With unwavering love for the medical profession, a male student from Dai Nam University has successfully completed his residency program.

As a student in the first cohort of the Medical program at Dai Nam University (DNU), Nguyen Hong Phu has officially been accepted into the Internal Medicine residency program. For Phu, this result is not the ultimate goal, but merely an important milestone on his journey to becoming a doctor. Behind today's success are six years of diligent study, the support of his family and teachers, and a choice that has never wavered: to pursue his dream of wearing a white coat to the very end.

Inspired by her older brother, she chose a white blouse.

Upon receiving official notification of his acceptance into the residency program, Nguyen Hong Phu's first emotion wasn't overwhelming joy, but rather... pressure. He felt pressure because he understood the weight of the term "residency"—a highly specialized training environment that any medical student dreams of conquering. In that moment, the first person Phu thought of was his older brother, currently a doctor at the Intensive Care Unit of the National Endocrinology Hospital.

"My brother is the one who inspired me to pursue a career in medicine. When I found out I got accepted for residency, I immediately thought of him and reminded myself that this is just the beginning."

If Phú had to use three words to summarize his six-year journey studying at the Faculty of Medicine, Dai Nam University, he would choose the phrase: "Zero to Hero." According to him, it's not just his own story, but also the journey of the entire Faculty of Medicine, Dai Nam University.

For Nguyen Hong Phu, being accepted into the residency program is not the destination, but a new milestone on his journey to becoming a doctor.

In 2020, when the Medical program enrolled its first cohort, both the university and the students faced invisible pressures. A new field of study always needs time to establish its quality. The first students also understood that they would be the ones directly answering the expectations, and even the doubts, of society through their academic achievements and professional careers.

"I think both the Faculty of Medicine and I are under pressure to prove the quality of our graduates. That's why, from the very beginning, I've always reminded myself to study hard. Today, with seven students from the first cohort successfully admitted to the residency program, I believe this is the first answer to the six-year journey of the Faculty of Medicine at Dai Nam University."

There are no shortcuts to studying medicine for six years.

Throughout his six years of study, Phu did not view difficulties as obstacles.

"I didn't find it difficult because from the beginning I had decided that wearing a white blouse was what I wanted to become."

Behind that brief answer lie thousands of hours of study, practice, and on-call duty; consecutive exams, first cases, and professional experiences accumulated day by day.

For Phu, every subject, every exam, and every hospital environment were valuable lessons that helped him grow on his journey to becoming a doctor. They also formed the foundation for him to take the residency exam – one of the most competitive exams in the medical field.

According to Phu, in addition to professional knowledge, candidates also need clinical thinking ability, problem-solving skills, the ability to apply knowledge to specific situations, time management skills, and the resilience to work under high pressure.

To prepare for the exam, he began building his study plan in his fourth year, systematically reviewing knowledge from foundational to specialized subjects, while maintaining a stable mindset and clearly defining the goals he needed to achieve.

Six years of studying and training at the Faculty of Medicine, Dai Nam University, helped Nguyen Hong Phu accumulate the foundation of knowledge, skills, and confidence to conquer the residency exam.

The Door to Residency: The Gratitude to Teachers and a Message to Future Generations of Students

Recalling his journey, Nguyen Hong Phu expressed great gratitude to the faculty and doctors who guided him at the Faculty of Medicine, Dai Nam University.

"Throughout my studies, I have always received the best support and opportunities from my professors. The lecturers and supervising doctors are all highly experienced professionals with extensive clinical experience and are especially dedicated to their students."

According to Phu, the biggest advantage of medical students at Dai Nam University is their unwavering spirit of striving to prove their abilities, along with the close support of the teaching staff.

"I've always considered that my greatest source of gratitude and also my motivation to strive every day."

Commenting on the achievements of Nguyen Hong Phu and the first cohort of students, Associate Professor, Doctor of Medicine Hoang Duc Hanh - Head of the Faculty of Medicine, Dai Nam University, said that this is a milestone of special significance for the University.

"Training doctors is a long journey, requiring serious investment, responsibility, and perseverance. The success of these students is clear evidence of the quality of training, the efforts of the learners, and the dedication of the teaching staff over the years."

According to Associate Professor Hoang Duc Hanh, the source of pride lies not only in the successful admission results for the residency program but also in the fact that these achievements come from the very first cohort of medical students at Dai Nam University.

"Their success demonstrates that medical students at Dai Nam University are fully capable of competing and establishing themselves in leading medical training environments nationwide."

A new door opens to the long journey ahead.

Despite having just achieved a commendable accomplishment, Nguyen Hong Phu still believes he has much to learn.

"I still have a lot to learn and prove myself over the next three years."

For him, the residency program wasn't the destination, but the beginning of a new journey where the demands for expertise, responsibility, and medical ethics would only increase.

According to Nguyen Hong Phu, to succeed in the residency exam, professional knowledge alone is not enough; students also need clinical thinking, confidence, and perseverance.

To students aspiring to become doctors, Phu conveyed a simple yet heartfelt message: "The weight of the white coat is immense, and students will have to make many sacrifices. I hope each person will make the choice that best suits them and have the determination to see it through to the end."

In the 2026 residency exam, 7 out of 8 students from the first cohort of the Faculty of Medicine at Dai Nam University were admitted. This achievement is a source of pride for the university, its faculty, and their families.

But for Nguyen Hong Phu, the most valuable thing is not the result of an exam. After six years of studying and growing, he still maintains his belief in the path he has chosen, and his love for medicine remains as strong as the day he first entered university. Perhaps that is the greatest success for a future doctor.