I Graduated Medical School | ND M.D.

Dr. Andy D. Nguyen, MD. The Doctorate of Medicine degree can be displayed either as "MD" or "M.D." and represent the completion of medical school, marked by the doctorate hooding. Thank you to the Medical College of Georgia, and in particular, the brilliant physicians of the Class of 2024 for making these past years some of the most memorable of my life. This channel, this journey, and this next chapter could not have been done without your smiles. I graduated medical school.

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Disclaimer: This video features personal opinions and does not reflect or support the official opinions or initiatives of Augusta University, the Medical College of Georgia, Yale New Haven Health, Yale School of Medicine, or any of my current/former employers. This video is also not a substitute for the advice of a properly qualified and licensed physician or healthcare provider. The content featured is for informational/entertainment purposes only. Please see your primary care physician for the most accurate information. For the most accurate and up to date information regarding specific programs or schools, please refer to their official .edu websites.

[NDMD]

"On Being a Doctor"

You sit there at the beginning of the final leg of your journey. You’re only four years way from fulfilling your dream. For some of you, this dream started many years ago. For some of you, this dream started in college. Some of you may think this dream may turn into a nightmare about to come true. I want you to stop for a moment and pick up a pen. On a blank sheet of paper, I would like you to write something for me. I want you to slowly and painstakingly write your signature on that paper and put the letters “MD” after it. I want you to stare at that signature for a moment and while you’re looking, think about what that “MD” means to you, to your family, and most importantly, to the patients who will come under your care.

You haven’t worked up on a single patient yet. I’ve been a physician since before you were born. I wonder what work-up I’m coming on myself. My four hundred thousandth? I also wonder whether I’ve made some difference in the grand scheme of things. I sure hope so. For that’s what this dream is all about: making a difference in the lives of our brothers and sisters on this planet. Medicine affords us an opportunity like no other profession to do just that- to get to know them in the most personal and intimate way and making them better off, not worse off for having known you. I hope you take that signature as serious then as you do now.

Most of you out there have filled out countless applications of some sort explaining why you want to be a doctor. You may have hesitated to say you want to help people, thinking that people reading your application may view you as naïve, hokey, or unimaginative. But that’s what you should have meant, despite the half-truth you might have written down on the application. It goes even deeper than that. Medicine should be the equivalent of genuine love for your fellow person. Real willingness to try and relieve someone else’s suffering, regardless of the danger it might pose to yourself, regardless of how the suffering person got sick, regardless of whether in your opinion they brought the suffering on themselves, regardless of the hour or whether you’re on call or not, regardless of their beliefs or color, and especially regardless of whether they can pay you. I’m reminded of those brave physicians of the late 1800s and early 1900s who cared for patients with tuberculosis with a gentle tenderness and compassion, knowing full well that they would likely get TB at some point themselves. Greater love than this no man has then to lay down his life for his friend.

Anyone can want to help someone who is nice, cooperative, or agreeable. Who doesn’t want to treat someone who is patient, stoic, share your philosophy of life, are attractive, are celebrities one sort of another, or are members of the Augusta National? What about the disheveled, belligerent drunk with rotten teeth and feted breath who has ruined his life who you are asked to see at 4am because he’s sick? This is the sort of a patient who separates the real doctors from the mere “healthcare providers”. How will you speak to your colleagues about him? Will you call him a troll, a GOMER, a dump from another hospital, train wreck, or whatever disparaging term might be invoked when you hit the wards? I hope not. Because here’s an opportunity to show what you’re made of. That hopefully brought you to where you sit now- genuine love and respect for your fellow man, however unlikely your willingness, your kindness, your compassion can turn his life around, or your lack of it could just harden him further. The bottom line is this: If you do not have genuine love in your heart for people, get out now before you go any further. If you’re in it for the prestige or the certain lifestyle because your mother or father was a doctor, you may be brilliant and skilled and have all the tools, but medicine is not your vocation. Go do something else. For those of you who believe a physician is what you’re destined to be, don’t let medicine devour you. Don’t wait on more patients and responsibilities simply to make car payments, mortgage payments, or country club dues. You may hurt someone if you’re overwrought. Take good care of the number of patients you can handle and be content with the income that it may bring you. You won’t starve. Your family needs you at home, your children need to recognize you on sight, and finally don’t allow yourselves to be like so many medical school classes everywhere to “suffer through medical school” together, mean spirited, cut throat and competitive, hoping others did worse on an exam than you did, whining, complaining, toughing it out, and counting on the number of days until you’re through. When you do hit the wards, don’t be sucked in by an intern or resident who is angry at the world and considers a night on call a good one if no patients needed an admission and talks about patients as “hits”. How many hits did you get last night? Some preparation for love of your fellow person that is.

You and I might not even be here tomorrow. If today is our last day on earth, let’s make it a day that we could be proud of, where we had a joyful outlook, gave our assigned responsibilities our best effort and made the people who came to play a part in our life today better off for having encountered us. That will often be one of your patients, but it may be one of your classmates, one of your professors, or even the person who sweeps up. Tomorrow will have to take care of itself. It’s not easy to live this way, but you know in your hearts that I am speaking the truth and if you will only embrace this philosophy, you will not find yourself “wishing your life away” as so many of us do. You can close your eyes each night less anxious about some far-off goal and really be enjoying life’s journey and all of the great people, events, and beauty in it. And one of these days, the Good Lord willing, you can sign your name with an MD after it and really know what it means. Carpe diem, brothers and sisters. Seize the day.

[TheNightcoreReaper]

Leaving this comment here for the hopeful med school graduate me. I may be a premed right now, but let's see where this goes. Also, ND MD, your channel is a source of inspiration for me, and people like you are why I went into medicine.

[amyvalletta]

Congratulations Dr Nguyen. The world is a better place for you are in it.

[renierpupo]

This speech has driven me to tears. I’ve been looking for so long trying to figure out what my true purpose is. I aimlessly went into engineering hoping I could make a difference, Got scolded by politically driven corporate types when trying to make positive impacts in areas of income disadvantaged areas, after a year of this I had lost my purpose . After many months of investigating the possibility of medical school this video was the final nail in the coffin for me, I’ve found my true vocation in the medicine and a practice for me to truly commit the highest degree of good that I can to my fellow brothers and sisters of the world. Congratulations on your success and may god bless you.

[omasanonwaeze]

One of THEEE most brilliant speeches I've ever heard in Medicine. Thank you for sharing it with us. Thank you for sharing your journey with so many of us. Congratulations on your graduation; we can't wait to see what the next chapter of your journey holds!!!!

[paballomothapo]

I am coming to the end of my premed and I have been scared of medicine because the way people complain about the workload but after this I am convinced I am not going to be a great doctor but THE PEOPLE'S DOCTOR. Thank you and congratulations DR ND

[jordantwindsor]

Had to hold back tears the whole video. Congrats doc, well deserved.

[gracevet]

That was truly an excellent speech. Congratulations, Andy, and the entire class of 2024!

[brunerguy]

My deepest and sincere congratulations, Andy, M.D., on your graduation and your willingness to share these foundational beliefs in what your vocation as a doctor will entail. May God bless your life as a physician. I look forward to the adventures you will have that you may choose to share with us.

[densestlemon]

I’ve been watching your videos for a few years now. It’s been wonderful to watch you progress from a first or second year med student to matching, and now graduation. I started my own journey in medicine last august and now, finishing my first year of med school, I know that I’ll experience that same feeling someday. Thanks for the insight into what lies ahead, and congratulations.

[Jose-brlq]

Congratulations 🎊 👏 This brought me to tears! Super beautiful words! God bless you in the new chapter thats coming, never give up!

[treece_rose]

This had me bawling like a baby.❤ SO MUCH wisdom, truth, and necessary insight in this one video. I feel better for hearing the words he spoke. What a privilege, I'm certain, for you to have heard it yourself as a new medical student. Thank you for sharing this. It was life-altering. Congratulations on your graduation!!! May your next journey through anesthesia residency be a blessed one.🤗😁

[mackenzieb]

YOU DID IT!!!! Congratulations dude! You’re going to be such a good doctor 😭😭♥️♥️

[daitiacampbell]

Last year as a premed and I’ve been here from the beginning. My heart feels so full for you ❤

Praying for the same success for my friends and I

[suleepornpawlowski]

Congratulations Dr Andy!!! Have a bright and wonderful journey at Yale

[VineetGoyal-vv]

This is most beautiful thing for any medical student love your journey and try to create mine ....❤❤ congrats 🎉

[zoilalulu]

Congratulations, Dr. Nguyen, MD! I still remember when you were probably in your second year or so and I can't believe you're already off to residency! I wish you the best in your future journey, and look forward to different but still as interesting videos.

[norahlee]

I love this video! I started watching your channel in high school when I got hooked on your 73 questions series. In my country there is one competitive premed year before 5 years of med school. I used to play this video every time to motivate me in my premed year when I thought it got too hard or I couldn’t do it to remind me of my dream in the first place. And I got into medicine starting 2025!!! I’m so grateful for this video and will continue to play this when med school gets hard to encourage me to be the best doctor I can be.

[onyekaonianwa]

Congratulations, Andy M.D.! This speech is addressed to me 😢. I will come back to it, again. And again. Congratulations, once again.

[emmanueleze-iqep]

Wow, this was so wonderful to watch.
Aspiring to be, one day.