The "once in a decade" valedictorian of Hanoi Medical University

Ngo Thu Ha, the national valedictorian of block B00 (Math, Chemistry, Biology) in 2019, also led this year's graduating class at Hanoi Medical University, a "very rare" case.

Ngo Thu Ha, 24 years old, from Phu Tho, has just graduated from the Faculty of Medicine of Hanoi Medical University with a GPA of 8.42/10. Ha will receive her excellent medical degree at the end of August.

Six years ago, she was the valedictorian of the B00 block nationwide, with a total score of 29.8 in Math, Chemistry, and Biology. However, Ha said she did not set a goal of graduating as valedictorian.

"After finishing my final exam in June, I was very happy to know that my final score was at the top. Although it was a small achievement, it somehow showed my efforts," Ha said.

A representative of Hanoi Medical University said that in the past decades, Ha is a rare case of being both the valedictorian of the entrance exam based on the high school graduation exam scores and the valedictorian of the final exam. According to the school, this result requires students to not only have talent but also to be diligent and persistent.

Ngo Thu Ha. Photo: Character provided

Ha is a former student majoring in Mathematics at Hung Vuong High School for the Gifted, Phu Tho . She has cherished the dream of becoming a doctor since childhood, after having a high fever and being treated by a doctor even though it was during lunch break.

Although she was the valedictorian of the country, Ha still encountered many difficulties when she first entered university because the study was completely different from high school. Basic subjects such as Biochemistry, Biophysics or Anatomy required a lot of in-depth knowledge of Chemistry, Biology and Physics, so Ha had to consolidate a lot on her own.

"Even when studying Biology, I had to review my high school Physics book to get back to basics," Ha said. "Luckily, my Math foundation helped me grasp knowledge of natural sciences more quickly."

Ha joined the school's Active Student Learning Club. She believes that studying in groups helps her progress faster than reading books on her own, because she gets to know many older siblings and friends who have the same "frequency" of studying. Each person has their own strengths, and they share and guide each other to better understand the lessons.

The female student also applies the "Active Recall" learning method. Every time she finishes reading a lesson, closes the book, and Ha presents the knowledge in the sequence she remembers when it is fluent.

The huge amount of knowledge in the medical field requires students to review it frequently. Ha uses an application to create and manage flashcards (memory cards with questions on one side and answers on the other) on her phone. With the flashcards she has compiled, Ha can open them to review at any time.

Another peculiarity is that students have to take both theoretical and clinical exams, and sometimes the parts asked in the exam are not included in any of the school's textbooks. Therefore, Ha read many documents at home and abroad through the introduction of teachers, including "classic" books such as Guyton's Physiology and Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine.

With this method, Ha often leads in scores, wins many scholarships to encourage learning at school and from businesses.

Ha in a clinical session at the hospital. Photo: Provided by the character

The 5th year of university is the most stressful time for Ha when the schedule of studying at school, doing clinical work, being on duty at the hospital, and final exams is dense. This is also the period when Ha is studying for the residency exam - the most intense exam for medical students, so it is even more stressful.

The female student persistently applied the learning method from the first year, and at the same time made use of every time to study.

"Like the evening shifts at the hospital, I take the opportunity to visit patients, thereby understanding their symptoms and treatment process. In the evening, they are often more open than during the day, so I can learn a lot," Ha said.

Stories from the hospital also motivated Ha. She remembered the emergency shifts at the Saint Paul Hospital, where many 60-70 year old patients came to the hospital without their families, so the doctors and nurses had to help a lot, from completing paperwork to taking them for X-rays.

"Those images remind me to improve my skills and at the same time cultivate tolerance and empathy," Ha said.

For the past three years, Ms. Dao Thi Ngoan, Ha's principal, has assessed Ha as excellent in both studying and training, and as the most outstanding student in the industry. In a number of scholarships that prioritize academic results, Ha is always at the top of the list.

"When I first met you, I thought you were a good student but quite quiet. But gradually, I realized that your quietness was very intelligent," said Ms. Ngoan. "Ha is not too active because studying medicine requires a lot of time and effort to study. But you know how to choose suitable extracurricular activities so that you can still contribute."

Ha is also good at foreign languages, holding a DEFL B2 French certificate (equivalent to level 4/6). As the first student to graduate from the innovative medical doctor training program with strict requirements, Ha's ability to maintain a stable performance, according to Ms. Ngoan, is admirable.

Currently, Ha is in the final stage of preparing for the residency exam which will take place next week. She aims to be in the top 50 so that she can choose her favorite major.

Source: https://baohatinh.vn/thu-khoa-chuc-nam-co-mot-cua-dai-hoc-y-ha-noi-post293255.html