From the inferiority complex of attending a "private school" to securing a residency program.

"Are students from private universities capable enough to compete in the most rigorous medical exams?" For many years, that's the question Nguyen Mai Huong, a medical student at Dai Nam University (DNU), has always asked herself.

On her first day of studying Medicine at Dai Nam University, Mai Huong, like many other first-year students, was excited, full of expectations, but also quite anxious. This was because, at that time, the Medical program at Dai Nam University was very new, with no senior students to look up to, no generations of doctors to serve as proof, and the prejudices about the gap between public and private universities still lingered.

"Even though everyone always encouraged me, I still felt insecure. I always wondered if students from private schools were capable enough to compete in the most difficult exams," Huong recalled.

However, that feeling of inferiority didn't stop her; on the contrary, it became a motivation for her and her classmates to try harder.

"We always believe we have to work harder than others, not only for ourselves but also for future generations of students. If the first cohort succeeds, the students who follow will be much more confident."

Six years later, the girl who once harbored such insecurities has officially been accepted into the Internal Medicine residency program – one of the most competitive and rigorous entrance exams in the medical field.

Six years of medical school and some tough times.

For Mai Huong, six years of medical school were six completely different journeys. Each year brought new challenges, from foundational science courses in her first year, lengthy practical sessions, and consecutive exams, to the grueling months spent at the hospital during her clinical phase.

There were days of exhausting studying, long shifts, and stressful exam preparation periods that put the young woman under so much pressure that she broke down in tears.

"Every time that happens, I call my family. There are days when just hearing my parents' voices makes me feel better."

Looking back on her journey, what Mai Huong is most grateful for is not the high scores or achievements she has attained, but the fact that her family has always been there, silently encouraging and giving her strength.

"If I didn't have my family as a source of emotional support, I might have given up at some point."

Among the hundreds of patients she encountered during her clinical rotations, there is one experience that Huong will never forget. It was the case of a child with an infectious rash at Phu Tho Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital - where she completed her graduation internship.

That day, the group of students had a very heated debate due to disagreements between clinical manifestations and diagnosis. Only after the doctor directly explained the pathogenesis did the group realize the shortcomings in their approach.

"It was then that I understood that studying a disease isn't about memorizing symptoms or treatment protocols. To understand a disease, you have to understand its pathogenesis and know how to connect basic knowledge with clinical manifestations."

That lesson completely changed her approach to learning and to treating patients. From then on, Mai Huong no longer studied to pass exams, but to understand the nature of diseases and to become a true doctor.

There are no shortcuts to residency.

From her fourth year, Mai Huong began preparing for her goal of becoming a resident physician. There were no special secrets or magic formulas, just a long-term plan and unwavering perseverance over many years.

"Learn, learn more, and keep learning. Knowledge, more knowledge, and even more knowledge."

Besides systematizing knowledge according to each specialty, she always tries to connect what she learns in the classroom with clinical practice at the hospital.

Throughout this process, the faculty members of the Faculty of Medicine at Dai Nam University have always been supportive, creating favorable conditions for students to have more time and opportunities to prepare for important exams.

Based on her own experience, Huong affirmed: "The quality of training at the Faculty of Medicine, Dai Nam University, is not inferior to any other university if you truly put in your best effort. If you have a well-structured study strategy from an early age, especially from the fourth year, the possibility of conquering the residency exam is entirely feasible."

Perhaps that is also what the first generation of medical students at Dai Nam University is gradually proving through their own results.

Mai Huong still vividly remembers the day she received the acceptance letter. "I was stunned by postural hypotension due to jumping up too quickly."

She smiled as she recounted the story: "Honestly, throughout my six years of study, the dream of becoming a resident doctor was such a beautiful dream that I didn't want to wake up from it."

The residency program is just the beginning.

What touched many people was that when asked who she thought of first after hearing the news of her acceptance, Huong didn't mention herself.

She recalled a patient in the Gastroenterology Department during her first clinical rotation. It was also the first time she had drawn blood from a patient. At that time, her hands were still trembling, and her movements were clumsy and awkward.

"The doctor even teased me, calling me 'the little girl who stirs pig feed,' but still let me take another vein."

Recalling the old story, Huong laughed: "I'm sure you'd be very surprised if we met again. Because the student who used to 'mix pig feed' back then has now become a resident doctor."

For Mai Huong, residency is not the destination, but merely the first door on a long journey ahead – a journey of learning and training to become a truly excellent doctor.

And perhaps the most significant achievement the young woman attained after six years was not just her residency permit, but also the fact that she had overcome her own insecurities.

From a student who once wondered how far those who studied at private universities could go, Mai Huong today has the answer through her own journey – an answer not only for herself but also for generations of medical students at Dai Nam University who are continuing to nurture the dream of wearing a white lab coat.

"All DNUers, we can do it, so you can do it too."