The boy graduated from Medical School and Economics at the same time.

Hoang Phuc earned a degree in Medicine and Economics in nine years, after three university entrance exams and two "gap years" to find his own direction.

Nguyen Hoang Phuc, 27 years old, graduated with a good degree in Medicine from the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Ho Chi Minh City in October. Three months earlier, the young man from Khanh Hoa received a good degree in Hospital Management from the University of Economics in Ho Chi Minh City.

"My teachers, family, and friends didn't believe that I could study and graduate from two schools at the same time, but in the end I did it. When I learned about my graduation results from medical school, I was very excited and overwhelmed with emotions," Phuc said.

Nguyen Hoang Phuc. Photo: Character provided

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 block A (Math, Physics, Chemistry) to enter the International University, Ho Chi Minh City National University, and block B (Math, Chemistry, Biology) to study Medicine at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy. He failed the medical course because he was 0.5 points short.

This disappointed Phuc. The student said that his family had moved from the countryside to Ho Chi Minh City so that he could study at the Gifted High School. Therefore, Phuc spent a year studying again with the determination to pass the exam to get into medical school.

In 2015, Phuc was admitted to the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Ho Chi Minh City. But the reality of studying and the university environment was contrary to his initial imagination and expectations.

"The amount of knowledge I had to memorize was so great that I was overwhelmed. I liked calculating and thinking, and didn't want to bury my head in hundreds of pages of books for each exam. Gradually, I doubted whether this was the right major for me," Phuc recalls.

After the second year, Phuc still had no answer, so he decided to stop studying for a year to experience and find the answer despite his family's strong objection. During this year, Phuc worked as a waiter in restaurants to support himself, spending time meeting friends and siblings in many different fields from IT, construction to economics, logistics to learn from the curriculum and practical experience.

In the end, Phuc realized that Medicine was still the most suitable major for him, but he felt he needed to gain more knowledge about hospital management. Therefore, Phuc decided to take the entrance exam for this major at the University of Economics, Ho Chi Minh City, and at the same time return to the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy.

Knowing that studying at two schools at the same time would be difficult, the male student set a limit for his turning point - to become valedictorian before continuing. Despite the difficulty of reviewing general knowledge after 5 years of leaving high school and the completely different format and structure of the exam, Phuc became valedictorian of the University of Economics, Ho Chi Minh City in 2019 with 28.5 points in block A01 (Math, Physics, English).

"My family and friends all said this was crazy. I couldn't even manage studying medicine, so how could I study at two schools? But young people always have a bit of a competitive spirit. The more people oppose me, the more I want to prove that I can do it," Phuc shared.

Hoang Phuc (left) and his close friend at the graduation ceremony of Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy, late October. Photo: Character provided

After that, Phuc spent the morning at one school and the afternoon at another. Luckily, the University of Economics in Ho Chi Minh City recognized the scores of general subjects and some hospital-related subjects at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Ho Chi Minh City, so Phuc did not have to retake the course.

"In addition to having to learn twice as much knowledge, my mind was always tense, calculating how to not be absent from class to the point of being banned from taking exams in each subject," Phuc said.

During the 2020-2021 period, Phuc accelerated his progress thanks to the transition to online learning due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The male student registered for all the subjects that could be studied during this time at both schools. For subjects that overlapped in time, Phuc opened two screens at the same time and recorded the entire lesson. He determined an important subject to focus on, and the remaining subjects he would watch and study in the evening.

It is normal to have to take two or three exams in a week. Phuc remembers the time at the end of April 2021 when he had to take three exams in four days. He usually slept only two or three hours a day to manage his studies at two schools.

Phuc's biggest challenge was the traffic accident that required him to undergo knee surgery twice in April and May 2022. Phuc had to accept failing some subjects at medical school. Ho Chi Minh City University of Economics still allows online learning and exams, so the male student has to study while receiving treatment.

"I was not only in physical pain but also extremely depressed 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 an internship at the hospital this summer, even though I was still using crutches and limping," Phuc shared.

Whenever Phuc feels discouraged, he remembers the main character in the movie "Rudy" who worked hard for many years to get 27 seconds to play for the Notre Dame University football team that he loved despite not having the talent or the right physique. The movie is a source of inspiration, helping Phuc maintain his will in every difficult time.

During the medical graduation exam last August, Phuc devoted all his efforts to realizing his goal of graduating from two schools at the same time. Before that, the male student graduated from Ho Chi Minh City University of Economics in July.

"I 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 exceeded the threshold to graduate, I jumped up and shouted excitedly in the exam room 'I graduated'," Phuc said.

Working with Phuc's team on a project to survey medical students' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding the Covid-19 pandemic, Dr. Bui Cao My Ai, a lecturer in the Cardiology department at Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy, assessed Phuc as dynamic, eager to learn, and enthusiastic at work.

Dr. Phan Ngoc Anh, a lecturer at the University of Economics in Ho Chi Minh City, admired Phuc for graduating from two schools at the same time. Dr. Anh also asked Phuc how he could study at two schools at the same time when many people who only studied medicine were already overloaded.

"Listening to you share about your goals and determination, I really admire you because you dare to try and set challenges to discover your own limits," Dr. Ngoc Anh shared.

Phuc is also assessed to have good ability to study twice as much as normal students, from distributing energy, arranging study schedule and absorbing knowledge. Dr. Ngoc Anh commented that the male student studies seriously, asks many critical questions, expands the problem and does not just study to pass the subject.

With a background in medicine and hospital administration, he hopes Phuc can contribute more to the health sector.

Phuc said that he has been on an extraordinary journey for himself. His immediate goal is to get his license to practice and become an obstetrician.

"During my nearly 10-year university journey, I realized that I shouldn't let anyone set limits for me, but should experience and explore it myself," Phuc shared.

Le Nguyen

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