Female technology student strives to bring artificial intelligence into medicine

Transform fear into research motivation.

Le Nguyen Phuong Thuy and her team members presented their research at the VietNam Data 2023 competition.

Having been a biology student at the High School for the Gifted - Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, Thuy made a "turn" to Information Technology after witnessing how society operated during the COVID-19 pandemic. That starting point, along with her passion for healthcare, led her to constantly ponder: "How can doctors understand and trust the results from artificial intelligence data?"

That seemingly simple question opened up a challenging journey. Because in medicine, trust and transparency are vital. Every diagnostic result requires both accuracy and a clear scientific basis for doctors to verify before making decisions that directly affect patients' health. Driven by this motivation, Thùy and her team set out to make AI more understandable and transparent.

Phuong Thuy is currently a student in the Information Technology Faculty at the University of Science (Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City), and is one of 20 outstanding female students to receive the 2025 Science and Technology Female Student Award presented by the Central Youth Union.

From her second year of university, Phuong Thuy began to dedicate herself to scientific research. Among the projects she has participated in, Thuy is particularly passionate about the topic "Reliable clinical notes with a large language model".

In the early stages of her research, the female student was initially intimidated by the enormous "data jungle" and the strict security protocols. "Honestly, at the beginning, I was quite confused and overwhelmed. There were times when I stared at the computer and felt scared, realizing how small I was in the face of the technological world ," she recounted.

Thùy and her research team are competing in the final round of the AI Challenge HCMC 2024.

For Thuy, each line of code is not simply a programming technique, but also a test of willpower and courage. Common diseases are studied using thousands of samples, while rare diseases are studied using only a limited number of samples.

“My most memorable experience was when the team was conducting AI model trials for the project. Due to insufficient funds to rent an upgraded computing platform, the team had to divide the data processing tasks among multiple personal computers. There were nights when we stayed up late monitoring the progress. Because if even one machine shut down midway, the entire process would have to start over,” she recounted.

However, it was precisely these seemingly insurmountable challenges that helped Thuy realize the hidden strength in her passion. From the initial feeling of being overwhelmed to sleepless nights with her teammates, the young girl gradually honed her composure, perseverance, and systematic thinking in the face of all difficulties.

Participating in competitions helps Thuy to improve and mature through each experience.

"I realized that every research journey has its stressful and challenging moments. But instead of avoiding them, I chose to see them as stepping stones to move forward. I also remind myself that once I've started, I have to see it through to the end, not halfway," Thuy said.

A piece of the puzzle in the community of women in science.

After months of hard work, Thuy and her team found a solution to the medical data problem using a big language model. This model allows for the synthesis and creation of highly reliable artificial medical data, while also expanding the system's filtering range to include rare diseases.

With three scientific publications at prestigious international conferences, Thuy is one of 20 outstanding students who received the 2025 Female Science and Technology Award from the Central Youth Union. "This award serves as a reminder for me to constantly strive forward, continue my research, and inspire other female students who love technology," Thuy shared with emotion and pride.

Thuy is one of 20 outstanding students who received the 2025 Science and Technology Female Student Award presented by the Central Youth Union.

Spending time working alongside like-minded teammates on science projects made Thùy realize that she belonged in the world of technology. She particularly felt the joy of sharing knowledge through discussions and experiments.

"I feel happy when I see someone's eyes light up because they realize something new from my explanation. That feeling is both warm and proud, as if knowledge is no longer confined to books or lines of code, but is truly alive and reaching people," she recounted.

That very moment "nurtured" in her the dream of becoming a lecturer and researcher who could inspire and guide the younger generation to explore the world of technology. Because she realized that artificial intelligence is not simply a programming or data processing tool, but also a bridge connecting innovation and the future of the nation.

"In an era where the nation is rising strongly, digital talent is becoming the lifeblood nurturing the digital nation. Therefore, I believe that pursuing technology is a journey of service to the future of the country," Thuy emphasized.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/nu-sinh-cong-nghe-no-luc-dua-tri-tue-nhan-tao-vao-y-khoa-post1792950.tpo