The man who snatched life from the hands of death

A student from Nghe An and his journey to conquer his dream of a white blouse

Amidst the thick smell of disinfectant, the steady sound of ventilators echoed in the intensive care unit of the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases. Here, every day is a life-and-death battle, and in that battle, the doctors and medical staff never give up, even if there is only a glimmer of hope.

Doctor Pham Van Phuc (born in 1990) is not a hero from a fairy tale. With his hands, his mind and his heart, he has saved countless lives from the clutches of death.

People often say that choosing a medical career means accepting days without any peace of mind. But for Dr. Phuc, it is not just a choice, but a mission. A mission that he has spent all his youth and energy pursuing over the years.

Young man Pham Van Phuc was born and raised in Nghi Loc district (Nghe An province). Doctor Phuc's childhood witnessed his father often sick. That is why he had a burning desire to become a doctor.

That dream grew over the years. The student Phuc studied day and night, diligently by the oil lamp, determined to escape poverty through knowledge. With all his efforts, he became the valedictorian of Hanoi Medical University with a score of 29.5/30.

Doctor Pham Van Phuc.

6 years of studying general medicine, 3 years of residency in infectious diseases - that journey was the days when Dr. Phuc buried his head in books, the sleepless nights in the hospital to learn from teachers, from difficult cases. He chose to work in the Intensive Care Unit, choosing the most serious cases, where doctors not only need solid expertise, but also a spirit of steel.

Dr. Phuc confided: “There were moments of exhaustion, when I wondered if I had chosen the wrong path. But every time I witnessed a patient regaining life, I realized that those revived heartbeats were the answer, the reason for living, and the reason I am still here, constantly trying day and night.”

The relentless battle with death

The story that Dr. Phuc told us was not about working 8 hours and then coming home to rest, he worked at an intensity many times that. A day on duty could last 24 hours, even longer if the patient was in critical condition.

Dr. Phuc believes that if there is one place where doctors have to stand on the fragile line between life and death every day, it is the Intensive Care Unit. Here, there is no room for mistakes. A delayed decision, a wrong judgment, can cause a life to be gone forever.

The shifts were endless, the sleep was fitful on a chair placed hastily in the corner of the hospital room. And there were moments when he could only lie down for a moment and then jump up again when a patient got worse.

Once, a patient with severe pneumonia had developed acute respiratory failure. Despite being placed on a ventilator, his condition remained critical. For 48 hours, Dr. Phuc barely left the bed. He directly monitored, adjusted the ventilator, and weighed each dose of medication. When the patient gradually stabilized, he allowed himself to take a quick nap on a chair in the hallway. But less than an hour later, another patient needed him. And so he stood up again...

Doctor Pham Van Phuc monitors each patient's vital signs.

Remembering a severe Covid-19 patient who had to be put on ECMO (artificial heart and lung), Dr. Phuc barely left the room for three days. Every time the patient showed signs of deterioration, he rushed over, adjusted the machines, and checked each vital sign. When the patient was out of danger, everyone discovered that he had not had a proper meal.

MSc. Nguyen Thi Thuong, Head Nurse of the Intensive Care Center, Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases, said: “One night, I saw Mr. Phuc sitting and falling asleep right in front of the patient’s room, leaning against the cold wall, his eyes sunken from fatigue. But as soon as he heard the news of a serious case, he immediately jumped up, as if he had never been sleepy.”

Not only is he a treating physician, Dr. Phuc is also a teacher for many young doctors. During the stressful days of the Covid-19 epidemic, he directly instructed each technique of placing a breathing tube, resuscitating the heart and lungs, and handling complications. He always reminded: "In the medical profession, there is no room for subjectivity. A small mistake can cost the patient's life."

In 2021, the Covid-19 pandemic broke out fiercely. The Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases became a hot spot with thousands of seriously ill patients. Doctors here not only faced work pressure, but also faced a high risk of infection.

Dr. Phuc recalled: “There were nights when the entire ward resounded with the gasping sounds of patients, some struggling to hold on to their last breath. Doctors worked in tight protective suits, drenched in sweat, but no one stopped. All had only one mission: to keep the patient alive.”

One special case that Dr. Phuc could not forget was a 30-year-old pregnant woman with twins who had severe Covid-19. When she was admitted to the hospital, the patient had severe respiratory failure. On the third day, the patient went into cardiac arrest. The whole team rushed to the emergency room. The doctors put her on ECMO and performed rapid resuscitation. After more than an hour, the patient's heartbeat returned. Two months later, when he received the news that the mother and her two babies were healthy, Dr. Phuc fell silent. It was one of the rare times he cried out of happiness. "There were times when we thought we had lost the patient. But as long as there was a glimmer of hope, we never gave up," Dr. Phuc's eyes were determined.

The doctor in blue

In 2020, he was honored as one of the 10 Outstanding Young Faces of the Capital. But when mentioning those titles, he just smiled: “We don’t do it for the awards. We do it because the patients need us.”

Doctor Phuc always believes: “Youth is not only for dreaming but more importantly for action. I always believe that youth is the most beautiful time, when we have enough enthusiasm to contribute, enough health to commit and have ideals to do great things. When you are young, do not be afraid of difficulties, do not be afraid of hardship. Dare to step out of your comfort zone to see how much this life needs us.”

As a Youth Union Secretary, Dr. Phuc inspires not only with his words but also with his actions. Since his student days, he has participated in voluntary medical examination and treatment programs, and when he became a doctor, he continued to bring medical care to disadvantaged areas, helping the poor who could not afford medical treatment.

Dr. Phuc believes that youth is not for waiting or hesitating. If everyone thinks they are not ready, everyone is afraid of hardship, then who will stand up to change? The country needs young people who dare to think, dare to do, dare to sacrifice to bring good values ​​to the community.

For Dr. Phuc, youth is not only a time to live, but also a time to sow the seeds of compassion, responsibility and noble ideals. It is from young people like him that society has more faith in a generation of young people who are not afraid of hardship, always ready for the community and the country.

Every day, when many people wake up to start work, it is the time when Dr. Phuc leaves the hospital after an all-night shift. He returns home to the sound of the rooster crowing early, his eyes still tired but his heart always at peace. For him, medicine is not just a job, but a mission. That mission has no room for hesitation, no time to delay. It is a relentless battle, between the fragile boundary between life and death.

Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/phong-su-dieu-tra/cuoc-thi-nhung-tam-guong-binh-di-ma-cao-quy-lan-thu-16/nguoi-gianh-giat-su-song-tu-tay-tu-than-822938