I was born and raised in my hometown of Hoai Nhon, Binh Dinh province, a land rich in revolutionary heroic traditions.

The dream of wearing the green army uniform and white blouse since I was a student has instilled in me a sense of motivation and belief in fulfilling my expectations through education. In August 2019, my dream came true when I officially became a student being educated and trained at the Vietnam Military Medical University (hereafter VMMU).
The first day I entered the military environment, everything was strange to me. There were countless difficulties such as living far from my family, being not familiar with the military activities and the unit’s training regime, not having a good learning method and being overwhelmed by the amount of knowledge in each subject. But with determination and ambitions, especially attention and encouragement from the commanders as well as the connection and support of my comrades, I was able to overcome all the hardship, confidently continuing on the path of studying and training to become a military doctor who upholds both moral and professional values.

Sergeant Dao Mai Duy Khai examined a patient as a form of medical practice at the Infirmary of Regiment 12, Division 3, Military Region 1.

The third year was my most memorable one when I first came into contact with the patients and learned from them. I felt bewildered and unconfident in the process of conducting medical examination, collecting information about symptoms and having a sense of awkwardness in front of the patients. I still remember the words of a respected teacher: “If medical students do not form attachment with their patients, hospitals, and training facilities, they cannot become good doctors. They need to consider patients as their teachers, equip themselves with good self-study skills, proactively follow patients and accumulate a lot of knowledge”. It was that saying of the teacher that urged me to change, surpass my own abilities, be more confident, stick closely to patients, consistently accumulate a lot of knowledge and achieve excellent results through clinical studies.
After more than 5 years of education and training as a member of class DH53C, Branch 2, VMMU, I am always aware of the importance of striving and making every effort for completion of assigned tasks as well as being exemplary in studying, scientific research and movements of the unit. To improve my academic performances, I always try to embrace suitable study methods for each subject. In addition to acquiring the knowledge present in the textbook, I also access other documents for unclear issues, regularly exchange study experiences and discuss matters in clinical groups to achieve the highest learning efficiency.
With a passion for scientific research, the group consisting of me and other students gained success when conducting a study titled “Research on the current situation and propose measures to enhance emotional intelligence of military medical students at today’s VMMU”, winning the second prize at the 2023 Student Scientific Research Conference. An unforgettable memory for me is that in 2021, when the Covid-19 epidemic was complicated, I volunteered to fight the epidemic with the task of supporting sample collection in districts and wards in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, successfully completing the assigned tasks, and was recognized and commended by all levels. With the results achieved, I was awarded the title of Emulation Soldier at the grassroots level for 4 consecutive years (2020-2023), and the title of the Army’s Emulation Soldier (2024).

Written by Sergeant Dao Mai Duy Khai, Translated by Major Nguyen Tuan Anh