#FriendswithUCSF | Austin Peer (PGY3, UCSF)
Let’s meet Dr. Austin Peer, one of our lovely UCSFs residents.
Dr. Austin Peer (right) and the VinUni Internal Medicine residents congratulate Dr. Tung
on the occasion of Vietnamese Teachers’ Day
1.Why did you choose Vietnam for this exchange program?
“It was both personal and professional. I have Vietnamese and Chinese patients back home, and many of them have shared their food with me over the years, and I guess that sparked a real curiosity about the culture. I even picked up chopsticks along the way. But the stronger reason was clinical. I’m pursuing hepatology, and Vietnam is one of the most important places in the world for infectious liver disease: hepatitis B, C, viral hepatitis… The epidemiological burden here is enormous, which means the clinical expertise is extraordinary. For someone going into hepatology with a significant Asian patient population, this felt less like an opportunity and more like a necessity.”
2.Could youshareyour exchange experience in hepatology and biliary diseases?
“I did two weeks at A3D (GI Intervention) and two weeks at A3A (GI diseases) at 108 Military Hospital. The exposure was humbling.
Dr. Nhu and Dr. Austin on Gastrointestinal Rotation
At A3D, I observed ERCP, cholangioscopy, EUS-guided interventions, biliary stenting, and endoscopic hemostasis – procedures that back home are gated behind fellowship training. Here, I was in the room every day watching complex cases unfold in real time. I also had the privilege of learning from Dr. Nguyễn Lâm Tùng, the doctor I considered as a pathologist, core attending, and full-time faculty at VinUni. His clinical approach is bold, sometimes audacious – the kind where you think “Wait, can you actually do that?” – and then it works, all the time. He walked me through every decision meticulously and never let a teaching moment pass. I later found out he knows Dr. Gurpreet Dhaliwal at UCSF – small world.
My colleague Dr. Man Nhu, who is also planning to subspecialize in hepatobiliary medicine, made the experience even richer. We debriefed cases together daily. Clinically, I encountered infectious hepatology presentations I’d only read about in textbooks – and here, I was learning to manage them firsthand.”
3.What is your favorite Vietnamese dish? (We ask every resident this question.)
“Beverages first: Vietnamese coffee. One word: transcendent. Nothing back home compared.
For food, most visitors stop at phở and bánh mì, but the VinUni residents took me far beyond that. My favorite ended up being bún riêu and bún ốc – the broth, the texture, everything about it. I’ve been thinking about it since I left.
They also tried (very persistently) to get me to eat trứng vịt lộn. I think I need one more visit to work up to that…”
4.What is your most memorable experience with VinUniresidents during your time in Vietnam?
“Three things stand out. The canteen lunches – chaotic, warm, everyone squeezing in a full meal before rushing back for noon academics, just like us back home.
The case presentations – the clinical depth and preparation genuinely impressed me, and when I was invited to present to the group, everyone was so engaged and generous that it immediately felt like home.
Great memories with VinUni residents
And the karaoke, apparently a sacred VinUni tradition. I was not prepared – but more importantly, I was not prepared for every single VinUni Internal Medicine resident to be a phenomenal singer. I’m now convinced all Vietnamese people are secretly professional vocalists. It was one of the best nights of my exchange, and honestly, of my residency.”
