Reaching the world through continuous effort

July 2024 marked an important milestone for Phan Chau Trinh University (PCTU) as two final-year medical students — Nguyễn Thị Minh Trang and Phan Văn Bảo Long (Class of 19YK1) — officially arrived at Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary, Canada to begin a four-week clinical internship.
This fully funded scholarship, sponsored by the Healing Hearts Vietnam Foundation, aims to support talented Vietnamese medical students in accessing one of the world’s most advanced healthcare environments.

Trang and Long’s success in surpassing numerous applicants to represent PCTU in this program is not only a personal achievement but also a testament to the university’s training quality, global readiness, and the strong capabilities of PCTU students on the international stage.

World-Class Training Environment

Alberta Children’s Hospital – One of North America’s Leading Pediatric Centers

During the internship, the two students were assigned to two highly specialized departments:

• Phan Văn Bảo Long – Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
• Nguyễn Thị Minh Trang – Developmental Pediatrics

Alberta Children’s Hospital is among the largest pediatric medical centers in Canada, providing care for patients from newborns to 18 years old with highly complex conditions. It offers an ideal environment for medical students to gain real-world experience, work alongside leading specialists, and observe advanced clinical procedures.

Exceptional Clinical Experiences

Bảo Long – Strong Impression in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

Over four weeks in the PICU, Long participated in all key clinical activities, including:

• Morning briefing with physicians
• Participating in multi-disciplinary clinical rounds
• Observation of advanced procedures such as endotracheal intubation and central venous catheter placement
• Attendance at specialized lectures on pediatric critical care physiology

Long gained exposure to numerous critical cases, including:

• Infective endocarditis with stroke in a 2-year-old
• GBS meningitis in a 5-month-old infant
• Recurrent Wilms tumor in a 20-year-old patient
• Severe epileptic encephalopathy requiring mechanical ventilation

Evaluation from the Canadian Faculty

The PICU supervising professor gave exceptionally positive evaluations:

“Long has a solid clinical foundation, exceptional initiative, and a level of enthusiasm rarely seen in final-year students. I believe he will become an excellent pediatrician and pediatric intensivist in the future.”

Notably, shortly before the internship concluded, Alberta Children’s Hospital expressed interest in having Long return to join the team upon completing his medical degree — a clear affirmation of the caliber of PCTU students.

Minh Trang – Professional Growth in Developmental Pediatrics

At the Department of Developmental Pediatrics, Trang participated in consultations and evaluations at:

• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD Clinic)
• Motor Neurology Clinic

She had hands-on exposure to cases involving:

• Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
• Cerebral palsy and other developmental disorders

Evaluation from the Supervising Faculty

Her supervisor highly appreciated Trang’s engagement:

“Trang participated enthusiastically in all activities, asked insightful questions, and showed excellent communication skills with children with disabilities. She possesses a notable foundation in developmental pediatrics.”

Trang demonstrated clear progress in:

• Taking developmental histories
• Observing and performing neuro–musculoskeletal examinations in children
• Developing long-term patient management plans

Value Beyond a Typical Internship

The experience in Canada equipped the students with:

• Enhanced clinical skills in a high-intensity environment
• Intercultural communication and competence within an advanced healthcare system
• Advanced clinical reasoning and preparation for international careers
• Recognition from medical experts in Canada
• Validation of PCTU students’capability in global exchange programs.

Affirming PCTU’s Strategic Direction

The achievements of Minh Trang and Bảo Long reflect PCTU’s educational philosophy:

• Learning integrated with practice
• Evidence-based and liberal medical education
• Orientation toward global integration

Their growth throughout the internship is not only a source of pride for the Faculty of Medicine and the university but also an inspiration for future generations of PCTU students striving to reach the world.

A Gateway to Global Opportunities

The internship at Alberta Children’s Hospital represents not only a significant milestone for two final-year medical students but also a major step forward in the internationalization of PCTU’s medical training.

The PCTU university believes this is only the beginning. In the future, many more PCTU students will continue bringing knowledge, resilience, and a passion for healthcare to leading medical institutions around the world.