Why did the hall "explode" when a female resident chose Cardiology?

(Dan Tri) - The moment a young female doctor chose "Cardiology" at Match Day 2025 caused a stir, arousing admiration for her decision to enter one of the most difficult medical specialties.

Cardiology - A Challenging Choice

In the context of many medical specialties "sold out" right from the first registrations, Cardiology has become a challenging choice, attracting new resident doctors with special passion and courage.

At the selection session for residency majors at Hanoi Medical University, majors such as Obstetrics and Gynecology and Plastic Surgery quickly "ran out of space" with priority given to candidates with high rankings.

Notably, 6 out of the top 10 candidates chose Obstetrics and Gynecology. On the contrary, Cardiology had to wait until the 184th round to officially meet its quota, showing the hesitation of many new doctors.

The doctor ranked 184th was the last to choose Cardiology (Photo: Screenshot).

Dang Thi Ngoc Linh, a new resident doctor ranked 5th, surprised and received admiration for her brave choice of Cardiology - a specialty known as the most difficult and arduous in medicine. This decision created a wave of heated discussion on social networks.

Tran Quang Anh, a new resident doctor ranked 152nd, also shared his passion for Cardiology: "Since my second year, I have been interested in cardiology. My passion really flared up when I learned about this specialty clinically. I want to use my expertise to treat and help patients have a better quality of life."

Quang Anh added that his interactions with cardiovascular patients, witnessing emergency cases and learning more about the specialty strengthened his determination.

Although many people advised that this was a difficult, high-pressure major, he remained steadfast: "As a resident physician, no matter what major, there is no idleness. Internal cardiology is the major I feel is most suitable."

Pressure on pressure

MSc. Dr. Doan Du Manh, a member of the Vietnam Vascular Diseases Association, explained the difficulty of this specialty: "Cardiovascular medicine is a special field. The heart alone is a huge amount of knowledge, from anatomy, physiology, hemodynamics to the nervous system and blood vessels."

According to Dr. Manh, the dense amount of theory, diverse pathologies and the constant emergence of new methods require cardiologists to accumulate two to three times more knowledge than other specialties.

Dr. Manh expressed his excitement when the number of brave and passionate people in Cardiology increased (Photo: NVCC).

In addition, the pressure of life and death is always present. "When I first started my career, I was always under pressure because I faced life and death. Stroke or severe heart disease patients can die immediately if there is even a 5-minute delay," Dr. Manh shared.

Emergency situations require doctors to act quickly, where every second determines the patient's life, and a small mistake can lead to a tragic outcome.

Dr. Manh said that cardiologists must always be ready and under high pressure (Photo: NVCC).

In particular, cardiovascular patients are often elderly, with many complex underlying diseases, making diagnosis and treatment difficult. Dr. Manh told of a case where a patient initially had headaches and dizziness, but after careful examination and fainting spells, the doctor discovered the problem was arrhythmia and sudden cardiac arrest. "This is a typical case of difficulty in diagnosis," he said.

The new doctor Tran Quang Anh also witnessed a patient suddenly stop his heart and did not survive despite timely emergency treatment. This memory has left a deep impression on him, reminding him of the high medical risks and the need for extensive knowledge and experience in the field.

In addition, Cardiology requires doctors to constantly update new techniques due to the highly specialized nature of internal medicine combined with cardiovascular intervention techniques.

The combination of the huge amount of knowledge, the complexity of the disease and the high pressure of life and death has made Cardiology one of the most "difficult" specialties.

The heart keeps the fire of the profession

Work pressure, on-call intensity, patient volume and adaptability requirements are just some of the "thorns" in Internal Cardiology. Dr. Doan Du Manh emphasized that this is not a major with a good income compared to some others, therefore, choosing Internal Cardiology requires a strong love for the profession.

In recent years, the rate of patients with cardiovascular and metabolic diseases has been increasing (Photo of a heart surgery at Hanoi Heart Hospital: MH).

"I am very happy that more new doctors choose and are interested in Cardiology. Maybe it is partly because society has paid attention to cardiovascular health, but above all, I am happy that you are brave and passionate about the profession," Dr. Manh expressed.

Today's young generation of doctors faces great pressure but also has many advantages, especially the ability to access a global knowledge base and the support of artificial intelligence.

Dr. Manh recalled his years working at Cho Ray Hospital, witnessing many deaths, even after surgeries lasting dozens of hours. The initial failures caused sadness and disappointment, but gradually helped him develop a "callousness" - not indifference but acceptance of harsh reality, to continue helping other patients.

He advised new cardiologists to learn how to balance emotions and life energy through personal hobbies to reduce pressure, maintain health and work efficiency.

As a doctor of the previous generation, Dr. Manh places his trust in the new doctors, hoping that they will always maintain their passion and determination in their chosen profession, following in the footsteps of the previous generation to become the elite of Vietnamese medicine.

Cardiovascular disease is a major challenge for global health and Vietnam, with the incidence of diseases such as hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart failure increasing and getting younger. The Department of Preventive Medicine estimates that 7 out of 10 deaths in Vietnam are due to non-communicable diseases, of which cardiovascular disease claims the lives of about 200,000 people/year, accounting for 25% of total deaths.

This alarming reality raises an urgent need for specialized human resources in the field of Internal Cardiology. They are the ones who hold an important responsibility in protecting the cardiovascular health of the community, minimizing the rate of patients with cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, which are a direct threat to the quality of life in modern society.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/suc-khoe/vi-sao-hoi-truong-bung-no-khi-nu-bac-si-noi-tru-chon-nganh-noi-tim-mach-20250913120651074.htm