Hoang Phuc earned his degrees in Medicine and Economics in nine years, after three attempts at the university entrance exam and two "gap years" to find his own path.
Nguyen Hoang Phuc, 27 years old, graduated with a good grade in Medicine from the Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy in October. Three months prior, the young man from Khanh Hoa received an honors degree in Hospital Management from the Ho Chi Minh City University of Economics.
"Neither my teachers, family, nor friends believed I could study and graduate from two schools simultaneously, but I finally did it. When I found out my graduation results from medical school, I was so excited, my emotions overwhelmed me," Phuc recounted.
Nguyen Hoang Phuc. Photo: Provided by the subject.
Inspired by his parents, both of whom work in the medical field, Phuc chose this path early on. In the 2014 university entrance exam, Phuc took the A-block (Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry) for the International University, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City and the B-block (Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology) for the Medical program at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy Ho Chi Minh City. The male student failed to get into the Medical program by 0.5 points.
This disappointed Phuc. The student said his family had moved from their hometown to Ho Chi Minh City so that he could more easily attend the High School for the Gifted. Therefore, Phuc spent a year retaking the entrance exam with the determination to get into medical school.
In 2015, Phuc was admitted to the Medical program at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy. However, the reality of studying and the university environment were contrary to his initial expectations and fantasies.
"The amount of knowledge I needed to memorize was overwhelming. I prefer calculations and critical thinking to burying my head in hundreds of pages of textbooks for each exam. Gradually, I began to doubt whether this was the right field for me," Phuc recalled.
By the end of his second year, Phuc still hadn't found the answer, so he decided to take a year off to gain experience and find the answer, despite strong opposition from his family. During this year, Phuc worked as a waiter in restaurants to support himself, spending time meeting friends and mentors from various fields—from IT and construction to economics and logistics—to learn about the curriculum and gain practical experience.
Ultimately, Phuc realized that medicine was still the most suitable field for him, but he felt he needed to supplement his knowledge of hospital management. Therefore, Phuc decided to apply to this program at the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, while also returning to medical school.
Knowing that studying at two schools simultaneously would be challenging, the male student set a limit for his breakthrough – he would only continue if he achieved the top score. Despite the difficulties of reviewing high school knowledge after 5 years away from high school and the completely different exam format and structure, Phuc achieved the top score at the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City in 2019 with 28.5 points in the A01 group (Mathematics, Physics, English).
"My family and friends all said it was crazy, that studying medicine was already difficult enough, so how could I study at two schools? But young people always have a bit of a competitive spirit, and the more people opposed me, the more I wanted to prove that I could do it," Phuc shared.
Hoang Phuc (left) with his best friend at his graduation ceremony at Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy, late October. Photo: Provided by the subject.
After that came a series of days: Phúc would go to one school in the morning and another in the afternoon. Fortunately, the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City recognized the grades for general subjects and some specialized hospital-related subjects from the University of Medicine and Pharmacy Ho Chi Minh City, so Phúc didn't have to retake any courses.
"Besides having to learn twice as much, my mind was constantly stressed out trying to figure out how to avoid missing classes to the point of being banned from exams in each subject," Phuc recounted.
During the 2020-2021 school year, Phuc accelerated his studies thanks to the shift to online learning due to the Covid-19 pandemic. He registered for all available courses at both schools during that time. For courses with overlapping schedules, Phuc opened two screens simultaneously and recorded the entire lesson. He focused on one important subject, and watched and studied the other in the evening.
Having to take two or three exams in a week was normal. Phuc remembers most vividly the time at the end of April 2021 when he had to take three final exams in four days. The male student usually only slept two or three hours a day to cope with his studies at two schools.
Phuc's biggest challenge was the traffic accident that required him to undergo two knee surgeries in April and May 2022. Phuc had to accept failing some subjects at medical school. However, the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City still allowed online learning and exams, so the student was able to study while receiving treatment.
"I was in physical pain and extremely discouraged because I thought my studies would be delayed by at least a year. Luckily, my recovery was quick, so I was able to return to school and do my practical training at the hospital during the summer, even though I was still using crutches and limping," Phuc shared.
Whenever he feels discouraged, Phuc remembers the protagonist in the movie "Rudy," who strived for years to earn just 27 seconds of playing time for the Notre Dame University football team he loved, despite lacking the talent and physique. The movie is a source of inspiration, helping Phuc maintain his resolve during difficult times.
During the medical school graduation exam last August, Phuc dedicated all his efforts to achieving his goal of graduating from two universities simultaneously. Prior to that, the student had already graduated from the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City in July.
"It felt like I was a football player standing before the moment of scoring a historic goal. When I finished the second day of exams and knew my score was above the graduation threshold, I jumped up and shouted excitedly in the middle of the exam room, 'I've graduated!'" Phuc recounted.
Working with Phuc's team on a project surveying the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of medical students regarding the Covid-19 pandemic, Dr. Bui Cao My Ai, a lecturer in Cardiology at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Ho Chi Minh City, assessed Phuc as dynamic, eager to learn, and enthusiastic in his work.
Dr. Phan Ngoc Anh, a lecturer at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Economics, was impressed that Phuc graduated from two universities simultaneously. Dr. Anh even asked Phuc how he could study at both universities at the same time when many people are already overwhelmed just studying medicine.
"Hearing you share your goals and determination, I admire you for daring to try, setting challenges to explore your own limits," Dr. Ngoc Anh shared.
Phuc was also assessed as having the ability to study twice as hard as the average student, from managing his energy and scheduling his studies to absorbing knowledge. Dr. Ngoc Anh commented that the male student studied seriously, asked many critical questions, and expanded on issues rather than just studying to pass the course.
With his background in medicine and hospital management, he hopes Phuc can contribute even more to the healthcare industry.
Phuc believes she has gone through an extraordinary journey with herself. Her immediate goal is to obtain her professional license to become an obstetrician and gynecologist.
"Throughout my nearly 10 years of university, I realized that you shouldn't let anyone set limits for you, but instead experience and explore it yourself," Phuc shared.
Le Nguyen
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