The journey of Phuong to conquer Harvard Medical School

Nguyen Do Thu Phuong, a final-year Nursing student at VinUni, has officially been accepted into the Global Health Delivery program at Harvard Medical School. Behind this excellent result is the adorable imprint of the incredibly helpful faculty from VinUni, or the simple story of her memorable volunteer journey.

In the summer of 2023, Thu Phuong participated in the “Thung Lung Khoi Xanh” project – a volunteer initiative in Sa Pa (Lao Cai) to teach English to children. As a Nursing student, Phuong wants to spend time learning about the healthcare situation of the ethnic minorities in this area. Phuong was deeply concerned when looking at the difficult circumstances of the children in the highlands.

Thu Phuong and memorable experiences while participating in the “Thung lung khoi xanh” volunteer project in Lao Cai province

Phuong was motivated after spending over two months living and teaching the underprivileged children of the highlands. “The more I interacted with the children, the more I found love and peace. I wanted to do something to change the lives of these less fortunate populations in the highlands of Vietnam,” Phuong shared.

After the trip, Phuong was determined to apply for the Master’s program in Global Health Delivery at Harvard Medical School.

Subsequently, Phuong arranged an appointment with Interim Provost cum Dean of the College of Health Sciences, David Bangsberg to discuss her application. Just one week before the deadline, she received enthusiastic support from her professors, including the Director of the Nursing program – Nguyen Hoang Long, Professor Stephen Schiffer, and Dr. Giap Thi Thanh Tinh. “The day before the interview, Dean David even conducted a “rehearsal” twice to ease my nerves. The care and feedback from my professors helped me achieve this result!” – Thu Phuong recalls the memorable milestones.

Thu Phuong during a consultation meeting with Provost David Bangsberg 

Interestingly, Phuong was also the representative for the first cohort of VinUni students sharing her emotions at the 2020-2021 academic year opening ceremony when she was awarded a 100% scholarship for the Nursing program. She still can’t forget the feeling at that time, in front of thousands of people, she almost burst into tears because she had not expected the opening ceremony to be so crowded and solemn. Finally, with encouragement from her professors, Phuong successfully delivered her speech.

Thu Phuong at the first VinUni Convocation in 2020 

Looking back on her memorable journey, Thu Phuong believes that to make a change in others’ lives, she must be willing to think and dare to change first. From a shy girl who pursued others’ goals just for achievements, Phuong has now found her purpose, confidently striving to reach it.

“Nursing and Global Health Delivery are not just fields that allow me to care for my loved ones but also to care for many others, improving the quality of healthcare for the community. By making a difference in others’ lives, I also find the true meaning of my own life” – Phuong confided.

🎉 Congratulations to Thu Phuong, we believe that you will continue to have the most memorable journey of your life with that super “premium” Harvard ticket! VinUni has been here, is here, and will continue to be a “sky” to help you turn dreams into reality! 💕