Dear Karen and everyone at Lifestart Foundation,
I’m Doan Ngoc Anh, a lucky student who you have been sponsoring. I’ve recently graduated with a Distinction degree in General Medicine from Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy.
Looking back on my recent journey, especially the final semester of my medical studies, I went through one of the most challenging periods of my university life. During this time, I studied four major subjects: theory and clinical Internal Medicine and theory and clinical Surgery. Along with these demanding subjects, I also had to prepare for graduation exams, making it an incredibly intense and stressful semester.
The Internal Medicine subjects were especially challenging because of the huge amount of specialized knowledge that I needed to learn and keep up to date with. Balancing all of this information with the demands of busy hospital shifts was often stressful. Even so, Internal Medicine became my favorite subject this semester because I know it is the foundation of medicine. It provides the core knowledge and clinical thinking that every doctor needs, giving me a strong base for my future career.
The Surgery theory subjects, on the other hand, involved less pressure, but the clinical training was much more physically demanding. Long hours of clinical practice and frequent lack of sleep during hospital shifts often left me exhausted, but they also helped me become more resilient and better prepared for the realities of working as a doctor.
My recent final theory exam went quite smoothly. Our university gave us a reasonable amount of time to review, which allowed me to prepare more thoroughly and build on what I had learned throughout the semester. As a result, I was able to achieve the results I had hoped for. The clinical exams, however, were scheduled much closer together. I had to sacrifice sleep once again to keep up with the revision, but I was delighted that my final results met my expectations. Fortunately, the constant encouragement and support from my family and friends gave me the strength to get through that demanding period.
Preparing for the graduation exams was another major challenge. Although the university gave us a month to revise for the exams, what initially seemed like a long time quickly felt far too short when faced with more than 120 medical theory topics. Thankfully, by learning from the experiences of senior students and using the valuable study materials they shared, I was able to organize the knowledge, focus on the most important content and complete the graduation examinations successfully.
My demanding hospital shift schedule with one following another, sometimes took a significant toll on my physical health. However, all the exhaustion seemed to disappear when I received my final semester GPA of 3.35/4.0. I was even more proud to graduate with honors and a cumulative GPA of 3.32/4.0. This is an achievement I had worked hard for, and it fills me with great satisfaction. It feels like the perfect reward for all my efforts and for the unwavering support and encouragement I have received from everyone throughout this journey.
As for my career, I am now preparing to officially begin working as a doctor. My immediate plan is to join a 12-month professional certification program at Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital. During this time, I hope to rotate through the clinical departments that are most relevant to Rehabilitation Medicine, where I can gain practical experience and continue developing my clinical skills. At the same time, I plan to seek advice from professors in the Rehabilitation field and look for suitable job opportunities while completing the program. This will not only help me gain more hands-on experience but also allow me to earn an income to support my living expenses independently. In the long term, I hope to continue my studies in Rehabilitation Medicine, with a particular interest in rehabilitation interventions for children with autism. I believe this is a meaningful field where I can make a positive difference in the lives of many children and their families.
Standing at this important milestone and writing my final letter of gratitude, I cannot help but feel emotional as I look back on the challenges I have overcome throughout my journey. I come from a humble family, with just my mother and me relying on each other. My mother runs a small photocopy shop in our hometown in Quang Tri Province to support our family, while also spending much of her time caring for my maternal grandparents during their hospital stays. Before receiving the Lifestart Foundation scholarship, I shared a small, rented room with three friends to save as much as possible on rent and living expenses. Although life was difficult and there were many challenges along the way, I always believed these hardships were only temporary. I reminded myself to keep moving forward, work hard and make the most of every opportunity.
It was during those years of searching for opportunities that I was fortunate enough to discover Lifestart Foundation through an email from Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy. On the day of the interview, I first met Ms. Nhung for an initial conversation before meeting Ms. Karen for the formal interview. After speaking with Ms. Karen, I left feeling incredibly happy and encouraged. She was so warm and approachable, taking the time to listen and showing genuine interest in my dreams and future plans. As I walked out of the interview room, I felt an unexpected sense of peace. I told myself that no matter what the outcome was, I would be grateful for the experience because that conversation had given me a clearer sense of direction and strengthened my confidence in the path I wanted to follow. Then, at the beginning of my fourth year at university, I received the wonderful news that I had been awarded a Lifestart Foundation scholarship. I was completely surprised and overjoyed. To be honest, I had not expected to be selected because my grades in the first semester of my third year were not particularly strong. Thankfully, my hard work paid off in the second semester and I was fortunate to receive this unexpected, good news.
Receiving both financial and emotional support from Lifestart Foundation has been a truly life-changing turning point for me and my family. The timing could not have been better. At the beginning of my fourth year, just as I was awarded the scholarship, the university introduced a financial autonomy policy that doubled our tuition fees. Without Lifestart Foundation’s timely support, my family would have struggled to afford such a significant increase.
Since receiving the scholarship from you, my life has changed in so many positive ways. With much of the financial burden lifted, my family and I no longer had to worry as much about our daily expenses. That peace of mind allowed me to focus on my studies with greater confidence, happiness and determination. Without the scholarship, I believe we would have faced far greater financial and emotional challenges.
Beyond the financial support, I have been incredibly fortunate to have Ms. Uyen as my mentor. Every month, she took the time to check in with me, encourage me and listen as I shared both the joys and challenges of my life. Her kindness and constant support meant more to me than words can express. The scholarship also eased the pressure on my family, allowing my mother to devote herself to caring for my grandparents during their long hospital stays without the constant worry of how we would manage financially.
Another gift I will always be grateful for is the opportunity to study English with the Lifestart Foundation team. Those lessons not only improved my English but also helped me realize how important the language is for a doctor’s lifelong learning and professional development.
Every step of my university journey has been made possible by the tremendous support and generosity of you and Lifestart Foundation. I truly understand that without your kindness and belief in students like us, life-changing opportunities would not be possible for disadvantaged students like me.
In closing, I would like to express my deepest and most heartfelt gratitude to you and everyone at Lifestart Foundation. I wish Lifestart Foundation continued growth and success, and I sincerely hope that many more students facing difficult circumstances like mine will receive the Foundation’s timely support, so that their dreams can become a reality.
Yours sincerely,
Doan Ngoc Anh