Once the national valedictorian of Block B, Ngo Thu Ha has just graduated as valedictorian of the Faculty of Medicine, Hanoi Medical University. Her 6-year journey is a series of continuous efforts to "start over from zero".
Six years ago, Ngo Thu Ha "caused a storm" when she became the national valedictorian of block B00 with a near-perfect score of 29.8. Six years later, the girl from the studious land of Phu Tho once again stood at the top, becoming the valedictorian of the Medical Faculty of Hanoi Medical University with a total score of 8.42/10. At the end of August, Ha will officially receive her excellent medical degree, a worthy achievement for a journey full of effort.
This "double valedictorian" achievement is considered by representatives of Hanoi Medical University as a rare case, requiring students to not only have talent but also perseverance and extraordinary effort.
Journey of "putting the past behind, going back to zero"
Looking at Ha's achievements, many people will be overwhelmed. She is a former student majoring in Mathematics, and was the valedictorian of the 10th grade entrance exam at Hung Vuong High School for the Gifted (Phu Tho). Throughout her high school years, Ha continuously won the first prize for excellent students at the provincial level, and the Silver Medal at the excellent student competition of specialized schools in the coastal and Northern Delta regions.
However, even at the peak of her glory, Ha had a very mature concept: "The title of valedictorian is not the destination but just a moment for me to look back on my efforts."
Because of that mindset, when entering the medical school, Ha chose to "put the past behind" to start a new challenging journey. "I always admired doctors, even though no one in my family was in this field. When I entered university, I determined that I would have to work very hard and start from zero," Ha shared.
And the reality was not easy. Although she was the valedictorian of Block B, Ha admitted that general knowledge was just the foundation. In her first year, she faced a series of "difficult" general subjects such as Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, and Biophysics. These subjects required in-depth knowledge that she had to consolidate a lot on her own. Even when studying Biophysics, she had to review her high school Physics book to get back to the basics. It took her a while to gradually adapt to the completely new learning methods and thinking style at university.
The secret to conquering the top: Modesty, initiative and science
Faced with the enormous amount of knowledge in the medical field, Ngo Thu Ha understood that she could not go it alone. She proactively joined the "Active Learning Students" club, where Ha could study in groups, discuss and solve difficult problems together. Ha realized that studying in groups helped her progress faster, because each person had their own strengths to complement each other.
Once she got used to the routine, Ha researched and applied effective learning methods. One of her "secrets" is the "Active Recall" method. After finishing a topic, she would close the book and present the knowledge herself until it was fluent.
To be able to study anytime, anywhere and review regularly, Ha also created flashcards on her phone. Whenever she had free time, Ha opened them to consolidate her knowledge. With the characteristics of the medical profession, exams take place in a "rolling" form and knowledge is always linked together, requiring students to learn everything and not "learn by heart". Ha understood that, to answer the exam questions outside of the textbook, she had to research and learn from patients and foreign documents.
Classic medical books such as "Guyton's Physiology" or "Harrison's Internal Medicine" have become Ha's companions. In addition, Ha has also invested in learning French and obtained a DEFL B2 certificate, because she sees this as an advantage in accessing many valuable medical documents.
Doctors need not only expertise, but also empathy.
It was not until her third year, when she began clinical practice at the hospital, that Ha truly felt deeply about the path she had chosen. The motivation that urged her to become a doctor originated from a childhood memory, when she had a high fever and was treated by a devoted doctor even during her lunch break. Now, Ha is inspired by the dedication and humility of the teachers at the hospital.
The life of a medical student is a non-stop cycle: clinical classes in the morning, theory in the afternoon, and night shifts at the hospital. Although hard, the moments at the hospital helped Ha mature. The shifts at Xanh Pon Hospital, witnessing doctors and nurses having to support elderly patients without family members, from doing paperwork to taking them for X-rays... are memories that Ha will always remember.
"Those images made me remind myself to improve my expertise, and at the same time cultivate tolerance and empathy," Ha shared. Ha understands that to become a good doctor, in addition to solid expertise, one also needs a heart that knows how to share.
Currently, the new valedictorian is focusing all her efforts on the residency exam, which is considered the most rigorous. Ha's goal is to be in the top 50 so she can choose her favorite major.
"I hope to pass the residency exam to continue to gain solid knowledge. The journey to becoming a good doctor is still long and I will have to make a lot of effort," Ngo Thu Ha modestly shared.
The double valedictorian title may be a great source of pride, but for this brave girl, it is just a milestone on the path of continuous learning to fulfill her dream of wearing a white blouse.
Source: https://khoahocdoisong.vn/chan-dung-nu-thu-khoa-kep-hiem-co-cua-truong-y-danh-gia-post2149044179.html
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