a doctorate of medicine DM for a thesis on epidemiology in 2001. His other qualifications include Fellowships of the Faculty of Public Health FFPH, the Royal College of Pathologists FRCPath and the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine Hon FFPM. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Public Health FRSPH and of the Royal Society of Biology FRSB.